*Warning, there are some profanities in this post!!*
I
think it's almost fate that I waited a few more days before posting
this blog!! I aimed to have it posted on the 17th,
but was still editing it when Jennifer Lopez's new music videoentitled Booty
was released, which has basically summed up my thought process. There
is something happening with the Ass!!
The title of this post
is inspired by one of my heroes, Samantha Jones from Sex and the
City, who made this observation
in one episodes when her and the girls were discussing whether a
certain act was 'okay' or not (not anal by the way). Even though this episode was aired in 2001, 13 years ago, Samantha raises a great
point here, and it is still relevant today!
New's flash: The Ass is
In!! It is so fashionable at
the minute. Women twerking all day every day showing off the
different ways they can shake and stretch their gluteus'. Twerking is
the new Zumba. You've got Jason Derulo asking them girls with the
'big fat butt' to Wiggle. And
then Nicki Minaj's Anaconda
polarising the world as she rallies her 'bitches with a fat ass in
the f**king club'. And the J-Lo's Booty
where there are a lot of ass shots in the video. Big Butts are very
popular these days. Have you seen
Iggy Azalea's! It's huge (is it even real?!?!).
I'm
not sure how to react to all this love for the big fat butts. I used
to love dancing with my own assets as a 90s kid whenever 'Baby GotBack' would come on. That is my jam. Some days, I'm proud of my booty
and I'm happy to flaunt my 'healthy butt'. Other days, I'm ashamed
and want to hide it. When the likes a stunning model like Cindy
Crawford has allegedly said that she wouldn't leave the house if she
had an ass like J-Lo, no wonder I was self-conscious about mine! I
distinctively remember as a child, one of my best friends laughed at
me because I had a big butt. I must've been eight or nine when she
teased me. I went crying straight to my Mum, asking why I was cursed
with a big bum! She taught me some good life truths that day. She
said that I was beautiful the way I was, and then started naming off
some of my childhood heroes who have fabulous asses. Beyonce, Serena
Williams and J-Lo to name but a few. I remembered those words, and
chose never to be upset about my butt again, even if people stared at
it when I decided I would wear a short skirt and made comments like
the girl at the beginning of Baby Got Back,
or if some of TopShop's jeans wouldn't fit me because they didn't
accommodate my booty. I was proud of my ass, but I was weary. Weary
of people who would make sly comments about my butt behind me, some
saying that I shouldn't wear leggings, and that I should hide my
butt.
But
these attitudes seem to be shifting – if the Top 40 Charts are
anything to go by. Nowadays, big butts seem to be more acceptable!
Which is great! However, with a big butt comes big responsibilities.
With the butt becoming so fashionable these days, I am expected to
Twerk like my sista's in the club. Unfortunately I have no such skill
and look more like Miley Cyrus' poor attempt. Scratch that, I am a
better twerker than Miley Cyrus, and I will revel in that! But I
can't dutty whine, bump and grind, and just because I have a black
booty, doesn't mean I should be expected too. I much prefer the
electric slide and the occasional 'whip my hair back and forth'.
There's always that fear, I suppose, that my butt is 'sexualised',
which upsets and terrifies me, especially when I see people checking
it out, but I suppose it's something you just have to live with,
especially with butt's being so 'in'.
There
is of course, the constant debate of whether I answer Nicki Minaj's
call. Am I one of the 'bitches with a fat ass in the f**king club'
who should tell them 'skinny bitches' to f**k off. I don't wanna be,
but then who am I? It's a difficult concept to grasp. I know a lot of
people have hated Nicki's song because she slams skinny girls. And I
get it. For a large part of my life, I've been shamed for having a
big butt. I can't do anything about it, I was born this way, and I
can't work off the muscle in my butt!! But, there's something almost
comforting in how big butt's seemed to praised at the minute! And
maybe that's what hurts me when skinnier girls complain about
Anaconda. For me, this is the first time someone has openly maybe
been on my side of the big butt's, but the down side surely can't be
to exclude other girls in the club. I will dance and groove with
anyone, regardless of how big your booty is.
So
screw fashion trends. Once upon a time, my hips didn't lie and I
wanted to dye my hair Rihanna's pinky red. It's Ass's this year, and
maybe next year, breasts will be in. I suppose I'm not happy with the
idea that big butt's become a fashion trend, because after a while,
when the novelty wears off, the world will move on, but I can't. I
have my big ass for life, and I have to live with that.
Nevertheless,
I will revel in our lime light! I love that now there are women out
there who aren't hiding there butts and are singing and celebrating
them! I will shake what my Mamma gave me, because I'm proud of it.
When this phase passes, I will always believe Snoop Dog's interesting
way of words, and tell myself that I will have a big future behind
me.
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Peace
Out!
Thulani x
p.s.
Disclaimer: I'm not agreeing with Nicki's opinions about skinny
girls. I think all women are beautiful, and we should all flaunt what
we got.
p.p.s.
As a side not, in We Can't Stop
by Miley Cyrus, you'll not that that she 'sings':“to all
my home girl's with the big butt's, shaking it like we're in a strip
club'. Does anyone else find
this problematic? I do. She ain't my home girl, she hasn't got a big
butt, and why does such a feature need to be associated with the
strip club?! Gah.
p.p.p.s.
Songs included in this post:
Sir
Mix Alot – Baby Got Back
Nicki
Minaj – Anaconda
Jennifer
Lopez - Booty
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