Beyonces Formation Video Discussion

No direct quotes UNLESS you are quoting from the Beyonce video (you should feel free to quote Beyonce regularly as you go about your day, every day, even after this class is over).

This should be a full page, single-spaced, with the “Black women, Beauty, and Hair” article comprising at least one-quarter to one-half of that page.

1. Before you start the assignment, please be sure you’ve read the lecture notes on Beauty norms and race as well as well as at least skim the article White Privilege and Male Privilege by Peggy McIntosh if you are unfamiliar with this piece (Google it). You don’t need to write about this article, but it will provide background/context if you are unfamiliar with the concept of White privilege.

2. Watch the Beyonce Formation video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDZJPJV__bQ (explicit lyric warning…kids out of the room, unless you’re fine with that sort of thing because whatevs). There are also “cleaner” versions of the video that you can Google.

3. I want you to do an IN-DEPTH analysis of the video (images and song lyrics). Watch it a few times, even if you’ve seen it before. The more in-depth your response, the better your grade will be. Do not use direct quotes from any sources in your analysis. As always, use your own words. YOUR voice is important here. Feel free to provide your opinions here as well. The focus here is hair, White hegemony, beauty norms, the intersection of race and gender.

4. Connect your analysis of the Beyonce video with the article “Black Women, Beauty, and Hair…” from your syllabus/link and the lecture notes I posted on hegemonic beauty standards (Content). You need an IN-DEPTH discussion of that article–at least of the highlighted portions (if you don’t see the highlighted portion, it means you have to look at the PDF)– as well so that your analysis of the Beyonce video is properly contextualized. Again, feel free to express your opinions.