Tina Knowles Defends Daughter Beyoncé Against Allegations of Skin Lightening

Tina Knowles has defended her daughter Beyoncé on social media against allegations that she lightened her skin for the premiere of her new concert film.

On 25 November, the 42-year-old pop star attended the opening of Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé on the “chrome carpet” in an all-silver outfit with platinum blond hair. Soon after photos circulated on social media, some users accused Beyoncé of lightening her skin and hair to appear “more white”.

In a lengthy Instagram caption, Knowles lambasted such criticism as perpetuating racism, sexism and double standards.

“Came across this today and decided to post it after seeing all of the stupid ignorant self, hating racist statements about her, lightening her skin, and wearing platinum hair wanting to be white,” the fashion designer wrote at the top of her post, which included video of the premiere and photos with quotes of online comments such as “she’s white now?” and “she whitens her skin!”

Knowles noted that the theme of the premiere was silver, with guests encouraged to dress accordingly, “and you bozos decide that she’s trying to be a white woman and is bleaching her skin?”

“How sad is it that some of her own people continue the stupid narrative with hate and jealousy. Duh, she wore silver hair to match her silver dress as a fashion statement,” she continued.

Knowles also expressed ire for a white female reporter from one media outlet who she says reached out to Beyoncé’s hair stylist for a statement about how “the fans are saying that she wants to be white”.

“Well that made, my blood boil, that this white woman felt so entitled to discuss her blackness,” she said, before expressing disappointment in some Black social media users who have contributed to the criticism: “Lying and faking and acting like you’re so ignorant that you don’t understand that black women have worn platinum hair since the Etta James days,” she wrote, referring to the Black singer who became famous in the 1950s.

Knowles concluded that she was “sick and tired of people attacking” her daughter. “Every time she does something that she works her ass off for and is a statement of her work ethic, talent and resilience,” she wrote. “Here you sad little haters come out the woodwork. Jealousy and racism, sexism, double standards, you perpetuate those things. Instead of celebrating a sister or just ignoring if you don’t like her.”

“I am sick of you losers,” she finished. “I know that she is going to be pissed at me for doing this, but I am fed up! This girl minds her own business. She helps people whenever she can. She lifts up & promotes black women and underdogs at all times.”

Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé will premiere nationwide beginning on 1 December. The film, like Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour concert film before it, captures the singer’s blockbuster international tour and will be released directly to AMC Theaters. The film is now tracking to open to between $30m and $40m worldwide.