Subjects of Desire

"Subjects of Desire" is a thought-provoking film that explores how Western beauty standards have shifted to embrace Black women's aesthetics, but not the Black women who originated those aesthetics. The film explores decades of Black representation in the media, linking the cultural treatment of Black women to the dangerous stereotypes we've seen throughout history and today: the mammy, the jezebel, the "angry Black woman", to name a few. "Subjects of Desire" corrects these misrepresentations by centering Black women's voices and experiences as they navigate their lives and their identities in a society that simultaneously undervalues and capitalizes off of them. This is specifically addressed through the interviews with a group of young Black women participating in the Miss Black America Pageant, where they challenge conventional ideas of what being "beautiful" means. Educational and insightful, "Subjects of Desire" skillfully exposes the interconnection between racism and beauty standards in America, and deserves wide viewership.