just caught up on the last thread and wow i didn't expect to get as frustrated by niomi as i did this time lol. i haven't re-read what i've written below so if it sounds off/rambly/totally wrong, feel free to reach out and teach me!
without trying to sound holier-than-thou or preachy, i cannot stand the surface-level liberal feminist rhetoric that many affluent, white influencers such as niomi attempt to shield their wrongdoings with. 99% of the time, their actions feed straight into the capitalist, patriarchal system and neglect to make any meaningful change to a society that systemically upholds white supremacy and misogyny. as we know, niomi's 'career' fuels the exploitation of countless women via fast fashion, etc., as well as through her inability to use her platform as a way to draw attention towards important social issues. she's happy to use women of colour for her smartskin campaign, capitalising on their image but refusing to amplify their voices through being her so-called 'smart skin muses'. it's all about what they can do for her, not what she can do for them.
it is only when women like niomi feel personally offended or annoyed by (mostly valid) backlash that they arm themselves with their one inequality (being a woman) and conveniently fail to acknowledge their countless social and economic privileges. i am not discounting the negative experiences that are universal to all women but she cannot see
past this and realise that others have it far worse than her. moreover, (and some of you might disagree with this) i loathe the idea that all women MUST support ALL women no matter what. to me, it feels that i have to erase someone's identity bar the fact that they are a woman. we exist beyond this signifier; we are multi-faceted and are people, not caricatures. in my opinion, to practice feminism is to a) view all people's experiences through an intersectional lens, b) recognise the overlapping relationships between numerous identities, social/political structures and struggles, and c) actively dismantle oppressive systems that continually harm the most vulnerable in our societies. on the path to liberation, we can at least hold each other accountable, no?
niomi, do better and understand that not every woman has to agree with you purely because you are also a woman. consider the fact that your ignorance is both tone-deaf and dangerous. quit victimising yourself and see the bigger picture beyond the ones you post on your instagram. you could have a far better influence if you really tried. oh wait, sorry... #notaninfluencer