Rant: No Country for Colored Girls With Colored Contacts
“Your eyes are blue but you ain’t White/your hair is straight cause you press it every night!”
When I watched School Daze as a kid, I didn’t realize that Tisha Campbell’s Jane and a number of her Gamma Ray sisters were wearing colored contacts. Upon viewing it again recently in HD, I saw just how crazy the girls looked- especially next to the cast members who do have naturally light colored eyes.
For all the little hangups I’ve had about appearance over the years, I’ll say that I am relieved that a desire for light eyes was never one of them. I remember reading The Bluest Eye in fourth grade and thinking “Blue eyes aren’t even that pretty” in regards to poor little Pecola’s obsession. And while I do acknowledge that confident sisters with high-self esteem can do things to alter their image just as easily as more insecure ones, I cannot wrap my brain around the inclination of Black girls to wear colored contacts.
For how ever many years they have been around, the colored contact has not been perfected to the point in which it looks remotely natural on a woman of color. From fair to dark, sisters of all shades typically look ridiculous trying to rock even hazel lenses, let alone blue, violet or grey…colors that are rare even in people who are more likely to have been born with lighter peepers. Very few sisters have pulled them off; even Mary J, Beyonce and Vivica have been caught out there looking nuts. And lets not even talk about Small Kim. Those are the celebs who have the money for quality contacts; most Pecolas around the way got ‘em for cheap from the beauty supply. No good.
While an inordinate amount of value is placed upon the light eye (much like the fair skin and the straight hair), colored contacts ain’t really getting most sisters no props. Why? Because they don’t look like real eyes! It makes me mad. It’s like preferring a bad weave to a natural. This is not intended to hurt anyone’s feelings if you’re reading this through a pair of periwinkle blue FreshLooks. But sisters, please…let the Breedlove stuff go. Even if you love your brown eyes and just want a change, they don’t look right. I’m sorry. I’m doing this for your own good.
I think it CAN be a matter of wanting a different look for SOME black women. But when you’re willing to risk your HEALTH to have light eyes? Come on now… there’s gotta be a deeper reason why it would be worth that risk. I agree with Kit… contacts require prescriptions by a doctor for a reason. We all know this, and that’s because it’s a safety/health issue. Like RKJ, I wore colored contacts in high school occasionally, and that’s where they’ll stay. They really don’t look right on most black women.
It’s not always about self-hate. But I think it’s likely to be a factor.
I realize more and more that even African americans dont accept or pay any attention to black women when they are natural, especially darker skinned women but are quick to criticize black women who change their appearance to look like the ones who do get all of it. Its quite dissapointing that the women representing and african american woman today is 95% of the time are either light skinned, have light eyes and or curvy bodies, So don’t criticize the african american women who are majority of the time on the darker side for changing their looks because they are only being like them. Im mixed with a lot of races, am light and can pull off my grey contacts, but its quite ridiculous to criticize girls who have probably been told they were ugly indirectly by their own parents by using perms,weaves,and fattening them up to match a certain body shape its 100% true i see it everyday in school.
Maybe we should pay more attention to darker skinned natural girls in black media? but then again how many are there of those women? Dont blame the young girls they just follow their assumed expectations.
i don’t see what the big deal is??? if you don’t like them just don’t wear them…if that what makes them feel good and gives the a extra confident boost then i love it….and its just as simple as that… i come from a family where we are born with either gray or hazel eyes… and yes i stand out and yes i get props on my eyes everyday….
This article is disgustingly biased. I love my brown eyes to death that’s why I don’t wear colored contacts but honestly we African Americans are so hung up over the past that we oppress ourselves and limit ourselves to narrow image that to be honest doesn’t express individuality and it pisses me off! We are so obsessed with “not trying to betray our race” that we criticize anybody who wants to express themselves in other means. Not everybody wants to ne white! The very criticism you’re placing over heads have made simple things such as dyeing one’s hair a “white thing”. How in the actual hell do you think this marginalization is ok? It’s not by any means at all.
IA..I personally don’t like the idea of poking myself in the eye..I value my sight WAAAY too much just for the sake of “being different” or “trying something new”.. haha..
..IMHO to each their own..I think they look tacky thought *Kanye Shrug*