In the Collins articles, I especially enjoyed the bit on Josephine Baker. I remember watching a movie about her a few years ago an finding myself questioning her path to success. So often women of color are portrayed in hypersexual ways that, in my opinion, dehumanizes them. This happens through music videos, paintings, and magazines photos. Overall, popular culture enhances the already negative image around this group of women. In a way Josephine Baker did perpetuate this stereotype and expectation by essentially using her body to claim fame. It almost comes off as though she was willing to do whatever it took to achieve the success she wanted for herself, even if it meant flaunting her body. I don’t fault her for achieving her goals of being known, it just seems unfortunate that she went about the way she did and still didn’t get the respect, outside of her performances, that one would expect for such a large celebrity. In a way this mentality of using one’s body to gain stardom is something that is very prevalent in today’s society and further perpetuates the stereotype. Just as the women of Josephine Baker’s time were trying to be more conservative in hopes of reclaiming and proving they’re more than these hypersexual creatures, women of color today are still facing that same struggle. As video vixens and voluptuous women are being “praised”, it sets a standard from women that many are not willing to accommodate. There seems to be a constant battle between trying to preserve the image of women of color and working against that to fit into what society wants and expects of us.