Gwyneth Paltrow chats with Dr. Ella Bell about what white women can learn from Black women

Women become one another’s support systems along the way and with different cultural backgrounds, struggles, lessons, beauties and unique auras, there is so much they can and do learn from each other. Actor Gwyneth Paltrow shared how she learned profound lessons from her black women friends and wishes that other white women learned the same. In THE MAKERS conference, in a chat with Dr. Ella Bell, the actor appreciated how strong and resilient Black women often are and shared that other women should be inspired by the same, per PEOPLE.

The actor applauded the “intrinsic self-honoring” women her Black female friends were. While elaborating further, she said, “It's like from the deepest part of their souls to the tips of their fingers." She shared that Black women know and learn how to love and value themselves in an impressive way and white women are not taught the same. She added that there is fervor and integrity that Black women share collectively. "I think White women are taught to be competitive with one another—which is something I've tried to work so hard to dispel because I don't believe in competition between women—but we're raised to be competitive, to be jealous, to look over each other's shoulders,” Paltrow explained.

She stressed that her Black women friends seem to have no competition or division whatsoever. "There's an immediate acceptance and safety and appreciation,” she remarked. It was not all. Paltrow was mesmerized by the “ruthless self-acceptance” and “self-love” Black women have for themselves and urged white women to learn from the same. "And I think we, as White women in this culture, have a lot to learn from our Black sisters and how they respect themselves. And I'm not sure exactly where that comes from,” the actor pointed out.

Paltrow then posed the question to Bell, requesting her to share her insights on how African American women have such a strong and unbreakable aura. “And it's like in a collective — it's like an interwoven beautiful connection — how do you think, as White women, we can start to cultivate that within ourselves and in our friendships?" Paltrow enquired. Belle gave a fitting response, saying, “I can turn to the Black women in this room when I need lifting. That's important for us. And I don't think White women have that.”

Paltrow agreed with Bell’s words and added, “Keeping White women at odds with each other, in competition with one another, keeps the patriarchy strong." She further suggested the need to bridge the differences and bring women together. The actor pointed out that women deserve to have access to all the wonderful things the world has to offer and that she and her new company, Goop, aim towards just that. "I think it comes from a place, really, of the love of women and wanting to connect with women and be that girlfriend, be that resource. And I always go back to that — and that means all women. That means White, Black, Asian, Indian, and women of all kinds. Our team is reflective of that."