This stuff starts early in life. It starts at home of some families who have issues with their own features. I’ve seen it in my family (especially on my mother’s side who are light-skinned).

I’m so glad my dark-skinned mother did not have this self-image problem and I did not have to deal with such a nightmare as a child. When your own flesh and blood can brutallize you this way, I find this the worse violation to a child than any of the societal garbage.

If the we could at least work on home and hearth, we can have a fighting chance out there when we get exposed to the societal garbage.

In America, we have black boys in high school avoiding dating certain black girls for this same reason. One would think that times have changed these self image issues, but they continue to render and I’m so saddened and disgusted with it because it has not improved at all over the years.

1. Briscoe, whether she likes it or not, set herself up to be a role model. People, especially young, dark-skinned black girls, just may look to her as an example. What example is she setting by having her nose whittled down and constantly referring to herself as ugly? The most beautiful compliment I got when I was in tv was a man who told me that his daughter was being teased at school for being dark. He made her watch me when I came on. He said that he thought it was important for his daughter to see a dark-skinned woman on tv. Did I ask for that? No. But, I realized that with the job I chose, I had a responsibility.

2. Which leads me to my next point: I truly believe there is a war on women (black, white and other) in terms of their self-esteem. Sure, families play into it, but they reflect society. We need to be strong enough to take up armor against the warped view that society tries to make us conform to. The last thing we need is yet another woman who has given in to the pressure of hating herself.

3. I’m just plain disappointed. All that education but not bright enough to know that full lips are just plain sexy.

3.5. If you’re going to chop yourself up like that, call yourself ugly because of your black features and ruin those features, don’t go around riding on the publicity being one of the first black female judges. Just go somewhere, work, have your surgery and live your life. Don’t write books. I’m not belittling what she went through as a child. I’m just saying she should handle her business without dragging other people (young girls) down with her.

4. As I’ve said before, I was called every type of name growing up and made fun of. Folks made fun of my teeth, my hair, my shape, the whole nine yards. But you know what? After a lot of soul searching, praying and counseling, I’m making it. I’m not there yet, but I’m trying. The past few months have especially been a time of transformation for me. And you know something? Even with my big a$$ fro, my big a$$ gap and my big a$$ a$$ I’ve learned (and am still learning to this day) to hold my head up high in the face of temptation. I’m in Switzerland for crying out loud. I’m surrounded by women here in Zurich who are drop-dead gorgeous (either naturally or medically aided). If I wanted a nose job, it wouldn’t be that hard to get.:-)

5. If I could afford to take two months off of work to write a book, I would. I’d call it “Beautiful” and it would be a love letter to all the little girls who are going through hell because of their nappy hair, or frizzy red hair, or teeth, or nose, or whatever. What we need more of are women who STAND UP and say “I’m me and I’m beautiful,” not women like Briscoe.

6. And no, I certainly will not be buying her book. If you want to buy it and send it to me, fine:-). But, I’m not becoming an enabler to her ruining herself.

Tip: Find “My Strength Comes from Within” by Dr. Joye M. Carter. It’s the autobiography of the first black female to become a chief ME in the states. I’ve only flipped through it and plan on taking it with me on vacation. But, from what I’ve skimmed in the book, it is the total opposite of Briscoe’s. The sister is BAD (BAD=”really, really good”), on point and chocked full of self esteem. Her site is here: http://joymcartermd.com/.

7. I stand by my tirade.