White Privilege Wins: L'Oreal and Beyonce Continue to Give Black Women the Finger

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(H/T Ankhesen Mié)

Apparently Black/African American is not acceptable enough to L'Oreal and Beyonce.

L'Oreal and Beyonce continue their marketing affiliation by insulting Black women again with their racist advertising campaigns further solidifying their disdain for the Black female identity.  Their preferred clientele (read: white) apparently doesn't appreciate or purchase products that use people that don't look like them in the advertising.  When white people say that they are white there is NO ONE is expecting or requesting an ethnicity breakdown.  WTH.  Just another example why elementary and secondary education shouldn't have to suffer white fairy tales disguised as history.

White privilege derived racism is the primary factor that permits L'Oreal's blatant and racist disregard for Black women who spend between $7-$8 billion dollars on cosmetics annually.  They don't change because they haven't had to change in order to continue receiving our dollars.  We show them every time we purchase their products that they don't have to respect us or show reciprocity.  They take us for granted because we have allowed them to.

This is not the first time that L'Oreal has shown their predilection for racism within their company and through their marketing and advertising affiliation with Beyonce.  But I bet like me, a lot of you continued to purchase their products. (Dark and Lovely, Roots of Nature, Optimum Care, Garnier, Maybelline, Redken, Mizani) An insider tip that L'Oreal can take directly to their advertising departments; Black women purchase cosmetic products from more than just the one "ethnic" directed line that they now own.  Black women spend a lot of money in a variety of areas!  We control the majority of the expenditures in our households just like other women who are making the decisions about where that money goes.  We can choose to show them why they should pay very close attention to ALL of the women that purchase their products by being more discerning.

As L'Oreal continues to assault their Black female consumers by choosing to overtly reject Black female identity in their advertising, Beyonce cosigns making sure that her check has cleared.  WIBP (White Identified Black People) like Beyonce and her peoples propel the institution of whiteness forward every time they give it a pass in order to get paid. *cough*  Carol's Daughter and Steve Stoute???  Lord build a bridge for lost Black people to find their way back to common sense.

Putting a spotlight on the mindless consumerism within the Black community is something that I have been planning for a while.  We spend a trillion dollars each year and too much of that is done without any forethought and with little to no expectation of these companies showing respect and reciprocity in the way that they produce, market or affiliate themselves with us.  Enough. Of. That.

Respect Black is calling out L'Oreal and Beyonce by saying, "I would rather choose No Brand over Your Brand™".  L'Oreal and other companies just like them must choose to show the same respect, effort and consideration towards Black women as consumers or they should lose us forever.

I realize that opting out is not a small endeavor.  I am a product junkie veteran and I have (for close to two years) paid attention to everything that I consume and because of that effort I have been able to wean myself from my mindless product consumption.  Just go through your house and add up the value of everything that you have purchased in just the last couple of months (the items that you use as well as the ones that you don't).  If you are traumatized afterwards then take action.

It is hard to accept at times but as Black people (in a world preoccupied with whiteness) we have to be cautious and discerning in everything we support with our time, money and effort or we invite a larger disconnect and more blatant disrespect.  In a world that lauds whiteness as the ultimate and the norm there is no choice but to push back hard against the idea that we aren't important parts of this world. 

I am a woman who sees nothing wrong with my Black female identity and I continued to purchase products from L'Oreal and companies like them that don't care about Black women specifically as consumers.  I gave them an unlimited invitation to my wallet without reciprocity.  I no longer allow myself to consume without thinking and I definitely will not spend another dime with companies that disrespect my Black female identity and don't value me as a consumer. 

One step at a time.  "No Brand over Your Brand™".