“Until there is a mosaic of perspectives coming from different ethnicities behind the lens, we will continue to have a narrow approach and view of what the world actually looks like” – Beyoncé, Vogue 2018.
In a new historic issue of the prestigious Vogue Magazine, Beyoncé opened up about body positivity after the birth of her twins, opening doors for young minorities, her ancestry and 20 plus year journey to self-love, self-discovery and her legacy.
“When I first started, 21 years ago, I was told that it was hard for me to get onto covers of magazines because black people did not sell,” Beyoncé wrote. “Clearly that has been proven a myth. Not only is an African American on the cover of the most important month for Vogue, this is the first ever Vogue cover shot by an African American photographer,” she added of 23-year-old Tyler Mitchell.
“It’s important to me that I help open doors for younger artists,” she said. “There are so many cultural and society barriers to entry that I like to do what I can to level the playing field, to present a different point of view for people who may feel like their voices don’t matter.”
“If people in powerful positions continue to hire and cast only people who look like them, sound like them, come from the same neighborhoods they grew up in, they will never have a greater understanding of experiences different from their own,” she continued.
As the songstress continued, she opened up about her new and improved lifestyle and how research of her own self and ancestral history has allowed her to see the bruised and beautiful aspects of her life, in all its forms.
“My mother taught me the importance of not just being seen but of seeing myself,” she wrote. “As the mother of two girls, it’s important to me that they see themselves too – in books, films, and on runways. It’s important to me that they see themselves as CEOS, as bosses, and that they know they can write the script for their own lives – that they can speak their minds and they have no ceiling.” That’s word to Blue.
“I want the same things for my son,” Beyonce added. “I want him to know that he can be strong and brave but that he can also be sensitive and kind. I want my son to have a high emotional IQ where he is free to be caring, truthful, and honest. It’s everything a woman wants in a man, and yet we don’t teach it to our boys.”
“I’m in a place of gratitude right now,” she continued. “I am accepting of who I am. I will continue to explore every inch of my soul and every part of my artistry. I want to learn more, teach more, and live in full. I’ve worked long and hard to be able to get to a place where I can choose to surround myself with what fulfills and inspires me.”
