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Mulvey, L. (1975). Visual pleasure and narrative cinema. Screen, 16(3), 6-18.
The term "Ebony Ayes" is a play on words that combines the iconic black magazine "Ebony" with the concept of "eyes" or "gaze." For decades, Ebony magazine has been a stalwart representation of Black American culture, providing a platform for voices, stories, and images that reflect the complexities and richness of Black life. This paper argues that the notion of "Ebony Ayes" represents a critical intersection of Black women's experiences, gaze, and cultural production. Through an intersectional lens, this paper will explore how Black women have been represented, have represented themselves, and have navigated the complexities of gaze and visual culture in contemporary society.
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Launched in 1945, Ebony magazine was the first major Black American publication to cater to a broad audience. For over seven decades, the magazine has chronicled the lives, achievements, and struggles of Black people, with a particular focus on Black women's experiences. Ebony's early issues featured women like Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, and Billie Holiday, showcasing their talents, beauty, and stories. These representations not only reflected the cultural zeitgeist but also helped shape the way Black women saw themselves and were seen by others.
"Ebony Ayes: Unpacking the Intersectionality of Black Women's Experiences and Gaze in Contemporary Culture" ebony ayes
The concept of gaze, as theorized by feminist scholars like Laura Mulvey (1975) and bell hooks (1981), highlights the ways in which visual culture shapes our understanding of self and others. For Black women, the gaze has been particularly fraught, as their bodies and experiences have been subject to historical and systemic erasure, exoticization, and marginalization. The "Ebony Ayes" framework acknowledges the complex interplay between Black women's experiences, gaze, and cultural production.
Through an intersectional lens, this paper will examine how Black women have navigated and subverted dominant gaze structures in contemporary culture. From the selfie practices of Black women on social media to the visual art of artists like Mickalene Thomas and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Black women's gaze has become a site of resistance, self-definition, and empowerment. Mulvey, L
Collins, P. H. (1996). Killing rage: Ending racism. New York: Routledge.
