A friend recently told me something incredible: “Someone just came up to me and said, ‘You are really beautiful for a Black guy.’ I said excuse me? And they said, ‘Yeah, you’re sexy for a Blacky.”’ My mouth hit the floor. “That is not a compliment,” said Romeo Ballayan about the friendly White woman, who strolled over to him and began to engage in casual conversation.

For many years within our community, there has been a distinct definition of beauty that has penetrated our society. It has affected the way we view ourselves, and the way we view others, and has contributed to an increase of self-hatred.