How Sarah Baartman’s hips went from a symbol of exploitation to a source of empowerment for Black women

How Sarah Baartman’s Hips Went from a Symbol of Exploitation to a Source of Empowerment for Black Women

History of Exploitation

In "BLACK EFFECT," a track from Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s 2018 collaborative album "EVERYTHING IS LOVE," Beyoncé describes a quintessential Black female form:

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Stunt with your curls, your lips, Sarah Baartman hips
Gotta hop into my jeans like I hop into my whip, yeah

This celebration of Sarah Baartman’s features marks a departure from her historical image.

Who was Sarah Baartman?

Saartjie "Sarah" Baartman was an African woman who, in the early 1800s, was something of an international sensation of objectification. She was paraded around Europe, where spectators jeered at her large buttocks.

A Legacy of Shame

Baartman, a Khoisan woman from South Africa, left her native land in the early 1800s for Europe; it’s unclear whether she went willingly or was forced to do so. Showmen exhibited her throughout Europe, where, in an embarrassing and dehumanizing spectacle, she was forced to sing and dance before crowds of white onlookers. Often naked in these exhibitions, Baartman was sometimes suspended in a cage on stage while being poked, prodded, and groped. Her body was characterized as grotesque, lascivious, and obscene because of her protruding buttocks, which was due to a condition called steatopygia that occurs naturally among people in arid parts of southern Africa.

Empowerment

Today, the Baartman body can be advantageous, especially on social media, where Black women have the opportunity to produce content that’s socially and culturally relevant to them and their audiences – and where users can make money off their posts.

One American participant, Ashley, seemed to recognize how entrenched the Baartman ideal has become. "[Baartman] was the platform for stereotypes," she said. "She set the trend for Black women [to] have these figures and … now these stereotypes are carrying through pop culture."

Mieke, a South African woman, described being proud of her proportions and the way they’re connected to Baartman, saying, "I’m proud of my body because of the resemblance I feel it has with hers."

Complexity of the Baartman Legacy

While Baartman’s image is rooted in a legacy that is engulfed by slavery, unwillful submission, and colonialism, the white gaze that fetishized Baartman’s body as exotic and overtly sexual was the same one that promulgated the stereotype that Black women were sexually promiscuous, lascivious, and hypersexual.

Conclusion

The Baartman body has come a long way from its origins of shame and exploitation to a symbol of empowerment for Black women today. While the journey is complex, the legacy of Baartman’s physique continues to shape the way Black women perceive and interact with their own bodies.

FAQs

Q: Who was Sarah Baartman?
A: Sarah Baartman was an African woman who was taken from her native land in South Africa in the early 1800s and exhibited as a curiosity in Europe.

Q: Why was Baartman’s body characterized as "grotesque, lascivious, and obscene"?
A: Baartman’s body was characterized as such because of her protruding buttocks, which was due to a condition called steatopygia that occurs naturally among people in arid parts of southern Africa.

Q: How has the Baartman ideal evolved over time?
A: Today, the Baartman ideal is seen as a source of empowerment for many Black women, who recognize the ways in which their bodies have been used as a platform for stereotypes.

Q: Is the Baartman ideal always a form of empowerment?
A: While the Baartman ideal can be empowering for some Black women, it can also be limiting and objectifying for others, who may feel pressured to conform to this ideal in order to be accepted.

Q: What does the Baartman legacy say about the way Black women are perceived?
A: The Baartman legacy is a testament to the ways in which Black women’s bodies have been objectified and exploited throughout history. It also highlights the ways in which these bodies have been used as a platform for stereotyping and fetishization.