Who Wears Short Shorts?: Racial Double Standards

Photo By: Jemingway

Sorry guys. It's the best pic I can find wihtout being overtly gross. And I was going to find a pic to use (preferably for free) of a black girl in shorts and have you compare the two photos. However I don't think there are many pics of black women on the internet that are both free to use and non pornographic. (seriously I googled free pics of black women (okay in hindsight it sounds stupid) but I got several porn sites in return.)

I've notived the double standard of black/white girl codes of dress. Most commonly (from my eperiences, anyway) tis deals with shorts, skirts, any type clothing that reveals the legs. It's unfortunately really common for people to disapprove of a black woman wearing short shorts, short skirts, etc., while white women often do with no reperussions. No one says they look like a ho or that they should cover up.

A friend of mine stated that this was the same way in her high school. The black girls in her school were told to go home or that they need to change if they are seen wearing shorts or skirts at school, while non black students were allowed full freedom of dress. One teacher stated that this rule was because non black students "had more curvacious figures" than their black peers, and therefore was less of a threat to disrupting education.

I call BS on the whole thing. I'm black. I have little to no curves as is the case for many black girls/women. And yet we still don't have free license as far as dress wihtout getting the side eye.

I believe this standard goes even farther than trendy clothing. This has alot to do with how black women are and have been portrayed for a very long time. Black women are viewed as un-feminine sex objects, therefore we are taught that we are not as appealing as our non black counterparts, and are not granted the same benefit of being thought of as innocent until proven slutty.

This topic remind me of an article on Beyond Black & White, where the author Christelyn Karazin explains why she doesn't believe black women can participate in the feminist movement of the Slut Walk in the same way that a white woman can. The Slut Walk movement is an attempt to 'shock' society by showing womn of all races marching down the street in scantily clad wear.

While this may jerk at the hearts of those who view non black women as innocent, pure, and virginal. What will it say about black women who have never had the privilage of being thought as such? The jist of this is that since black women are already viewed as sluts, hos, tricks etc., there will be no shock value from seeing a black woman struttin' down the street in lingerie. That simply would be reinforcing the already overdone stereotype of the oversexualized black woman. Kind of counterproductive for a feminist movement.

I've even heard people say (when I bring up this argument randomly) that white women are just allowed to wear these things because when black girls do it it's probably to gain male attention. (This person was not black.)

I guess I can see this point because I know quite alot of thirsty, fresh, hot, and whatever other slang term to mean just plain FAST girls around campus who actually do dress for male attention. And these people may be getting their information from various rap videos or club visits.
Whatever.

 But to assume the entire black female population are wearing shorts or skirts to gain a man is insulting and racist and just plain stupid. I wear shorts/skirts/dresses because I live in the south and it's 90-100 degrees and I just refuse to be uncomfortable in that kind of heat and I don't give a rats balls what guy looks or doesn't look because I don't value myself based on that.

So what about you guys? Have you gotten side eyes for your choice of dress while surrounded by non blacks who are doing the same? What are your experiences with Racial Double Standards?

Don't hesitate :)