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Self esteem is the value judgement or degree of worth a person attributes to his or her image.
When you look at yourself, what do you see?
When a nubian/black child looks at them self, what do you think they see?
Have you ever enquired how they see themself or how they think others see them?
Is it important in this multicultural world?
We are all the same people right?
Wrong!
When a nubian/black child looks at themselves in the mirror, they consciously and sub consciously see that there is a mis match between the image staring back at them and the image the media has embraced, encourages and enforces.
Since the 1930's, psychologists and sociologists have noted how important it is for children of colour to see images that look like them.
Even before they can talk, children begin to notice differences such as skin colour, hair colour and texture, eye shapes, smells, language etc;
As they grow and develop they are absorbing information about biases and stereotypes from tell-lies-visually (television) peers/friends and especially from teachers and parents.
There is a daily bombardment of European ideals of beauty, such as
aquiline facial features, light or blue eyes, long flowing blonde hair and thin anorexic bodies.
Even the most Afrocentric, conscious, self affirming parents have a tough battle against the pervasive, larger than life media images, which most children start to consciously become aware of around age 3.
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