image from gdcgraphics

For some reason we are witnessing the massive side eye of Lupita Nyong’o. I have my suspicions why. It’s the Black inferiority complex. It is amazing what 400 years of Black inferiority slave training and conditioning can do to you.
Black people have been worshiping White for so long that they cannot appreciate their own beauty. They are stunned, gobsmacked and even in denial to see a woman who looks like most Black women being celebrated. Why? Because they themselves have promoted the idea that authentic Black beauty, intelligence, dignity and grace isn’t worth being celebrated.
Don’t believe me?  They call Black women bitches, hoes and baby mammas. They diss our intelligence, talent, hair, nose and skin. They reduce the Black woman’s image to a loud mouth, strong-willed and overbearing street brawler, ghetto gaggers and big booty sperm reciprocals in their music and entertainment. That’s if we are lucky. Most purposely render Black women invisible unless they need us to support their social and political causes, music or movies. Lupita, like Michelle Obama and countless other Black women challenge those images. They are quick to say Lupita is the exception but in reality, every  single day we witness through the women in our families and friends that she is the rule.
They see Lupita’s  beauty being exulted and instantly are suspicious because it is their own. The beauty they rejected in favor of another. Have y’all seen the conspiracy posts already? I have. Some people are so lost and that they cannot handle seeing Black beauty being admired and so they are waiting for another shoe to drop. Like she is some CIA plant that is too good to be true, smh.  Pinch yourself. This isn’t a dream. This is real. Others have said, they are “sick of seeing her.” Um, these are the same people who stan on the internets for the Halles, Lenas, Rihannas and other women who look like them for generations. Not once have they called these mixed-race Black identified beautiful women “over exposed.” Ask yourself why?They are all in the entertainment industry. It’s because she is dark skin and you are uncomfortable with that. Deep down ya’ll know it’s the truth.  FYI, being exposed is Lupita’s job so get over it.
The caveats, the side-eyes and suspicion are intraracism and colorism showing it’s ass on a massive scale. It is so ingrained in the Black psyche, like racism with Whites, we are blinded to its affects. Be honest.  Colorism has been accepted as the norm in the Black population. Case in point, how many times has anyone said Beyonce is pretty for a light skin girl? Well within moments of Lupita winning her Oscar I saw many post and comments saying Lupita is ”pretty for a dark skin girl.” Massive sigh!!
Before you throw shade or your side eye ask yourself where does your fear and suspicion come from? Can’t we just celebrate all kinds of Black women? As Robert F. Kennedy said, “There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why… I dream of things that never were, and ask why not” so why not? When accepting her Oscar, Lupita said, ”When I look down at this golden statue may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you’re from your dreams are valid” and millions of little Black girls and boys saw her and thought to themselves, yes they are.  That’s something worth celebrating.