Celebrities are always under the public microscope. Beyoncé — known as “The Queen Bey” by her more devout fans — is no exception. Unretouched photos from her 2013 ad campaign with L’Oreal were released last week, and reactions ranged from beautiful to hideous. The large legion of loyal Beyoncé fans, commonly known as the “Beyhive,” petitioned one of Beyoncé’s fan sites to remove the unflattering photos, and the photos were subsequently taken down to prevent conflict between fans.
What is the issue here? The answer is a good mix of unhealthy celebrity worship and unrealistic beauty standards. Magazines, commercials, TV shows and movies make celebrities look almost faultless. Every blemish or imperfection is airbrushed away or shrouded in make-up. When a fan or an average person sees a photo of a superstar as big as Beyoncé that conflicts with her perfect persona, it can be quite a shock.
The disparities between what is displayed and what is real can be so stark. Some people insist the photos are faked. This disbelief primarily comes from her avid fans. They do not want their pinnacle of perfection — Beyoncé, “The Queen Bey” — to be any different. History has shown people often put queens and royalty on high pedestals.
Beyoncé’s fans are not entirely to blame for the way they perceive her. She has released several songs claiming to be untouchable. A good example would be the song “Flawless” from her most recent album, entitled “BEYONCÉ.” In the chorus of this song, she claims to wake up flawless. In reality, waking up looking absolutely perfect is obviously untrue.
Beyoncé is not a deity; she is a human. Everyone has his or her own individual flaws, regardless of kept up appearances or social status. As citizens, it is important to remember universal similarities to reduce the odds of entrapment in celebrity worship. There is nothing wrong with having a role model or being inspired by someone famous, but when admiration turns into obsession, it is unhealthy.
It is essential to not pressure celebrities — female celebrities in particular — into absurd standards of beauty. To reach those standards, millions of dollars and countless hours are spent to maintain a pure, untarnished image. Beyoncé may spend three hours getting ready for a photo shoot or concert, but an average person usually takes 10-30 minutes to get ready in the morning. Not all flaws are bad, not all blemishes are ugly. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
