Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"     -Margaret Wolfe Hungerford (née Hamilton), 1878,

The above is the most popular saying I know about beauty.
It is indeed an established hypothesis or theory if you will, that we are all beautiful in our own way.
The picture above is Miss Universe 2011, Leila Lopes, from Angola.
For those who do not know, Angola is a country in South West Africa

When I watch shows like "Miss World pageants" and see how women from all races compete for a single crown based on beauty (and intelligence of course), I  wonder, if there is really one criterion to judge beauty, especially as our physical features differ one race to another.

As an African/Black woman, I often say, our beauty is unique, really different from most. The texture of our hair is unique, no other race has hair texture like Africans and people of African descent, and frankly, I am pained at not seeing  African women at these beauty pageants showcase our natural hair.
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Sometimes Black women feel they need to meet the beauty standards set on a Euro-centric and lately Asian-centric standard. A matter of concern especially for the self-esteem of young black girls, who see media fixation on physical beauty.

 This has become a social issue in the Black community, but that is a topic for another day.

 "Beauty without grace is the hook without the bait".Ralph Waldo Emerson

“No matter how plain a woman may be, if truth and honesty are written across her face, she will be beautiful.”
―Eleanor Roosevelt

I recently read an article by ZEUS, where he paid tribute to the beauty of the Black woman,  something, I had to share

 Zeus is the author of the blog The Social Gods, an e-zine dedicated to helping men build social skills in every aspect of their lives, from daily social interactions to dating, to entrepreneurship, to successful leadership and networking in business. He is married to Velour, administrator of Interracial Intersection.

Why Black Women Are So Attractive

Interracial Intersection™ for Black WomenWhy Black Women Are So Attractive

Growing up, I lived in the city all my life and went to a public school. This was a blessing because it allowed me to be around and get to know people of different cultures and ethnicities. It’s also helped me realize that all women are beautiful, including and especially black women.

This is not to take credit for other women’s beauty, but there are some great qualities that black women possess not only outside, but inside as well.

Let’s start with the outer beauty since it’s the first thing men notice about a woman and draw them in like a magnet.

The eyes are the window to a woman’s soul. Black women have these big, beautiful eyes that grab your attention and pull you in, like a fishing reel. Their eyes sparkle like stars. When I see this, my heart melts instantly. A lot of women will spend hours applying eyeliner and shadow to make their eyes look larger and more attractive in order to grab men’s attention. Black women don’t have to go through all this trouble.

Now let’s talk about the lips. Doesn’t it seem like a lot of black women have these nice, full, sexy lips that just make you want to walk up to them, gently grab them by the cheeks, and plant a soft, sensual kiss on them? I don’t know about other men, but it sure makes me want to. Women from many other cultures not only envy this but go through all the trouble to duplicate the same look by applying lip liner and lipstick, hoping they can achieve the same effect. Again, black women don’t have to worry about having full, plump, kissable lips.

Let’s not forget the soft, glowing skin that black women have, either. While many women are out on the beach, going to tanning salons and applying spray-on tans with the hope of obtaining sun-kissed, glowing skin, black women, on the other hand, already naturally possess this. There’s no need for them to suffer painful sunburns, another thing they don’t get easier, in order to have healthy, attractive, glowing skin.

And there’s no way any man cannot notice the curvy, firm bodies that black women naturally have either. A lot of women complain that they can’t shape up their hips, and thighs, and lift their butts. Black women already possess these sexy, attractive qualities…and if they hit the gym, WATCH OUT! Total chaos will break out. Men will be staring so hard they will be bumping into things. They won’t be able to think straight, and some will get so nervous they may even start to slur their words. I’ve seen many men from all cultures staring at attractive black women who are fit, even with their girlfriends standing right there.

As great as a black woman may look on the outside, there’s much more to her than just physical qualities. Many black women are just as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside.

Whenever I’ve talked to black women, it’s always been a very pleasant experience. They learn to appreciate the inner qualities of another person, especially if they are dating interracially, and they cherish the little things you do for them. They seem to be a lot more confident and outgoing on average than other women.

Maybe it’s due to knowing what they want and like, and not being afraid to go after it. I’m thinking that this may be the reason why more businesses are being started by black women than anybody else, and surprisingly succeeding even in a tough economy. If that’s not the determination to get what you want, then I don’t know what you call it.

Yes, I am praising black women, because I truly do find them attractive and think that they deserve credit for being able to not only overcome all obstacles they face pertaining to dating, business, etc. but actually succeed while many others would’ve given up and failed.

So yes, black women, take a bow, show a smile, and be proud of who you are and what you’ve accomplished.