The Bias for North vs. Blue Ivy

      Now I don't like to pit people against each other, especially two kids barely old enough to be in Kindergarten, but the internet sure does. Last Sunday, at the VMAs, hundreds of grown adults chose to sit behind their computer screen and waste their time calling Blue Ivy ugly. It's been happening since birth. From hearing my grandmother talk about how Beyoncé needed to comb out and flat iron Blue's hair to seeing article judging the way Blue Ivy acts, the Internet has not stopped judging this little girl since before she came out the womb. I love Blue. I think she is just trying to live her life as normally as one can when their parents are two of the biggest names in the world. She has tantrums, probably loves to play dress up, and in the end is just like every other five year old. But, back to the VMAs. Blue walks the red carpet with her mom in this gorgeous golden dress with two French braids and a tiara top fit her like the princess she is. And as usual, so many people are not pleased. They commented on everything from how her edges weren't laid properly, to the size of her nose, and even her eyebrow shape. (Which I'm sorry, do you want to put a five year old in a full face of makeup, so that she'll fit your standards, or will you just complain about that too?) Blue Ivy's criticism got out of hand. 

     That same night I came across all of the criticizing tweets, I saw many comparing her to Kim Kardashian-West and Kanye West's baby girl, North, or Nori as she's affectionately called. She is also gorgeous, and the Internet knows that. One tweet I read said that "Blue should take some lessons from North, that baby is gorgeous." I'm sorry, but how could you say something like that about two girls not old enough to have a Twitter. The problem is that the actual problem stems from more than people loving Nori more than Blue, it stems from a greater acceptance and sometimes even fetishization of mixed children. Nori is what many people would call the "perfect" black baby. Her complexion lies just golden enough without being dark, Her hair is just curly enough to be exotic without being unmanageable, and her tantrums are cute, not a young black girl with an attitude. Nori's mixed heritage gives her a boost that not many are completely aware of, but many subconsciously recognize. The reaction to Nori is just one case of people's obsession with mixed race babies. 

     As hopefully this topic comes up, I hope everyone remembers that practically every one of Blue Ivy's critiques are rooted in anti-blackness. Rooted in the belief that 100% black women/girls aren't as beautiful as those who are mixed. Also remember that these girls are children, North is three and Blue is five. Be mindful of how you talk about them, lest we help perpetuate the false belief that value is rooted in looks.