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Buffy the Body: The Modern Day Hottentot Venus

By CocoaDiva on Jul 29, 2008 with Comments

In my last post I’m Not Fat, I’m Thick: What Black Men Are Saying, I briefly glossed over Buffy the Body, modern day video vixen. As soon as I saw her picture I was reminded of Saartjie Baartman: The Hottentot Venus. Baartman lived during Dutch colonization in South Africa. Whites, unfamiliar with the bodies of African women developed stories and tall tales regarding the “large backsides”, sexual organs, and sexuality of African women.

Sometime around 1810, in London, Baartman was convinced to participate in a sideshow where she was billed as the most “correct” specimen of her race. Baartman was kept in a cage, while onlookers gawked, stared, poked, and, prodded her backside. She was made to sing, and dance in “native-garb” around crowds of white patrons. Her participation in the show caused a rage of curiosity regaring the Black Woman’s backside and after death Baartman’s labia and genital organs were dissected and compared to that of monkeys. Her skeleton, brain, genitals and full plaster casts of her body remained in the collection of Paris’ Museum of Natural History until 2002 when they were returned to South Africa for a proper burial. Baartmans’s body became the brunt of political, comedic and scientific comment, thereby, placing the backside of Black women in constant comment as it remains today.

It appears that we have not progressed a great deal regarding the exploitation of women. It would seem that we congratulate it instead. I saw this image of Buffy and immediately thought of Baartman. Buffy’s measurements are 36-24-45 and are extreme like that of Baartman. Her ass is more talked about than any other black woman I can recall. She has appeared in several magazine spreads, videos, and is all over the web scantily clad and showing off her assets (no pun intended). It appears that Buffy feels her work is empowering to Black women.

She claims she has never exercised until 2007 and her diet consists of sweets, fried chicken, and Southern-fried porkchops. Additionally, she claims she drank supplement shakes to gain weight. (No that doesn’t mean protein shakes which build lean muscle). She even admits to some of her photography being airbrushed, including her most talked about King magazine cover. She shows flawless skin and a honey glazed complexion with zero flaws.

It appears we have learned nothing from the story of Baartman and, in fact, glorify all the hardship experienced in her life by exploitation of the Black woman’s figure. In fact, there are so many young black women running around trying to achieve Buffy’s figure to try and appeal to Black men. Buffy is not the only video-vixen we celebrate. As the years pass, we always find someone to replace her. Melyssa Ford and Karrine Stephans are notorious vixens idolized for their “sexy” frames. There is a video on youtube of Buffie clapping her butt cheeks which would fit right in with the turn of the century side shows.

Sex sells, yeah yeah I get that, but what are we telling Black women? Don’t work out- be like Buffy and you too can have a bomb backside. Stock up on that KFC and Kool-Aid while you sit back and catch some 106 and Park. Every Black Woman isn’t built like Buffy. But dammed if we don’t equate our big-behinds to hers instead of hitting the gym. Most women with behinds as big as Buffy’s do not have the measurements of 36-24-45. Most of us with a size 45 behind have stomachs and thighs of equal proportion and we don’t get to airbrush in our every day lives. Point me to a 45 inch behind that doesn’t need to hit the gym. I bet you the odds are one and a Buffy. However, we are the first to scream we have ass with no concern for the tire around our middles accompanied with a side of heart disease. We have yet again, placed the Black behind on an unobtainable pedestal. Yay for us…go be like Buffy!

The pages of Sara Baartman’s life are screaming. We glorify what she died for and the hell she experienced. We need to do better.
Thoughts? Comments?

Sometime around 1810, in London, Baartman was convinced to participate in a sideshow where she was billed as the most “correct” specimen of her race. Baartman was kept in a cage, while onlookers gawked, stared, poked, and, prodded her backside. She was made to sing, and dance in “native-garb” around crowds of white patrons. Her participation in the show caused a rage of curiosity regaring the Black Woman’s backside and after death Baartman’s labia and genital organs were dissected and compared to that of monkeys. Her skeleton, brain, genitals and full plaster casts of her body remained in the collection of Paris’ Museum of Natural History until 2002 when they were returned to South Africa for a proper burial. Baartmans’s body became the brunt of political, comedic and scientific comment, thereby, placing the backside of Black women in constant comment as it remains today.

It appears that we have not progressed a great deal regarding the exploitation of women. It would seem that we congratulate it instead. I saw this image of Buffy and immediately thought of Baartman. Buffy’s measurements are 36-24-45 and are extreme like that of Baartman. Her ass is more talked about than any other black woman I can recall. She has appeared in several magazine spreads, videos, and is all over the web scantily clad and showing off her assets (no pun intended). It appears that Buffy feels her work is empowering to Black women.

She claims she has never exercised until 2007 and her diet consists of sweets, fried chicken, and Southern-fried porkchops. Additionally, she claims she drank supplement shakes to gain weight. (No that doesn’t mean protein shakes which build lean muscle). She even admits to some of her photography being airbrushed, including her most talked about King magazine cover. She shows flawless skin and a honey glazed complexion with zero flaws.

It appears we have learned nothing from the story of Baartman and, in fact, glorify all the hardship experienced in her life by exploitation of the Black woman’s figure. In fact, there are so many young black women running around trying to achieve Buffy’s figure to try and appeal to Black men. Buffy is not the only video-vixen we celebrate. As the years pass, we always find someone to replace her. Melyssa Ford and Karrine Stephans are notorious vixens idolized for their “sexy” frames. There is a video on youtube of Buffie clapping her butt cheeks which would fit right in with the turn of the century side shows.

Sex sells, yeah yeah I get that, but what are we telling Black women? Don’t work out- be like Buffy and you too can have a bomb backside. Stock up on that KFC and Kool-Aid while you sit back and catch some 106 and Park. Every Black Woman isn’t built like Buffy. But dammed if we don’t equate our big-behinds to hers instead of hitting the gym. Most women with behinds as big as Buffy’s do not have the measurements of 36-24-45. Most of us with a size 45 behind have stomachs and thighs of equal proportion and we don’t get to airbrush in our every day lives. Point me to a 45 inch behind that doesn’t need to hit the gym. I bet you the odds are one and a Buffy. However, we are the first to scream we have ass with no concern for the tire around our middles accompanied with a side of heart disease. We have yet again, placed the Black behind on an unobtainable pedestal. Yay for us…go be like Buffy!

The pages of Sara Baartman’s life are screaming. We glorify what she died for and the hell she experienced. We need to do better.
Thoughts? Comments?

 

 

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  • kate
    I meant 38" butt NOT bust....my bust is only 34" lol.
  • kate
    I agree not many women with 45 inch butts have only 25 inch waists....usually it's more like 40 inches lol. Big butts are good and healthy, but big waists are most certainly not.

    I'm a big butt girl (not quite as big as buffy though lol). Measurements are 26" waist and 38" bust standing at just under 5ft2.

    Love my figure but do work out and eat right to stay in shape.
  • Thanks for the interesting article, i liked reading it, keep posts like this one coming!

    Jessica
  • swiv
    hi, JJ.
  • luvinme
    Buffy is not the only one with a big butt and small waist. I am 5'4/5'5. In college my weight was 125lbs, waist a 25/26 and my butt was a 40 with very little to NO cellulite. I have big thighs at the top and it gets smaller at the bottom. I felt like my legs and waist were to small for my butt. I was stared at and my friends/ family members always had a comment. I prayed for a larger waist. I began to think I was ugly because MEN would really act up over my body. After 3 kids I am 150lbs 36c/29/42 and I am finally loving my body. I gain and loose in my hips and butt.This is the first time that I have exercised in an attempt to control cellulite and my little buldge only to find out that its extra skin that was a result of my 7 and 9 pound babies. I realize that those who criticized me were just hatin. I can't help if people stare. Don't get mad at me because God didn't give you the booty thats always on duty. i finally realize that I am beautiful and sexy!! To all the big booty buffies and those with a little extra in the tummy remember its your tummy!! Love yourself because there are many people waitin to hate it!!
  • Keisa
    I agree that most women with a 45” rear, also have the thighs and stomach to accommodate. It is also true that EVERYONE should work out whether you have a big behind and medium waiste, or pancake behind a stomach for days. It all boils down to health in general. At the same time we must remember that no 2 people are alike. Just as God created Ms. Baartman the way he did, he created us the same way-differently. While I may be a 46-40-56, I am also 6 feet tall and I must say in my opinion and many others, I have a nice, solid shape. Yes, I wear my clothes fitted because I am proud of every inch of that shape and I try not to be so concerned about the next women’s shape. Buffy the body and other women with the smaller waist and larger rear are of course going to get the attention from men and women because anything that is not considered the “norm” gets attention. Unfortunately it is more so negative than positive. I am just glad to see another beautiful African American on TV and in magazines doing what is allowing her to do what she wants to do LEGALLY!!! One huge difference between Ms. Baartman and Ms. Body, is of course the $$$ that Buffy makes to support HERSELF. The money that Ms. Baartman was making was going directly into the hands of a white man. We are in different times and the way people see things is very different from the way they saw things in the 1800’s. What Buffy the Body is doing is considered a career, sadly, Ms. Baartman was just made out to be a spectacle. It is ironic that while she was a spectacle then, a woman such as Buffy now is the desire of many men and the envy of many women (including the white race). That is a great change to me!!!
  • Anonymous
    i can't believe they put this women in a cage as a side show.. they really thought we where animals.. it makes you think.. look how far we as a race have come.. from side shows and slavery to th white house.. who in the history of man kind has a story like that of the African race?? No One!!! we are the most copied race in existence.. I love my people.. i just wish we would learn to love ourselves..
  • AMentallyHealthyBrownGirl
    Wooooow. The whole point of the Sara Baartment comparison just missed in the comments...
  • CocoaDiva
    I agree, Black women are the sexiest things around. However, it all comes down to what we do with it. Use your own sex appeal, be healthy and do you....not someone else. Buffy's mantra that workouts are not needed doesn't apply to most Black women. If you have a 45inch donk while hitting the gym ...high five. If not, do something about it.
  • Anonymous
    Black people as a whole is a very well built, beautiful race of people!! We already naturally have the assets that men and women of different races aspire to have!! If you really investigate and read your history, you'll find that a lot the women of different cultures that we consider to be exotic (Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Brazilian) We can trace back far enough and find that slave from Africa were found in all of those places at oe point in time and a lot of the assets they posses have a little African in their blood line!! So black women should be proud of what they have, and know that they were the original sex symbol!!!
  • CocoaDiva
    I will give you a big butt but raise you that spare tire. There are exceptions to the rule. Buffy has no tire. You seem to be keeping it tight as well. However, the vast majority of women cannot gain weight just in their ass and thighs. Weight doesn't discriminate and that bulge around our middle contributes to heart disease being the #1 killer of Black women next to AIDS.


    The best be, I feel, is to tone them cheeks up along with everything esle!
  • JJ
    As a woman who had a 42in butt with a 28 in. waist...(Now 40/26) All big butts aren't unhealthy.


    What you need to concern yourself with is the spare tire. If you have a lot fat in your stomach then you have problems.



    See - Big Butts = Good Health
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