29th November, 2023
By Taiwo Okanlawon
Tina Knowles, the mother and manager of singer Beyoncé, has taken to social media to defend her daughter against critics who have accused her of bleaching her skin.
The accusations stem from a recent video of Beyoncé at the premiere of her film “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” where she appeared with lighter-toned skin.
For the premiere, Beyoncé wore a shimmering strapless silver Versace dress, opera gloves and icy platinum hair to match, in keeping with the theme of the film and the Renaissance aesthetic.
Knowles came to her daughter’s defense with an Instagram post and accompanying Reel set to Beyoncé’s song “Brown Skin Girl,” with some comments from the Renaissance premiere imposed on the video.
Knowles lashed out at those who made the skin-bleaching accusations, calling them “ignorant” and “self-hating.” She pointed out that Beyoncé’s skin tone has always fluctuated due to factors such as lighting and makeup, and that the video in question was simply a case of poor lighting.
“Came across this today and decided to post it after seeing all of the stupid ignorant self, hating racist statements about her, lightening her skin, and wearing platinum hair wanting to be white. She does a film, called the renaissance, where the whole theme is silver with silver hair, a silver carpet, and suggested silver attire and you bozos decide that she’s trying to be a white woman and is bleaching her skin?
“How sad is it that some of her own people continue the stupid narrative with hate and jealousy. Duh, she wore silver hair to match her silver dress as a fashion statement clown. . ALIEN Superstar duh!
“What’s really sad is that a white woman had the audacity to reach out to Neal Beyonces hairstylist she was from TMZ to say that the fans are saying that she wants to be white and she wanted to get a statement about it from Neal. Well that made, my blood boil , that this white woman felt so entitled to discuss her blackness.
“What’s really most disappointing is that the some Black people yes you bozos that’s on social media. Lying and faking and acting like you’re so ignorant that you don’t understand That black women have worn platinum hair since the Etta James days. I just went and looked at all the beautiful talented black celebrities who have worn platinum hair and it has been just about everyone of them at one time or another. Are they all trying to be white?
“I am sick and tired of people attacking her. Every time she does something that she works here an off for and is a statement of her work ethic, talent and resilience. Here you sad little haters come out the woodwork.
“Jealousy and racism, sexism, double standards, you perpetuate those things. Instead of celebrating a sister or just ignoring if you don’t like her., I am sick of you losers. I know that she is going to be pissed at me for doing this, but I am fed up!”
Knowles went on to express her pride in Beyoncé’s heritage and her refusal to conform to narrow beauty standards.
“This girl minds her own business. She helps people whenever she can. She lifts up & promotes black women and underdogs at all times.”
The accusations against Beyoncé have sparked a wider conversation about colorism and the societal pressures that Black women face to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards.