From Human Zoos to Music Videos

Sarah Baartman in modern times, from Human Zoos to Music Videos the History of the Black Female Body on Display

Both human zoos and modern music videos showcase Black female bodies for sexual public viewing shaped by power and profit. 

People compare Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B to Sarah Baartman because all three became famous in part because of their bodies. 

But Sarah Baartman didn’t have a choice. Hundreds of years ago, she was taken from Africa and put on display in Europe, where people treated her like an object instead of a person. 

Sarah Baartman

Today, Megan and Cardi use their bodies in music and videos by choice, showing confidence and making money. 

The question is even though they are in control, are they really free from the same old idea of people treating Black women’s bodies as something to stare at and judge? It’s something to think about. 

The history of the Black female body being displayed for public consumption is a story rooted in oppression and exploitation. 

The Debate of empowerment or colonial exploitation reinvention in 2024

By examining the treatment of Sarah Baartman in 19th-century Europe alongside the current cultural phenomena of Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B, we uncover complex truths about the gaze under which Black women’s bodies continue to exist.

Sarah Baartman was a South African woman from the Khoikhoi people. She was taken to Europe in the early 1800s and put on display in what human zoos. 

Europeans gawked at her physique, particularly her large butt as an exotic oddity. She was paraded on stages, objectified and dehumanized. She was reduced to a curiosity for scientific purposes and public exploitation.

Sarah‘s body was dissected literally and metaphorically by a society that sought to justify its racist and colonialist ideologies. Even in death, her body was not allowed dignity; her remains were preserved and displayed in a Paris museum until the late 20th century. 

For Sarah, there was no true consent, and no freedom. Her treatment unfortunately, was typical in the brutal reality of Black women’s bodies being cash lucrative and easy controlled.

Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, and Contemporary Human Zoo’s

Fast forward two centuries, and the image of the curvaceous Black female body is still at the center of public consumption. 

However, the roles of Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B offer a stark contrast to Baartman’s story. These modern artists use their bodies as tools for self-expression and capital. 

Their music videos and performances, celebrated for their boldness and audacity, turn what was once a source of degradation into a symbol of empowerment.

Songs like WAP and Body emphasize confidence and control. Their lyrics and visuals assert control over how their bodies are seen and interpreted. 

While Sarah Baartman was silenced and stripped of autonomy, Megan and Cardi reclaim the narrative, transforming their physicality into a means of financial and cultural power.

Megan Thee Stallion 

The Gaze Then and Now

Despite the stark differences in context one thread remains consistent, the leering gaze.

The gaze under which Black women’s bodies are viewed; for Baartman, the gaze was entirely external, dictated by European men who sought to define her body on their terms. 

In the modern era, the gaze is more complex. Social media, music, and popular culture amplify the visibility of figures like Megan and Cardi, but questions about who controls this gaze remain.

These artists are not truly breaking free of historical constraints. They are navigating a landscape still shaped by stereotypes and hyper sexualization.

Lessons for Today’s Girls

For young girls understanding this historical context is vital. The display of the Black female body has always been tied to power, but who holds it, who wields it, and who benefits from it. 

Sarah Baartman’s story reminds us of the dangers of exploitation, while Megan and Cardi’s careers show the potential for reclaiming narratives.

The challenge lies in navigating a world where visibility can be both empowering and limiting. Today’s girls must ask themselves: Who am I displaying myself for? What does my body say about my identity, and am I the one controlling that message?

The journey from Sarah Baartman to Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B reflects a broader struggle for self-respect. 

While progress has been made, the historical weight of objectification still lingers. By understanding these stories, young women will chart a path forward that honors themselves and reject exploitation in all its forms.

This is not just a story of big butts and WAP but a lesson in reclaiming humanity, dignity, and power.