Beauty standards and the Baartman case

Cultural shifts in beauty standards

• Features once stigmatized as 'ghetto' can become mainstream; emphasis on fuller lips and curvier figures rises; these trends are amplified by media and cosmetic enhancements.
• What drives change: media representation, fashion, market forces, and cultural exchange.

Historical case: Sarah Baartman (the Hottentot Venus)

• Baartman was a Khoikhoi woman who, in the 19th century, was exhibited in Europe as a 'freak show' and objectified.
• She was stolen from her home and displayed in a cage; spectators measured her buttocks and breasts.
• This case illustrates how racialized bodies were commodified and sexualized, shaping Western beauty ideas.

Takeaways

• Beauty norms are fluid but often rooted in power and exploitation.
• Historical objectification of Black women's bodies informs ongoing conversations about representation and consent.