Lizzo
“My Skin”
Big GRRRL Small World
This is really one of the most important songs of 2015. Luckily, Lizzo is also unbelievably talented and beautiful. Her song, “My Skin”, relates something we’ve all dealt with: prejudice about outside looks. Lizzo addresses a very important subject in our looks-are-most-important culture that the West so wrongly propagates. According to Lizzo:
We are reduced to our stereotypes. We ALL are. But black stereotypes have made us the pariah of the privileged. “My Skin” is a stance against the racial profiling of ALL ethnicities and the blind hatred that poisons our perceptions. I performed in this music video being fully aware of the consequences. The amount of shame people place on others’ bodies has evolved beyond the quiet murmurs behind backs. “Body shaming” and hateful, stereotypical slurs are flippantly exchanged on social media and youtube comments. This video will be seen, scrutinized, laughed at, hated, loved, but most importantly appreciated. My afro-hair, fat, muscle, bone and melanin are not a punchline– I was born in it, and I will proudly wake up in it everyday. This is a summoning of bodies: all shapes, sizes and shades to unite in their pride, and wear their skin like the gift it is.”
This is also a HUGE problem in the gay community, the stereotyping and body shaming. Haven’t we all grown enough in our struggles to be what we are and acceptance of others. This is a great song. And what makes it better is that Lizzo is so talented.