Elias Van Sickle Narratives of Identity Professor Valcik 23 October 2014 Internalized Inferiority
An individual’s conception of societal norms and beliefs is developed over time through the observation of and interaction with others. In modern times, one might come to understand feminine beauty as thin rather than voluptuous through exposure to the magazines, television and other media outlets that display images of “beautiful” thin models. Simply because a belief is widespread does not make it true or moral; the exclusive portrayal of the thin woman as beautiful is an extremely narrow definition of beauty that is far from true and may be very damaging: it can negatively impact women’s self worth and leads many to attempt to change their identities to conform to society’s perverted projection of a beautiful woman’s appearance. Similarly, in the past, the widespread internalization of the false and immoral belief of white superiority and black inferiority had numerous destructive effects on blacks. Toi Derricotte, a light skinned black women who recounts her experience with racism in the memoir The Black Notebooks, and Malcom X whose life story and transformation into a racial leader are told in The Autobiography of Malcom X, both recognize the deleterious effects of internalized racism on themselves and other blacks; however, the nature of their efforts to address its harms differ, reflecting their respective visions for societal betterment.
In order to fully understand the harms of internalized racism it is necessary to first examine its origins. Malcom X describes instances when he was young where whites would talk about the perplexing behavior of “niggers” with a casual air and complete disregard for his presence (Malcom X 32). Additionally, certain whites Malcom X met for the first time would look him up and down as if “examining a fine colt, or a