Dying To Be Ageless And Beautiful – Between The Lines

The death of Dr. Donda West, the mother of rap phenom, Kanye West, should cause us all to stop and examine this nation’s fixation with being forever young, and the singular definitions of Eurocentric beauty that causes women (and men) to put their lives at risk. Dr. West’s autopsy confirmed that she died from complications stemming from recent cosmetic surgery she had undergone. According to several reports, she had sought out cosmetic surgery opinions and had been cautioned about pre-existing medical conditions that could put her life at risk. Dr. West persisted until she found a cosmetic surgeon who would perform the procedure. Dr. West, a highly intelligent woman, risked her life because she wanted to change her looks. She was willing to die to be beautiful according to society standards. And she did. This is not a predicament exclusive to Dr. West. Her (and her son’s) notoriety only highlights what thousands of women are willing to risk to be forever young or beautiful in today’s vain society.

The titles of all three of his successful CDs, The College Dropout, Late Registration and Graduation, were (not so) subtle references to — and many of the songs were, in some cases, were irreverent digs at — his mother’s obsession with education as the most viable option to life-long success. She installed such a strong sense of self and confidence in her son that Donda West allowed her son to pursue his dream and trusted that one day he would pursue hers (of going back to school). Her trust in her son proved to be well founded, and his success rooted in the values of his mother.