Lead Butts !

Sarah "Saartjie" Baartman

Several years ago, I was working on the Exchange Team at the US dept of Education when Brian, a senior engineer who was formerly in the US Navy began talking about his experience with African Americans. He said all people who were recruited into the Navy started off with jumping into a swimming pool. However, he said African Americans would immediately begin sinking once they jumped into the water instead of floating like they had “lead butts.” As he laughed, he said that was the common joke in the Navy about African Americans.

At the time, I listened to what he said, but acted like I didn't and focused on my job. I could feel the heat from his eyes staring into my back probably thinking I’d have something to say to defend my race as the only black person on that team and in the office as he spoke. However, since he was my supervisor, I knew it wouldn’t be a conversation on a level playing field and my response could result in him disliking me and giving me bad reviews etc. So I knew better than to participate in such a conversation which had such negative racial overtones but I heard him loud and clear and I didn't like what he said at all. Especially considering what he said was happening in the Navy.

However, being philosophical, I just felt that he and the people he was talking to who were having a good laugh, just weren’t the ones big butts are for, so they can't like or appreciate them. I believe if there’s anything one doesn’t like or feels indifferent to, it’s just not for them. The bible also talks about not throwing pearls to pigs, which means there’s no point giving something to someone who won’t appreciate it. There are many people all over the world who admire and like big butts and it is for them. For those who don’t, it is just not for them, so they can’t appreciate it. It is just that simple.

Years later, after reading the story of Sarah "Saartjie" Baartman, the most famous of at least two Khoikhoi women who were misinformed, lured away from their homeland and their big butts and genitals exhibited as freak show attractions in 19th century Europe under the coined name “Hottentot Venus” to amuse and entertain Europeans who were fascinated by their "different" features, what Brian said is not hard to believe. Even the name she went by “Hottentot Venus,” is a combination of Hottentot which was the name for the Khoi people, now considered an offensive term and "Venus" in reference to the Roman goddess of love, shows that as far as the Europeans were concerned this was an object for their amusement, not a human being with thoughts, hopes, dreams and feelings just like them, whose dignity shouldn't be stripped.

Thankfully things have changed and African features such as big butts aren’t so unusual anymore. Also, thanks to celebrities in the media like Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian with rounded backsides, being rounded in the rear is now an asset. Rounded backsides are so prized in black communities that some women are getting injections and surgery to enlarge their backsides. The small waisted woman with a rounded back side is a staple of the music videos of many African and African American artists. As a matter of fact, a Nigerian girl who was said to be gearing up for a career as a video vixen from England recently died from such a treatment in the US.

However, one must wonder that as the saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same,” big butts will be trendy for some time and then they won't be so trendy anymore. Just like natural black hair, which also appears to have cycle. So back to now, does positive big butt privileges extend to everyone or just to the celebrities who have them and have managed to enter into the financially solid Caucasian run media? I don't know. However, if you want to know the answer to that question, like my former co-worker used to say, keep on living and you’ll see...