Because Western society has Eurocentric ideas about what is

Hear the powerful words of Judi Love, who spoke truth with courage and tenderness: “Because Western society has Eurocentric ideas about what is beautiful, and that means Black girls have to go above and beyond to feel and look pretty—the expectations would be so much higher.” These words carry the weight of centuries, for they remind us that beauty, though born of the soul, is too often bound in chains of cultural prejudice. They are a call to see how false standards wound the spirit, and how resilience is forged in the fire of rejection.

For in Western society, the image of beauty has long been painted in narrow hues—skin fair as ivory, hair straight as flax, features sculpted to a particular mold. These Eurocentric ideas have been enthroned as the measure of worth, and anything that strays from them has too often been diminished. And so, the Black girl, radiant in her natural strength, her curls, her skin rich with the tones of earth and sun, is told by the world that she must labor harder, shine brighter, endure more, to be granted what others receive without struggle: recognition as beautiful.

History bears witness to this struggle. In the days of colonial empires, when European standards were imposed upon lands far and wide, African women were mocked, their features caricatured, their beauty dismissed. Consider the tragic story of Sarah Baartman, displayed in 19th-century Europe as a curiosity, her body treated as spectacle rather than as sacred vessel of life. Her suffering stands as a dark mirror, showing how deeply these false standards cut, stripping dignity and denying humanity.

And yet, the story does not end in sorrow. From the soil of oppression rose movements of reclamation. In the 20th century, the Black is Beautiful movement declared openly what had always been true: that beauty is not the monopoly of one culture, one skin tone, or one texture of hair. Poets, singers, and activists lifted their voices, telling Black girls that they need not conform, for they already embodied power and grace. These voices worked to shatter the narrowness of Western society’s ideals, and to remind the world that beauty is as vast as humanity itself.

The meaning of Judi Love’s words, then, is not only lament, but revelation. She shows us the burden carried by those forced to reach “above and beyond” simply to feel worthy, and she exposes the injustice of standards that weigh more heavily on some than on others. But in doing so, she also reveals a deeper truth: that when Black girls rise despite these chains, their beauty is not diminished but magnified, for it is beauty forged in struggle, radiance tested and proven in fire.

The lesson, O listeners, is clear: dismantle the false idols of Eurocentric ideas. Refuse to measure worth by the narrow standards handed down through centuries of prejudice. Instead, learn to see with truer eyes, to honor the beauty of every shade of skin, every curl of hair, every feature shaped by heritage. Teach the children that beauty is not given by society but revealed by the soul, and that no one need go “above and beyond” to prove what is already within them.

In your own lives, be vigilant. Do not repeat with careless words the old chains of prejudice. Celebrate the beauty of difference. Support those who struggle beneath these unjust expectations, and join the work of reshaping society into one that treasures diversity rather than diminishes it. For only then can the burden be lifted, and every girl, of every color, stand in the fullness of her dignity.

Thus remember Judi Love’s wisdom: the weight of false beauty standards is heavy, but it can be cast aside. A society that worships narrowness breeds sorrow; a society that embraces all beauty will flourish in truth. Teach this to your children, live it in your actions, and in so doing, weave a world where every face, every form, every soul may shine without limit.