Note BW of Brazil: Let me state up front that I am not a fan of reality shows. In general, most of the reality shows that I have actually watched come across as absurd, degrading to society and examples of how low television networks and reality show participants will sink to maintain high ratings or become famous. They are in fact symbols of how low societies have actually sunk in recent years. The only time this blog features anything from reality shows is when they have some connection to the issue of race and or racism, and, not surprisingly, there have been quite a few that have been featured in past posts!
Before we get into the actual incident, let us first introduce you to the woman involved in the case.
Adélia is a black woman and a lawyer and recently appeared on the 16th installment of the long-running Globo TV reality show, Big Brother Brasil. Even not being a regular viewer of the show, I came across Adélia’s appearance on the show just by flipping though the channels late one night several weeks ago. What immediately caught my attention about Adélia was the blond weave that she rocked on the show. After catching a glimpse of her, I actually stopped, paused and watched the scene in which she participated for a few minutes, not out of interest for the show, but just wondering: she is a pretty woman; why is it necessary for to wear this over the top blond weave?
It seems to be a pre-requisite for black women to gain attention in Brazil’s ultra Eurocentric media. To “make it” it seems that it’s necessary to whiten one’s self in one way or another. We’ve seen it in cases of light-skinned mestiços (persons of mixed race) such as singers Anitta and Valesca Popozuda (both of whom seem to be trying to pass into whiteness) as well as darker-skinned black women such as funk singers Ludmilla and Tati Quebra Barraco. In every case, these women either donned blond wigs/extensions or subjected themselves to cosmetic surgery procedures (or both) to approximate a whiter appearance or at least whiten their blackness a little. Another thing the women above have in common is the sexualization of their images through sexually provocative photos, suggestive lyrics and/or gestures and dance routines. Adélia continues the standard as we see in the stories below. Expressing his concern in her pursuit of fame, even Adélia’s own son is not happy with some of the choices his mother is making.
Adélia’s son is against mother’s plastic surgery
By Juliana Maselli
According to Vinícius, Adélia’s 17 year old son, the only thing his mother does and that really bothers him are the plastic surgeries. “I think there is no need and it’s dangerous. Her recovery period after the butt surgery, for example, it was horrible! I’m afraid she’ll do it again and go through the same problems that she had. Now that she’s done it, now it’s like this, I’d prefer that she doesn’t mess with it anymore… I think it’s risky and I don’t want to lose her in any way.”
Upon hearing the concerns of the young man, Adélia was moved, but didn’t back down in her decision to switch the gluteal silicone prosthesis at the end of the year: “Oh, how beautiful! Vinícius is extremely careful with me… I understand him, but I decided that I will reduce it. I want to take out the 400ml to 200, 250; to be more harmonious. I am determined, but I will be very careful as always, look for the best doctor to do the surgery. His opinion is very important to me, I always take him into consideration, but I make my decisions in the end. He didn’t want me to go to ‘BBB’ too, but I decided to go even with a heavy heart.”
Note from BW of Brazil: The usage of blond wigs, weaves or hair coloring among black Brazilian women presents an interesting development. As the same time that there is a continuing rise in black pride, black identity and the desire to wear one’s hair in its natural state, we see many Afro-Brazilian women adopting a blond visual by means of wigs and weaves and hair coloring. The trend is so popular among Afro-Brazilian women that one can find a magazine called Negra Loira, meaning blond black woman, on newsstands from month to month.
And looking at international influences, the American entertainer known the ‘Queen B’, Beyoncé has already made a number of appearances on the magazine’s cover. Of course it would be simple to just say that black women are exercising their freedom to explore new visuals as any other group of women, but we wouldn’t be telling the whole story if we didn’t share the fact that loiras (blonds) have a privileged status in Brazil. If you remain in the country for any amount of time and just pay attention to the things that people say you would definitely come away with the conclusion that a social premium is placed on blond (men and women) and that everybody wants to be blond or have blond children.
By labeling this phenomenon as simply a matter of choice, we ignore the historical aspect of white supremacy that imposes a Eurocentric beauty standard upon its population. One can’t help but consider the possibility that beyond the rhetoric of choice, lurks a certain desire to emulate or actually be that that has been imposed under those who don’t fit within this European standard after four centuries of psychological oppression. Perhaps the best current example of this sense of self-hatred and need to take on physical attributes of the colonizer by the colonized is the appearance of American rapper Lil’ Kim, a woman who has gone through an incredible physical transformation over the past few decades. The rapper has stated in various interviews how she was always passed over by men for lighter-skinned or white women and always felt an insecurity about her appearance due to comments and treatment she received from various men. I’m not suggesting that Adélia has gone anywhere near as far in a pursuit of a certain ideal, but such cosmetic changes, whether drastic or more subtle, surgical or through the use of beauty products, all stem from the effects of white supremacy on the psyches of non-whites.
Ex-BBB Adélia says she will do a sensual photo shoot with Ana Paula Renault: ‘Poderosa’
By Caroline Moliari
One month after leaving the house of (long-running Globo TV reality show) Big Brother Brasil 16 Adélia shows that disagreements with (journalist and BBB 16 participant) Ana Paula Renault have remained behind. The lawyer, who in the “laundry” of the reality show said the Minas Gerais native needed a muzzle, ensures that there will be no trouble meeting her again, even though they avoided each other at a recent Anitta show in Rio.
“Out here I don’t have to talk about it,” Adélia said in an interview with radio “FM O Dia” on Friday morning (29). Asked if she would do a sensual photo shoot with her former rival, she snapped: “I will! On my part it’s peace and love. She’s powerful, she’s beautiful, she’s successful,” praised the former BBB participant that promises a super marriage on the beach soon.
After giving up posing nude for not reaching an agreement because of the low payment offered, she pointed out that it’s not worth doing for money. “Book rosa I wouldn’t do at all,” she said, using the term for luxury prostitution, popularized by the Verdades Secretas novela (soap opera).
In the chat, Adélia spoke more with listeners and revealed that she receives many “nudes”. In addition to exercising the lawyer profession, the former BBB said what she usually does on the Internet: “I confess that I write erotic stories on social networks (laughs).”
Former BBB Adélia changes her look and leaves the blonde look behind
Courtesy of A Tarde
Adélia abandoned the blonde look she wore during the 2016 BBB
The ex-BBB 16 Adélia decided to change her look. This time, the lawyer darkened her locks and left only a few blond highlights.
In an interview with EGO (website), Adélia said she’s enjoying the change: “The truth is that I love to change looks. I haven’t gotten used it yet, but I’m loving it. If possible I’d go redhead, blonde or brunette. I love it…”
After posting a photo on her Instagram profile, she received many accolades from fans and followers.
“The blond made you younger, but the nega (negra/black woman) is chic and locks it down with any color ….You are a diva, rich, I adore”; “You nailed it, it’s perfect, it values your face, you’re more beautiful”; “You’re so much prettier like this,” wrote followers in the comments.
Note from BW of Brazil: And what we learn from the article below is that white supremacy doesn’t care if you wear a blond weave because non-whites will never fit into the European ideal.
Adélia will issue a complaint at the police station of digital crimes in Rio on Friday
Courtesy of Ego
“They called me macaca (monkey), told me to go back to the jungle, offered me a banana,” said the ex-BBB to EGO. She is gathering evidence of the comments.
Former BBB (Globo TV reality show Big Brother Brasil) participant Adélia scheduled for Friday the 29th, the day that she will issue a complaint at the Digital Crimes police station in Rio, due to the racist comments that she’s received in her social networks. The lawyer said in an interview with EGO that since leaving the BBB 16, she sought to delete comments with bigoted content from Instagram and Facebook, but says she got tired of being quiet and is gathering evidence to go to court and search for those responsible for digital crimes.
Speaking to EGO early on Tuesday (26) during singer Ludmilla’s party – Adélia revealed that she feels the obligation to not remain silent, and in the role of lawyer, believes there are still more reasons to pursue her rights in the laws. “Racism has always existed, but for me it was not something so present, it happened from time to time. Now, after I got famous, every picture I post has at least ten racist comments. They call me macaca (monkey), told me to go back to the jungle, offered me bananas,” laments the former BBB.
Adélia says she didn’t take steps earlier because of her busy schedule. Now, with the help of her spokesperson, she is filing prints screens with comments. “I didn’t take measures before because my life was very hectic, but I’m gathering evidence and will go to court. I am a lawyer and this is one more reason for me not to let this go. I’m outraged. I am a victim equal to (journalist) Maju, (actresses) Taís Araújo and Cris Vianna, and many others,” she sighs, referring to other recent cases of racist abuse on the web.
Adélia’s spokesperson, Rafael Gomes, also spoke to the EGO on the next steps of the ex-BBB in this case. “She’ll take measures in court. People come to her page and comment with a lot of prejudice. Adélia didn’t want to take this forward, many things she deletes and ignores, but the time has come to do something,” said Rafael who added: “it is important that people understand that there is no way to stay hidden behind the computer writing nonsense. Adélia will be one more person to raise the banner against racism, that can’t go unpunished.”
Still on the issue of racial prejudice, the former BBB adds: “In Brazil we are all mestiços (persons of mixed race) (1), there are no brancos (white people). We have laws and they increasingly need to be put in place. All I want is respect. You don’t need to love someone, but you have to respect the person. Respect is good and I like it.”
Source: A Tarde, Pure People, Ego, Ego (2)
Note
- Note that yet another black Brazilian resorts to the cliche that “we are all” this or that (equal, mixed, Brazilians) when faced with a moment of prejudice.
Black women look better without the blond hair. I’ve never liked the whole blond look. Natural is better.
Looks like she’s been bleaching her skin as well. 🙁 That’s just really sad!!!