Wendy, Please Stop Speaking For All Black Women and Their Need to be Natural

May 17th, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

Source: Xojane.com

After reading Wendy Williams’ comments on why black women will never go for any kind of surgery and her subsequent explanation of wearing wigs, part of me didn’t know whether I wanted to smack Wendy or slap her a high-five. In her mini-rant, she makes a couple of decent points about some women’s aversion to fake hair, plastic surgery, and the like, but the underlying hypocrisy and her obvious issue with women who are actually comfortable walking around in the skin and hair they were born with, left me leaning more on the smack side

As part of XO Jane’s Makeunder series, Wendy Williams was toned down from fitted dresses and stilettos to a white crew neck and jeans to talk about what beauty is to her and be candid about the plastic surgeries she’s undergone and her own mane regimen but then she threw black women under the bus a little when she was asked why people are so judgmental about plastic surgery. She told the site:

“They are jealous. Because if I said to that person, ‘I got the doctor and I’m going to pay for it. Choose three things you want to do,’ believe me, they would get it done. They are very jealous and scared. Scared of what their other friends would say, or to break out of the box and be different. And being black? Ugh, please. My people will not go for any kind of surgery. We are supposed to be natural. Ugh, whatever.”

Then hen the interviewer asked Wendy whether she feels the same is true when it comes to hair, she said this:

“Its like a 50/50 thing with women. Some woman prefer natural and then the other 50 percent prefer something fake going on. And for me, fake includes a color. Blonde is not natural in most of our background’s rainbow.

“Full blown wigs are looked at as the worst, in terms of hair type fakery. Getting pieces is the first line of acceptability. Then getting a full weave is a second line of acceptability. Then a wig is something that is acceptable for your old aunt, but not for a modern girl. If you do wear a wig, everybody wants you to take off the wig and show your hair. That’s what Tyra did on her show years ago. She did it because she was running out of ideas trying to shock her audience. They always ask me that, too.

“The reason I wear the wigs is because my hair is naturally thin. And I have thyroid disease which I was diagnosed with 12 years ago. And thyroid disease thins your natural hair and your eyebrows. It thins all of the hair on your body, along with giving you the eye pop and the scary stare. That’s why I wear wigs. Because the hair I would want is just not what is growing out of my head. If I was a librarian with a smaller personality, then I would keep the hair that I have.”

Did she just backtrack there? Wendy wears wigs because of thyroid disease? Sounds like she’s saying she’d rock her natural hair otherwise (maybe not in texture but at least free of extensions). It’s interesting she feels the need to explain that when she’s such a proponent of so-called fake beauty. I also think it’s funny she’s disgusted that black women prefer “natural beauty”—although I can’t say I ever knew that. I mean she can’t be talking about the largest consumers of hair weave, probably around the entire globe, can she? I personally never saw black women as a whole being against plastic surgery, what I did observe was women of color being more comfortable with their features and not feeling the need to go under the knife and “correct” things the way white women do (as much). Plus, we have to shout out those black women don’t crack genetics that don’t make botox such a necessity, as least quite as early. Truthfully I didn’t see the need to even make a distinction between black women and the rest of the world anyway. We’re hardly without physical image issues, I’ve just always looked at hair and skin tone as the main struggles we battle and there’s nothing going under the knife can do about either one of those. That’s why the weave is bought and sewn in and bleaching creams are still lucrative products.

Maybe Wendy was speaking more to the policing of other women’s beauty choices when she made her comments but they came off as pretty defensive to me, as if people should applaud her for going under the knife whenever she chooses and wearing overpowering and terribly groomed weaves every day. I also couldn’t help but remember the comment she made about Viola Davis and her natural hair that didn’t belong on the red carpet and feel some sort of way about her plastic surgeries and her wigs being a little bit deeper than thyroid disease and having cash to blow.

At the end of the day, I don’t think worrying about who has or hasn’t had plastic surgery is at the top of black women’s concerns but when it comes to why they don’t do it, I think the reasons that are a bit deeper than what Wendy would let on. As most studies show, we have healthier body images all around; but there’s also the issue of cost and a lot of black women simply not having discretionary cash to blow on a cosmetic procedure; there’s also distrust of medical professionals. If we won’t see a doctor about our reproductive or mental health, I don’t think we’ll be lined up to have someone cut us open for an optional surgery. Plus there are issues of scarring and contouring and keloids that just aren’t worth the risk for many of us. If getting chopped and screwed is Wendy’s forte I don’t think anyone is really mad at her. But she also shouldn’t be mad at black women who don’t want to do the same.

What do you think about Wendy’s comments? Is she right about black women and their feelings about plastic surgery?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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  • monitorette

    just seen pictures of her at the mediamrs website, showing her from young pupil to young lady, before the pig nose surgery. It’s sad, because she was beautiful back then, with a genuine smile.

  • April N December

    First let me say, I am not a fan. However, I find it AMAZING that so many of you have come
    here to say how negative she is then proceed to call her ugly, a man, ignorant
    etc. Isn’t that being negative as well? A simple, “She doesn’t speak for
    me, and here’s why…” would be sufficient. We spend way too much time
    tearing each other down. I do not watch her show or listen to her radio show.
    Rather than say something negative, I express myself by not tuning in. Regardless
    of what she says, I will never knock another Black woman’s hustle. Yes, she is
    gossipy and messy, but that’s her shtick. From my understanding, she’s been
    that way forever and now she’s getting paid for that hobby, past time or
    whatever you want to call. I ain’t mad at her. Instead, I will applaud her for
    kicking her drug habit. Let’s face it; she could have ended up like Whitney and
    Michael. I have a family member that has a drug addiction and that is a hard
    thing to beat. I will applaud her for making a successful career that has
    turned into a TV show, guest appearances and movie roles.

    In the face of negativity, if your first response is to be ugly and negative yourself,
    perhaps you need to look inward. Positive change starts from within. If you
    want real change and you can handle being the face and voice of “Black
    America” then try to get your own TV/radio show. It’s not like the “old
    days”, it’s easier now. Not that tv or radio is easy to come by, but there
    are ways to parlay something small into that, just as she did. You can get a
    Twitter account, start a blog or get a You Tube channel. There are plenty of
    ways to get your name, face and view out there. If other people agree, they
    will follow and tune in. You may even find yourself as the next negative topic
    on someone’s web page and realize it’s not so easy to say and do the “right”
    thing ALL of the time because you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t, because someone is always going to be upset.

  • Deja

    Wait, she’s had plastic surgery and looks like that?  Ugghhhh!  That money was not well spent.  

  • thinker

    the photo..had me cracking up! have you ever looked at the concept of weaves, wigs etc..objectively? It really is a sad and silly thing..Your basics isn’t part of yourself and needs to be hidden…..I have seen women on ANTM crying to take out weaves, women hiding under hats in between ‘sewings’….ethnic variety is to be cherished and adored not ignored.

  • Glittermagic86

    i never understand why there are still reports about wendy williams, why she has a show, and why shes even relevant at all in hollywood or in the world? 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=657609839 Maleka Lenzy

    Of cousre she has deeper issues, hence the past substance abuse….and her tales of her parents not knowing how to deal with an overweight child!!!  So she needs to make herself better for her own view…..but B***h please, cause I am cool with me!  When I do decide to go under the knife I will be ok with that too and not make anybody else feel bad for what they choose to or choose not to do! 

    • luckybuddha5769

      Deeper issues is right. I knew plenty of girls of color Samoan and Negro)who grew up being teased about their noses or lack of chest. And in theh 80′s I saw half of them got boob jobs and nose jobs. My sister used to call me pug nose and after my Mom died I almost got my nose done…but the doctor I consulted with asked me if anything traumatic had happened in my life like divorce death, etc. I lied and said no but I could not lie to mysel so I never went back to the doctor and still have my own imperfect nose and I am no worse.. But all of those ladies of color who had nose jobs done and boob jobs done in the 80′s have 1) 1 nostril bigger than the other, 2) flat noses with a long skinny pieces put in that make them look like transvestites 3) had 2 other nose jobs performed because they still never felt their noses looked right after surgery 4) had to get a second boob job in the last 10 years because those old ones deflated and made theor chests look deformed. I always had a chest but lost 60 pounds in one year at the age if 50 and they looked deflated. I have since gained the weigt back so my breasts look normal now. But when I stayed over fo rtwo weeks of each friend who had their breasts dine back then all I can say was that was some major pain they went through and I do not think I hate my nose or breasts enough to want to do that. However when I near 56 I just might get a filler in the little wrinkle that has cropped up between my eye brows an dthat that will be next year.

  • Niecey Gee

    This woman clearly have some deep underlying issues that may even stem from her childhood. She may have been the “ugly boy” in school or something like that. Who knows? I have never in all of my years heard any of the things she has said that black women are “jealous” or “afraid” of. I think a better word to use to describe most black women would be “disinterested” in going to such extreme measures for the sake of “feeling” beautiful.As cliche’ as it sounds beauty indeed comes from within.  I currently have no relaxer (4 years), I don’t wear tips, I don’t wear make-up (bronze gloss is all), and I am a size 9 in jeans (no diet just a little lady lol) and I am beautiful. I don’t feel “some kinda way” about anyone who does relax, go to the nail shop, or wear make-up. I JUST DON’T. We need to embrace our sisterhood and stop being divided on something as menial as the aforementioned. I am so not shocked at Wendy Williams’ answers to her interview questions. Why? Because the statement is true, “When you hate yourself, you hate anyone who looks like you.” I will pray for her…….

  • Joko

    wendy is a man

  • cleva

    Calling her man is probably a part of her issues.  I don’t agree but i can see how she came to these conclusions. 

  • Missedwards

    I always say that nothing is 100%, so her comments don’t apply across the board, but there is a ring of truth to what she said. some women (not just us) will see an attractive female and just start tearing them apart rather than giving props. And the favorite line is”she’s fake”, even when they look good. I agree that some of those same people would rock the same fake hair and body parts if they could. So I agree with Wendy to a degree. The truth isn’t always pretty and politically correct. Also, that is her opinion. You can’t get mad at her for speaking her mind.

  • Honeybeemee2

    With all that she does, she still looks A HOT MESS!!! Just my opinion…and I am NOT JEALOUS!!!

  • Divagodd6

    Wendy is conflicted with her blackness. Having grown up around white girls she has internalized their values around body imagine. To make a blanket statement about black women is ignorant. I think black women weigh the economic and health benefits.  When did being natural become a crime?

  • Melissamak007

    It’s easy to not be offended by her comments when looking at the type of person it’s coming from. Sure Wendy has done a lot with her career but she obviously likes a certain aesthetic… I’ve found that people who make these types of comments usually have the biggest problem with themselves.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/HOAP4U6B7ZCYTUF2QOEKRXBTUI jinni p

    Wendy is for real when she wants to be! Feel me?

  • Gmarie

    plastic (cosmetic) surgery IS still kind of taboo in the black community though. As for everything else she said..it’s just hair folks

    • AnnaX

      I don’t watch her show but I saw her at JFK once. Made me really wonder what other celebs look like in real life. She looked so much smaller than what I would have expcted.
      Nothing is ever 100% thouh. All black women don’t think the same way or do the same thing. All black men, or white men or women or all tall people or short people or americans or asians or caribbean people. Sharing simliarities don’t make you the same.
      But I agree with her on the cosmetic surgery part. Plastic surgery is taboo in the black community for the most part. Once upon a time weaves were believable looking and people would deny they are wearing weaves. They tried the best to make it a believable length and color. Now weaves are outlandish in thickness, length and color. Makeup used to be toned down. Now it’s all barbie look at me makeup.
      But for some reason the outlook on plastic surgery hasn’t changed. Maybe because it’s permanent? Involves being put under, cut open and the risk of dying???

  • Bkabbagej

    It is beyond me that Wendy williams: 1. feels she can speak for Black women in general, 2. insult a black woman if she chooses to  wear a natural hairdo under any circumstance, and 3. when she gets on national t.v. and insult black people’s looks and attributes while up holding white people looking great all fake looking and cut up. She upholds one of the major reason so many sisters feel the need to wear weaves and wigs (wishing our hair was straighter, longer and blond at that!), using white people’s standards of beauty, to concur that we’re not beautiful just the way we are.  I feel sorry for Wendy Williams and any other sister that feels they’re (white peopes) standard of beauty is the best/only form of beauty and we all must adhere to that standard or we’re jealous or not enlighten in some way. Self love and acceptance is the only way!!!

  • Rmdavis45

    Brande Why is this question being asked? Wendy Williams will say what she wants to say wheather we agree with her or not why are you talking about Wigs and Weaves who gets enhancements etc.I think most black Women would rather discuss Health issues such as Strokes,Heart disease,Diabetes Std’s Job’s,Housing, low self esteem among other issues why do you always discuss,things that doesn’t have a lot of revelance in the society that we live,please let’s talked about things that effect the black woman on a daily basis we are interested in things other than relationships

  • Candacey Doris

    I don’t agree with her hair. I have no problem with plastic surgery. If it’s done right. If you look like the bride of Frankenstein, not good. But me personally, i’m not looking for surgery. If i have a real problem, i’ll take care of it, but nose jobs and face lifts aren’t for me. Her comment on hair can’t be more wrong though. Black women can keep the fake hair industry going all by themselves.

  • shelshel

    Wendy stop talking for the black women…. I know plenty of black women who wants surgery and love fake hair. I’m natural but I sure do love wigs…and guess what I’m only 24 yrs but been wearing wigs since I was 19. Like I said she need to keep her mouth close on certain topics that she only knows 50/50 about. I still love you though Wendy :-)

  • akha1784

    I’m not even gonna make an argument here with what she said.  I will say this, Wendy shut the hell up please. DAMN.

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