[Video] Cardi B Coins the Term #BlackLooksMatter in Response to People Mocking Kinky Hair

It happened at the 2012 Olympics, it’s happening again — Gabby Douglas is being teased about her edges.  This despite the fact that, at the 2012 Olympics, she became the first Black woman in history to win gold in the individual all-around competition. This despite the fact that Mattel released a Barbie doll in honor of her.  This despite the fact that she is one of the many instances of #blackgirlmagic in this Olympics.  

Cardi B, of Love & Hip Hop, took to Instagram in defense of the gymnast in a blunt, real-talk video.  With as much heat as black women get about our “kitchens” and nappy edges, we get heat about the damage done to them as a result of trying to hide them with weaves.  We just can’t win, can we?  And we are among those who are hating on Gabby Douglas.

If black lives matter to you so much, then black looks — afro looks — should matter to you too. – Cardi B

Cardi B touches on something very important here. For many people, it is easy to declare that ‘black lives matter’ and, in the next breath, insult dark skin and kinky hair. We are still a people in conflict with our appearance. Bleaching is commonplace in many black countries and — for all our declarations that black is beautiful — we still associate beauty with European, Hispanic or Asiatic features. The process of truly loving black beauty is not an easy one. And we appreciate Cardi B for beginning an honest dialogue on this.