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In Renaissance, Beyoncé makes culture reckon with Blue Ivy

One thing about Beyoncé, she is going to have the last laugh and will make it a moment.

During her Renaissance World Tour, there is a dance segment that features her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. She arises from the floor during Beyoncé’s song “My Power”, a fitting arrival for her as her mother sings “This that war. This that bloodline.”

This segment has become central to the story of the Renaissance tour, a segment many people love and are most excited about. Eleven-year-old Blue joins her mother for a portion of choreography before she is joined by the other Renaissance dancers as the show sets up for its next segments as Blue dances to a portion of “We Gon’ Be Alright” by Kendrick Lamar and her mother’s “Black Parade.” Her segment ends and she is met with thunderous applause and cheers, her mother seemingly pausing the show allowing the audience’s ovation for Blue.

It’s a beautiful moment. But it is also a powerful moment when you consider the criticisms, scrutiny and disgusting cruelty launched at Blue since her birth.

Blue’s features have unfortunately been a topic of grown-ups’ conversation since her infancy.

One woman even went as far as to create a now-defunct Change.org petition to “Comb Her Hair”. Jasmin Toliver’s petition said: “As a…

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ZORA
ZORA

Published in ZORA

A publication from Medium that centers the stories, poetry, essays and thoughts of women of color.

Whitney Alese
Whitney Alese

Written by Whitney Alese

Whitney Alese is an award winning writer & creator featured in WIRED Magazine, I-D Magazine, NBC, & Chalkboard Magazine.

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That reckoning is not just for her, but all little Black girls who have had their features picked apart by broken adults.

So many good points in this post. Many of the criticisms that Blue received were definitely rooted in internalized racism and colorism. Something many of POC feel living in a Eurocentric society. I agree that Beyoncé got the last laugh here - she knows she and her family will keep shining amidst all negativity.

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“I can’t wait for Blue Ivy to be old enough so R. Kelly can piss on her.”

That's a horrible thing for anyone to say!

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"Renaissance is yet another testament to Beyoncé’s powerful ability to shape cultural conversations, but it’s the inclusion of Blue Ivy that elevates it to a whole new level of significance. In intertwining the aesthetics of the Renaissance with…

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