Light Skin -vs- Dark Skin STILL an issue
The year is 2010 and even though I shouldn’t be surprised I am still quite baffled at how racial issues amongst the black community are still such an issue. You would think that we would be at a point now that we wouldn’t still be walking around with hatred in our hearts for each other because of skin color; especially as we consistently acknowledge ourselves as “the black community.”
However we all know that is not the case. We all know that more of us than we would like to admit have passed judgment or cast stereotypes on other African-Americans because of their “shade of brown.”
Who hasn’t heard that most light skinned people are stuck up, think they are better than darker skinned people, use your lightness as an advantage (and are allowed to) and just have overall cocky attitudes? Who hasn’t heard that darker skinned African-Americans are meaner, have bad attitudes and generally don’t like light skinned African-Americans?
Honestly, before I began this paragraph I had to stop and allow myself to write this post without bias because I have had my own personal experiences with light skinned people who would have probably swayed my writing had I wrote solely from my heart and personal experiences. I have fought my own battle with trying not to stereotype all light skinned people because of the immense number of arrogant, immature light skinned people I have had to deal with who meet and greet you with the words “I’m light skinned, I’m a redbone, I’m red….
Yesterday I read a Facebook status that stated:
Y do pple automatically assume all light skinned chicks r stuck up?? Im judged on my skin complexion everyday. MAN I LOVE TO PROVE THM WRNG!
I am not light skinned, so I can in no way imagine how it feels to be judged all of the time because of my skin color. I guess I am a safe brown? I don’t know. It sounds crazy even saying that because I guess medium brown is the only shade of the African-American rainbow that doesn’t catch the flack of being too dark or too light. If you are too light some people (ignorant people) immediately think that you are stuck on yourself, you are siddity and cocky and you will use your skin color to your advantage and you will be allowed to get away with it. People will accuse you of getting more privileges because of your skin color and many will dislike you from the moment you walk through the door. If you are too dark some people (ignorant people) immediately think that your attitude will reach the room before you do. They will think that you are mean and spiteful and that regardless of the situation you won’t agree, because you are confrontational and always hard to get along with.
Where do these ideas come from? Some will say slavery (I agree) some will say personal experiences (I agree) some will say ignorance (I agree)
I found this video on World Star Hip Hop and my first response was WOW. Not only was this so up close and personal, but it is exactly what I have heard all of my life from many light skinned and dark skinned people. Not only did it show a lot of the ignorance surrounding this issue, but it also showed why some of the judgments take place…take a look
Don’t those things sound very familiar to you? I have heard each of those things countless times and even though its pure ignorance I won’t lie and say that I haven’t said some of the exact same things. I have come across some of the cockiest light skinned people you would ever want to meet and I have come across some of the meanest, most jealous dark skinned people you could meet and I have come across some of the meanest light skinned, most jealous light skinned, cockiest dark skinned, rudest light skinned, confrontational brown skinned, ignorant light skinned, ignorant dark skinned, arrogant brown skinned…..
you get the point
I say this to say, whatever shade of brown you may be love the skin you are in. Ignorance comes in every shade of color from powder white to black blue. Ignorance knows no color. We really need to stop with the stereotypes and hatred towards one another. Enough people of other races hate African Americans , we need to pull together and love each other as much as possible. We call ourselves the black community which relays a message of unity and togetherness, however within this community we are at odds with each other over skin color.
BGT said it best here —> The Beauty of Black
Black is beautiful let that be the end of the sentence. There should be no conforming or need to conform to what certain people have concluded to be the beauty of blackness….
***************************************
As I was searching the net while writing this post I came across some very interesting blog posts, videos etc. concerning light skin vs dark skin. Here are a few links I found very interesting.
Malcolm X Field Negro vs House Negro
Womanist Musings-Light Skin Vs Dark Skin
How Colorism Colors Our Daily Lives
Like this:
Posted on February 18, 2010, in About Women, African Americans, BLACK (history, life, culture etc), Race Matters, The Issues and tagged African American community, African Americans, Beauty, Black America, black community, Black is Beautiful, Black People, dark skin, Field Nigga, hatred, House nigga, light skin, malcom X, Negro, Passing Judgment, Racism, red bone, Skin Color, slave mentality, slavery, Stereotypes, World Star Hip Hop. Bookmark the permalink. 68 Comments.
Black Girl Thinking
Thanks R.C. for this link.
I missed this episode of Tyra but all I can say is WOW.
http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh2p0ZT5bq3OA787w3
Yeah it amazes me that we are still having this conversation. It also amazes me how much black women are allowing pop culture to validate their beauty. Not enough dark skinned chicks in this video and everyone erupts in rage all over the place. It saddens me that they don’t see their own beauty within and are constantly looking for it in someone else.
Also,check out a short film by Kiri Davis on youtube called “A girl like me”.
i wanta punch them niggas in the eye for having a lite skin girl in their video.dark skin are just as pretty.i know im pretty if they dont like ite they can kiss my ass word up.
white girl talking this is so sweet and interresting
i hate this i hope they die for having liter skin in video fuck this people.i hate myself
love youself nomatter what color your skin tone is
yous are so ugly i remember seeing u on utube
you are so pretty
As a people, there are far more important things to be concerned about; those who have their minds fixed on this type of madness really need to get a grip. The bottom line is; when some white person sees you; you are just a nigga to them no matter what color you are if that’s how they think. I am a tall dark handsome man, and all of my clients respect my ability as an educated, intelliegent, God fearing black man. Often times I’m praised because of my dark skin.We are economically suffering and we are concerned about our light and dark skin. LOL People wake up; this is another set back.If your skin is all you have to offer then maybe you concern yourselves with such foolishness.
I’ve often thought it for years and during my teen years, I watched videos mercilessly and used to wonder why all I ever saw in the videos back then was Light complexioned females oh and with the long flowing hair and bodies like coke bottles. I admit it looks like it’s gotten better but I still can’t help lookin at the videos and actually searching to see if the directors are still playin the same game. I know there is enough blame to go round: from the Director clean on down to the artist. This subject makes me sad because I don’t think we’ll ever get over the hump. Just my thought on the subject, I don’t know.
<a href="#comment-1
how dare you say you hate yourself.you are beautiful.i am a light-skinned and i wish i was brown because the texture is amazing.let it be known, dark skinned men are the best
its really sad to see people get angry over their complexion, be happy with what god gave you, because the most important thing is IF YOUR HEALTHY, have two legs, arms, can see, walk, hear, think, some people out in the world cannot walk, see, hear, and are bad off in health, damn and people arguing over complextion and hair textures, how fucking stupid!!!
And people i dont think the complexion issue will ever go away, I am light skinned, mixed , black/hindu, but i see on videos nothing but light skin or white woman, it pissed me off, because im like why dont they ever go for dark sisters, i think dark woman are absolutely beautiful, i have seen some gorgeous ones, and also in my family, beautiful black queens, i am really sick of black men with this if i date white or light, i have a better breed of woman, becuase complexion nor hair, DOES NOT MAKE A WOMAN!!!
@ T… I feel where you coming from, but trust and believe there are some sisters out there with coke bottle shapes, their shapes are even better and believe it or not, alot of black woman still have long pretty hair, i have some dark colored sisters in my family, dark dark skin with hair damn near to their asses, and the texture is very nice, no perms needed, hair like mine! and long eyelashes, pretty faces, and eyes, and small waists and nice shapes, so black men you need to stop looking at your sisters with your nose turned up, because you are the same!
Hi I am a psychology undergraduate student. In regards to this topic I am doing my dissertation on the relationship between black identity and skin tone, and I need to recruit more black and mixed race participants to take part.
It is an online questionnaire, that is completely anonymous and confidential and it shouldn’t take no more than 15 minutes to complete. It mainly consists of statements which you indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with them.
The only requirements are that participants must be black or mixed race, over 18 and they must live in the UK.
The questionnaire link is below
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CHLNSDT
I would be really grateful if you some of you would help me by taking part. Feel free to ask me any questions about it.
Thanks
Akaysha
This is just a reality of the color casting that exist among blacks.
I ran across this article while studying the origins of all African conflicts and I can certify to u that as sad as it may seem, it will never end. Angola, Rwanda, SA, and Sudan, all those countries have fought civil wars from hell and all are based on other people outside of the “black” race knowing that all they have to do is inject a little of their sperm into us and eventually we will implode on ourselves over color, caste, class, and priveledge.
Google Jonas Savimbi-mesticos-Angolan civil war, also racism is Latin America, and know that the current genocide in Sudan is based on who’s mixed and who’s “black”. Egypt simply sent some Arabs to Sudan which always fought it on it’s borders and those Arabs slept with black women creating a color caste divide that has resulted in the massacres and rape that you see in Darfur. Finally in Rwanda, the Tutsi were killed because many bedded with Belgians during colonialism and were considered better genetically to run the country along wih the Belgians. This resulted in decades of mistrust that ended with the Hutu mass murder of Tutsis during the silent Holocaust of the 1990s. It will never end and is a sad reality of our inner color caste mentality.
.
It often comes as a surprise for people to
discover that There is No Such Thing
as a “Light Skinned Black” person!
The term “Light Skinned Black” is nothing
more that a racist oxymoron coined by
White racial supremacists who tried to
forcibly deny ‘Mixed-Race’ people who are
of a Multi-Generational Multiracially-Mixed
(MGM-Mixed) Lineage the right to embrace
and openly acknowledge their full-ancestry
AND to falsely label the Black bloodlines
found in a Mixed-Race person’s lineage as
being a “tainted”, “inferior” “contaminant”
that destroyed all of their other lineage.
Again, so-called “Light Skinned Blacks”
are simply ‘Mixed-Race’ people who are
from families that BOTH BECAME AND
CONTINUALLY-REMAINED Mixed-Race
THROUGHOUT their multiple generations.
This is NOT stating or implying that
having a LIGHT-Complexioned
SKIN tone IS THE ‘ONLY’
(OR even a ‘REQUIRED’)
PROOF of a person being
OF MIXED-RACE LINEAGE.
It’s simply stating that the person’s
Light-complexioned skin coloring and
tone is simply an Undeniable physical
Proof Of the Fact that their family’s
Ancestral Lineage has been
‘Continually’ racially Admixed
‘Throughout’ the Generations
(from the very first occurrence
of “racial” admixing up to their
very present generation of such
– ex. Griffe marries Metis, etc.).
THE KEY to being MGM-Mixed*
IS LINEAGE-CONTINUITY!
In order to be MGM-Mixed*/Mixed-Race,
one’s ancestry MUST have BOTH
BECOME & REMAINED (at least
25%) racially-admixed THROUGHOUT
all of their family generations — from
the very first occurrence of admixture
until their present generation!
Simply having 1 or 2 “ancient-ancestors” who are
said to have been of some “other race” and that
are allegedly found “somewhere-down-the-line”
(ex. a great-grand whatever of another “race”)
– DOES NOT — make anyone MGM-Mixed
(or else nearly everyone found on the planet
could (falsely) claim to be MGM-Mixed)!
Being MGM-Mixed REQUIRES that
one has “CONTINUITY-of-Admixture”
(*Multi-Generational Multiracially-Mixed)
THE racist ‘ONE-DROP RULE’ (ODR)
WAS BANNED IN THE United States
(U.S.) way back in 1967 by the
U.S. Supreme Court (via the
‘Loving vs. VA’ court case).
That decision struck down the ‘VA Racial Integrity Act’
(VRIA) & every ‘Anti-Miscegenation Law’ (AML) in the
U.S. — AS WELL AS the racist, ‘One-Drop Rule’ (ODR)
on which both the VRIA & the AMLs were based!
There’s been NO ‘ONE-DROP RULE’
(ODR) in the U.S. SINCE 1967!
Thus, there is NO SUCH THING as a
“Light-Skinned Black” person (these people
are Mixed-Race from families that have been
racially-admixed throughout many generations).
For more information on this topic,
please feel to contact me via email
and / or to visit the websites below.
— APGifts, Founder / Moderator
(Generation-Mixed; MGM-Mixed
and FGM-Mixed ‘Yahoo!Groups’)
email:
soaptalk@hotmail.com
WebSites:
//groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed
//groups.yahoo.com/group/MGM-Mixed
//groups.yahoo.com/group/FGM-Mixed
//www.youtube.com/user/apgifts
Related links:
//groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1602
//groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1691
//groups.yahoo.com/group/SWIRLinc/message/17634
//groups.yahoo.com/group/SWIRLinc/message/17622
//groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1745
//groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3331
//mulattodebate.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1266120092&postcount=56
//www.mgmix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=423&p=2214#p2214
ALSO … FOR THE RECORD …:
The term of ‘African-American’ (AA) IS NOT
a synonym for BLACK (“Race” or ‘Descent’)
The AAs are NOT A RACE or CULTURAL Group.
The AAs are a largely Mixed-Race^
ETHNIC group composed ONLY of …
“The ‘Descendants-Of-The-Survivors’
Of the Targets of the antebellum-era
continental U.S. chattel-slavery system”.
[^The Lineage of MOST (+70%) AAs
contains +20-30% European & +25%
Amerindian THROUGHOUT the line.
The Non-AA Citizens of the U.S.
who are Racially-Black are called
Black-American (BA), not AA.]
RELATED LINKS:
//boards.mulatto.org/post/show_single_post?pid=39707103&postcount=20
//boards.mulatto.org/post/show_single_post?pid=39707086&postcount=18
//boards.mulatto.org/post/show_single_post?pid=39707093&postcount=19
//www.mgmix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=303&p=2213#p2213
//boards.mulatto.org/post/show_single_post?pid=34070161&postcount=13
//boards.mulatto.org/post/show_single_post?pid=34070414&postcount=14
//boards.mulatto.org/post/show_single_post?pid=31574826&postcount=17
.
I am a dark skinned woman and i have 5 other brothers and sisters. Three of us are darker skinned and three of us are lighter. My oldest sister is very light skinned. Her father is indian. I must say as a girl, i remember her not having many female friends because other woman were jealous, or steryotyped her to put it plain and simple. She even got into a fight once because she wouldnt let some other girl do her hair. They thought she was being “stuck up”
I would see men approach her and praise her for her complextion, and i would see men walk up and feel like they have to knock her off her invisible high horse. As i got older and we started to really hang together, i noticed alot of times that i would get overlooked when it came to dating. I even remember once my boyfriend admitting that one of his friends told him that he should have chose my sister to date because she was the light skinned one.
Even my own cousins would purposly exclude her when they went out because they feared she would steal all the attention.
Me and my sister have never fought over skin tone, she believes darker skinned women dont get enough credit, and i believe that lighter skinned woman are constantly under fire for something they cant change. but we both believe that it is equally hard for both. The only reason why such an issue would cause such calamity in an entire race of people, in my opinion, is because people are always looking to other people who have the same worries and fears, to justify who they are.
In the past, after slavery, lighter skinned people would use their skin tone as a means for survival only. They would “pass” as white in order to live less threatening lives. Somewhere along the lines that got twisted and now people are using it to justify beauty??
I also blame the media. We are being told everyday from birth to death , subconciously, through media how we are supposed to look, act, date, live, and etc.. These videos make people angry because they tell a generation of young susceptable people that they arnt light enought, dark enough, tall,thin,thick,pretty…the list goes on people. These young people then grow up to be adults that rationalize these impossible standards and enforce them onto other people they encounter, thus creating debate when people feel offended.
The issues just doesnt exist in the black community, it is a worldwide issue. In the white community there is an issue aout blonde women being more beautiful, fun, slutty, and etc…
Humanity is at odds with itself because we forgot how to celebrate and respect our differences. Instead we are constantly struggling to prove who is the better race, religion, sex, class, and etc..
Sadly this is an issue that can only be changed once ever single person on this earth changes their perception.
Idont understand this light skin / dark skin discussion . I – for one – am a dark skin girl but people notice I’m not just black . It’s nothing to do with your color – it’s your features , your facial , physical appearance . Email me otherwise
. babygyrl24_7@hotmail.com .
honestly being light skinned is prettier..coming from a white boy. just sayiinn’
@LOL well coming from a white person, I don’t find that hard to believe….
@black girl ur rite
Having seen beautiful black women of every conceivable shade, I have to say that it never even occurred to me that skin color might have anything to do with beauty. It’s a bizarre idea. Healthy, smooth skin is beautiful, regardless of its shade. I’m sorry you have all had to deal with this.
What’s Up Black Girl,
Black people who are black and half-black should be thankful that they’re still black. A large population of people on this planet had their blackness taken away from them by force, and they’re never gonna get it back. North Africans, Arabs, Persians, East-Indians, and Pacific-Islanders. All of them were black at some point and time within the past 600 or 800 years. Black people arguing with each other over whose complexion is better is a waste of time. Blackness, in and of itself, Is Sufficient! Historical context should always be present when the subject of race and black people are discussed.
Blackness is the ultimate aim and objective of the human experience. Blackness is important, blackness means something, blackness matters, blackness isn’t bulletproof, Protect It!!!
Tyrone
Free Aquarius
Thanks Everyone for the comments
@Tyrone I agree. There is no reason that Black people shouldn’t waste time arguing over complexsion. I am happy being black, regardless of how dark my skin may be or how light it is not…I”m black and I love being Black. I really don’t understand the concept of wishing you were lighter or being upset that you are darker skinned.
my sis and I wrote a book on this very subject, some of the things were horrible to here and write about but we did but we also have workshops to help deal with this issue
Black Girl:
All shades of black are beautiful, but there has to be balance. Whitemen created this problem by raping our foremothers, but blackmen keep the bs alive. Black athletes, rappers, and actors create a lot of chaos and hurt among blackwomen by not choosing to date and marry coal-complexioned sistas. A lot of blackmen are quick to shout “The Blacker The Berry, The Sweeter The Juice.” But, how many of them do you see with dark-skinned sistas? Blackwomen aren’t the problem, We Are! Slavery emasuculated blackmen in all kinds of ways, and lack of love and appreciation for blackwomen is the most glaring example of slavery’s impact on us as blackmen. The blackwoman is “God’s Greatest Creation.” No sista on this planet should feel that she’s inferior to no one, Period!
Sistas, don’t allow “Race Neutrality” to brainwash your blackmen? The blackman’s love and loyalty is for you, and you only!!!
Love,
Tyrone
Don Aquarius
iam a light skin young girl and its sad to be judge becuz the color of your skin by ppl u dnt even knw my on auntie judge me everyday beuz me in my sister are light skin and she dark skin sumtimes i wish i was a little darker becuz it hurts to knw your on family judge you becuz the color of your skin and no i dnt think light skin girls are better then dark skin girls.
Thanks Megan P for stopping by and commenting. I know it has to be a hurtful thing to be treated like that by family. I know people who have gone through the same thing. Sadly many times when family members do this it is because they have some pain or memories of being treated differently or teased because of their skin tone. Its bad that they would then take it out on someone else.
Actually it doesn’t surprise me that the debate is still happening. Quite frankly, these discussions will continue to surface when the people who carry these biases decides to end it… So long as black people who harber it alloiw them to continue. I’m sick and tired of listening to the complaints, and so called ” shock,outrage” these intolerances amongst one another persist, but fail to do anything about it. Many seek to justify it by looking back at it’s origins and holding every little bit of historical reference , ie slavery / white slave owners/ white masters etc etc under critical review, yet fail to turn that same observation on themselves internally. We already know by now where they came from, the lingering question is what are we all now prepared to do to change it. Why not start with ourselves? Change our own feelings, and be honest enough to start taking steps to seeing these problems resolved, so that future generations aren’t locked in the same mentality.
Jesus Christ, stop waiting around for that miraculous day of enlightment, cause it aint gonna happen if nobody is prepared to do the actual work it requires…..
This conversation will live on as long as we are poverty stricken – in our imagination as well as in terms of other resources.
At its heart all -isms are competitive strategies – designed to make ourselves feel we’re one up on the ladder or at least deserve to be.
A woman once told me – I’m not gonna lay down and die when I meet someone who’s prettier or younger or smarter than me. I’m gonna find SOMEthing I’ve got that’s better than what SHE has.
Someone else once told me that the first thing any woman does when she walks into a room is: Look around and see who and how many women are prettier than she is.
We are like the rest of the animal kingdom – we compete for EVERYthing. Food, attention, the spotlight – attraction to men and women, social clout even in non-sexual situations.
If someone has height, skin color, hair texture, eye color, intelligence, money, family name, social class, musical skill or anything else that can translate to success – the person is absolutely going to use it. I think the belief systems mentioned are part of that.
People who feel they have enough – tend to be more tolerant, more accepting. They can afford to be.
That’s why good economic times are socially less ‘fractured’ from periods of poor economy.
The Tiffany person above brings up a good point. I’d like to point out what I see as irony: She’s demanding action – where’s hers??
As a darkskinned black woman, I do remember that other dark skinned people have greeted me mildly while embracing a lighter person with more warmth and heartiness.
I’ve travelled and approached African travellers to be met with indifference and terse greetings, while the lightskinned or white person next to me gets eye contact, smiles and conversation: Was he or she more polite than me? Maybe it’s natural – I’m “the familiar”, the white and Asian are “the new”? I’ve read, I’ve studied intercultural communication and countries’ histories – but still don’t really have a handle on it.
Bottom line – the features that have more value will get more prizes. Even when the ‘prize’ is merely opportunities for acquaintance and friendship.
We learn this at 6 and the rules really don’t change as we grow older.
If the Ms. Tiffanies of the world are sick of that conversation – they can simply walk away or stopper their ears.
Or they can put their money where their mouths are: YOU, Ms Tiffany, be the change you want to see. And when you post on a site like this: Tell us about this plan or technique that’s worked for you.
Mine has been: I collect pictures of very, very dark people who are attractive and successful. I keep those images and remember that.
I try not to let jealousy influence how I treat people.
I DO participate in conversations about race and skin color stratifying.
I don’t try to take someone down a peg because “They think they’re all that”. Everyone SHOULD think they’re all that – as long as they don’t step on ME to get there. That’s as much as I’m entitled to.
For me, i really don’t understand what is going through people’s heads concerning the skin color of a peraon. There are the common stereotypes about light skinned and dark skinned females. They say light skinned girls are prettier than dark skinned girls. They’re stuck up, better, etc. They say dark skinned girls are less attractive and just jealous, ignorant, loud, ghetto, etc. Well most people (that are not ignorant) know that this is not true. I watched this video on youtube a few weeks back and this guy was on there saying if he was to ever get married it would to a white “bitch” or a puerto rican (or lighter complexioned woman. I can’t be mad because that is his preference. But in my head I was just thinking, what is wrong with brown skin and dark skin. I don’t know what the mentality of people is nowadays.I just know that I am comfortable in my own skin, and i will continue to stay confident in everything i do.
You know the problem isn’t really the fact that so many men have a conscious preference for lighter over darkskinned women – That’s just a situation. It’s pretty good to be aware of that and to not waste our limited time on those men.
We want long term relationships and families – can’t spend time on some guy just cause he’s “….FINE!…” when the same regard is not returned and the ‘relationship’, if there is one, will go nowhere. Even this is not real problem – it’s a question being able to read the guy we’re with and determining how he really feels about us.
The real problem as I’ve seen it is this: The men, worldwide, who view darkskinned women as a sort of ..hmm…discount starter kit for sex and experimentation.
It’s as if these men think of dark skinned women as a situation where
- they don’t have to bring their A game – they can save that for a ‘worthwhile’ candidate. The way we save our best dresses and jewelry for special occasion.
- they don’t have to stand on ceremony. With a woman they value, they speak with caution, consider their actions and words – worry about what she thinks of them. But with a darkskinned woman? They can talk any old way because “we’re strong”, “we’re humble”, “we’re less demanding” etc, etc…
All of which translates to: I can treat this woman with familiarity. Talk about ‘breeds contempt’.
Black is beautiful..dark or light….we need to worry about schools for the children n the crime rate instead of the color of the next persons skin
Let’s be mindful of the root cause of this insanity. For those that need an explanation it all derives from the outdated belief that’s been handed down from the dominate and antiquated viewpoints of the the white society. Those who have brought into this are just products of a society which preached this falsehood. It is a learned behavior of people who don’t have the mental capacity to rise above it.
I find it childish when people equate light skin with beauty. Being of a lighter skin tone doesn’t automatically give you the beauty label. Beauty is in skin clarity, hair style, lip shape, nose shape, eye formation, and height, which all really depend on one’s preference. I find many dark black women of outstanding beauty who many people compliment with something so juvenile as, “You’re pretty for a black girl.” People show their closed-mindedness and preprogrammed thought patterns when they utter such foolishness and truly believe that lighter skin is better than darker skin. I say, ignore them. If a man is so shallow as to see you as ugly because you are not light, he doesn’t deserve anyone, for he doesn’t know beauty or the constituents of a beautiful, worthy person. Why care if you know you are beautiful? Don’t entertain such non sence, ladies.
Sincerely,
An anonymous brother with a sense of self and a full understanding of beauty.
I just want to say that as a “black girl” or dark skinned female growing up in this world, that having such a dark tone is awful. I don’t want to be all “Woe Is Me” and **** but some people don’t know how much of a battle it is coming from the “darker” side. I’m the “typical negro” in lighter people’s eyes, especially to white people because of my skin tone. Its really hard to believe that by random choice, I could’ve had it differently with just a simple gene that would’ve made me lighter. Both me and my sister don’t get our complexions from our parents. I get my dark tone from an random elder and my sister gets her light tone from an elder. How this happened, I will never know nor accept. What do I do when I’m at war with someone lighter and they say, ” Yo black ass!” How the hell do I compete with that shit? People say I should appreciate my darkness, and think of it as beauty. But what do they know? And plus, I’m not speaking for the entire dark-skinned population, just for myself. Maybe others appreciate their skin, but I would find that hard to believe… I think that my body features are very attractive and that I’m quite pretty, but that my darkened tone is my downfall. Simple as that. Life is difficult for many reasons, this is one of mine.
girl, chill. dont you know miss universe 2011 is black?
I am a light skinned black man and I am one the kindest people you would ever meet. I have gone through some of the most ignorant racist stuff you would not believe because of my light skin. I have to deal with dark skin people prejudging me, and white people prejudging my race as a whole. I love them regardless. However, I am sick of this. I grow tiered of the stupidity. The only logical option for someone like me is to forgive and move on.
“Chill, cause Miss Universe 2011 is black” Really, that’s your answer, nighttrain?
Congratulations to the Angolans, I guess. It’s nice to see one of your own recognized. Of course, Leila Lopes has a Spanish last name and seems to have been living in the UK when she was selected and crowned.
Finally, in a nation full of dark skinned women with afro textured hair – the woman representing the country is much lighter. I imagine white, Asian and South American people call Miss Lopes, ‘dark’.
To me, she’s light and represents the very status quo that Nana spoke of.
There was a time in black America when some lighter skinned blacks or Mulattos did deliberately keep themselves apart from the darker skinned blacks, It is so hard to believe now in 2011 The historically blacks colleges such as Howard University in Washington D.C., Fisk University in Nashville Tennessee, Spelman Women’s College in Atlanta Georiga were among black colleges that in the 19th century turned away dark skinned young men and women because they were considered a waste time to train because they felt their skin hue would close the paths of life to them. 80 per cent of the students in the black colleges were light, this practice continued into the early 20th century until about 1916. After the civil war, Octoroon and Quadroon { these were Mulattos with extremely light skin} wanted to preserve their so-called superior white side, so they formed their own neighborhoods and actively did all in their power to keep out dark skinned blacks, they resorted to violence sometimes to keep them away. They were as racist as the whites when it came to color. Did you hear of the Blue vein Society? That was a group of mulattos they had clubs you could only be admitted to if you were near white to the point the blue veins under you skin could be readily seen. With all of this open practice of pigment discrimination light skin people have practiced against their brothers and sisters of darker hues in the past no wonder there is resentment still that lingers between the two groups.All of this because of white racism, it has fragmented our black race. I don’t when it will end it may never conclude but those of us who truly care about the welfare of Africa America can try to take time and educate ourselves and others about our history In America. And try ourselves to not continue this horrible ongoing legacy of Black on black color discrimination.
well im light skinned and i know this is a really big issue that is going on and all i sometimes agree that light is better i know that is wrong to discrimnate against them i love dark people i have relatives and friends who are dark buti wouldnt wanna be that dark
Hi,
Based on the data you have posted on this topic —
I thought that you might also enjoy reading (and,
perhaps, even sharing) the following information .
– AllPeople (AP) G.i.f.t.s.
soaptalk@hotmail.com
Founder and Moderator of the following
online Lineage-Discussion Communities
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MGM-Mixed
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FGM-Mixed
http://www.youtube.com/user/APGifts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
Listed below are links to data on the Historical MYTH
of a Color-Based / Slave-Role HIERARCHY — as well
as the Urban LEGEND of Paper-Bag, Blue-Vein and
Other Allegations of Features-Based Entry ‘TESTS’
(in regards to the antebellum-era, continental U.S.):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4153
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4154
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/2885
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/2511
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1400
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4154
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4153
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAmulatto.htm
http://renegadesouth.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/exploring-the-many-facets-of-mixed-race-identity
http://www.library.pitt.edu/freeatlast/fugitive_laws.html
Here is a brief COMMENTARY on
… the constant misapplication (to
the people who are of part-Black
/ Mixed-Race Lineage) of
the racist ‘One-Drop Rule’**:
[** NOTE: The racist ‘one-drop’ “rule” was made ‘illegal’
in the U.S. in 1967 by the U.S. Supreme Court via the
‘Loving vs. VA’ case – where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled ...
--- 1) All ‘Anti-Miscegenation’ Laws found throughout the U.S.;
--- 2) The racist ‘VA Racial Integrity Act’ (upon which most
of the anti-miscegenation ‘laws’ were founded); and
--- 3) The ('black-lineage mocking' and exceedingly) racist
‘One-Drop Rule’ (upon which the ‘Act’ was based.)
… as being ‘UN-Constitutional’ (i.e. illegal, banned, etc.).]
… THE FACTS are as follows:
1) It is often a surprise for people to learn that, in reality, there
is actually No Such Thing As a “Light Skinned Black” person.
2) Very few people seem to be aware of the fact that the term
“Light Skinned Black” is really nothing more than a racist
oxymoron created by Racial Supremacists in an effort to
forcibly deny those Mixed-Race individuals, who are of
a Multi-Generational Multiracially-Mixed (MGM-Mixed)
lineage, the right to fully embrace and to also received
public support in choosing to acknowledge the truth
regarding their full ancestral heritage and lineage.
3) The people who have been slapped with the false label and
oxymoronic misnomer of “Light Skinned Black” person are simply
Mixed-Race individuals — who are from families that have been
CONTINUALLY Mixed-Race THROUGHOUT multiple generations.
4) Seeing that every other Mixed-Race group is allowed the dignity
of receiving support in having itself referred to by the term that
it most prefers – the question becomes “Why should the
situation be any different for those Mixed-Race
individuals who are of an Multi-Generational
Multiracially-Mixed (MGM-Mixed) lineage?”.
5) If an MGM-Mixed individual would like to be referred to by the
term ‘Mixed-Race’ (which is what they actually are) rather than by
that of “Light-Skinned Black“ (a term, which, once again, has the
racist-origin of being nothing more than an oxymoronic-phrase that
was both created and coined by Racial Supremacists in an effort to
try to deny these Mixed-Race people their right to and support in
publicly acknowledging and also embracing their FULL-Lineage)
there is no reason that they (like every other group on the planet
– whether Mixed-Race or not) should not be allowed the right
to choose the term that society uses in referring to them
(and to have their full-lineage acknowledged within that term).
RELATED LINKS:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1399
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/2511
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1402
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1574
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1003
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3998
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4065
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3999
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1400
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4154
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4153
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAmulatto.htm
http://renegadesouth.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/exploring-the-many-facets-of-mixed-race-identity
http://www.library.pitt.edu/freeatlast/fugitive_laws.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
— AllPeople (AP) Gifts
soaptalk@hotmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MGM-Mixed
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FGM-Mixed
http://www.youtube.com/user/APGifts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
Here are THE FACTS on the racist ‘One-Drop Rule’ :
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
Here is a brief COMMENTARY on … the consistent
misapplication of the racist ‘One-Drop Rule’ ** (to the
people who are of any part-Black / Mixed-Race Lineage):
.
[** PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FACT THAT :
.
The racist ‘one-drop’ “rule” was made ‘illegal’ in the U.S. in
1967 by the U.S. Supreme Court via the ‘Loving vs. VA’ case
(i.e. The ‘Loving’ case) – where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that:
.
— 1) All ‘Anti-Miscegenation’ Laws found throughout the U.S.;
.
— 2) The racist ‘VA Racial Integrity Act’ (upon which most
of the anti-miscegenation ‘laws’ were founded); and
.
— 3) The (‘black-lineage mocking’ and exceedingly) racist
‘One-Drop Rule’ (upon which the ‘Act’ was based.)
.
… were all ‘UN-Constitutional’ (i.e. illegal, banned, etc.).
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
Here are THE FACTS on Mixed-Race Linage:
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
1) It is often a surprise for people to learn that,
in reality, there is actually No Such Thing
As a “Light Skinned Black” person.
.
2) Very few people seem to be aware of the fact that the term
“Light Skinned Black” is really nothing more than a racist
oxymoron created by Racial Supremacists in an effort to
forcibly deny those Mixed-Race individuals, who are of
a Multi-Generational Multiracially-Mixed (MGM-Mixed)
lineage, the right to fully embrace and to also received
public support in choosing to acknowledge the truth
regarding their full ancestral heritage and lineage.
.
3) The people who have been slapped with
the false label and oxymoronic misnomer
of “Light Skinned Black” person are simply
Mixed-Race individuals — who are from those
families which have been “of a CONTINUALLY
Mixed-Race Lineage THROUGHOUT all of their
multiple generations” (starting with the very
first generation of racial-admixing and
leading to their present generation.).
.
4) Seeing that every other Mixed-Race group is allowed
the dignity of receiving support in having itself referred to
by the term that it most prefers … the question becomes
…“Why should the situation be any different for
those Mixed-Race individuals who are of an
Multi-Generational Multiracially-Mixed
MGM-Mixed) / Mixed-Race Lineage?”.
.
5) If an MGM-Mixed / Mixed-Race individual would like to
be referred to by the term ‘Mixed-Race’ (which is what they
actually are) rather than by that of “Light-Skinned Black“
(a term, which, once again, has the racist-origin of being
nothing more than an oxymoronic-phrase that was both
created and coined by Racial Supremacists in an effort to
try to deny these Mixed-Race people their right to and support in
publicly acknowledging and also embracing their FULL-Lineage)
there is no reason that they (like every other group on the planet
– whether Mixed-Race or not) should not be allowed the right
to choose the term that society uses in referring to them
(and to have their full-lineage acknowledged within that term).
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
RELATED LINKS:
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4162
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4160
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4157
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3331
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1033
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1399
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/2511
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1402
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1003
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3998
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4065
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3999
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1400
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
Historical TRUTH VS. MYTH & Urban Legend
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
Listed below are links to data on the Historical MYTH
of a Color-Based / Slave-Role HIERARCHY — as well
as the Urban LEGEND of Paper-Bag, Blue-Vein and
Other Allegations of Features-Based Entry ‘TESTS’:
.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4153
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4154
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/2885
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/2511
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1400
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
If there are any questions regarding the information
presented, please feel free to contact me directly at
the email address and/or visit the websites noted below.
.
Thank you and have a good day.
.
Sincerely,
.
– AllPeople (AP) G.i.f.t.s.
soaptalk@hotmail.com
Founder and Moderator of the following
online Lineage-Discussion Communities
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MGM-Mixed
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FGM-Mixed
http://www.youtube.com/user/APGifts
http://www.facebook.com/allpeople.gifts
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
ADDITIONAL LINK:
.
http://www.facebook.com/notes/allpeople-gifts/the-facts-on-mixed-ra…
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
I’m a 24 year old light skinned guy and I don’t have time to worry about petty crap like this. One of the very reasons I don’t care about the black race as a whole. Far too many blacks act like baboons and aren’t going anywhere. Like my dad always said. “don’t get caught up in all that black power crap, just handle your business and get your money”.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
Here are THE FACTS of the matter:
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
.
1) There is No Such Thing As a
“Light Skinned Black” person.
.
2) The term of “Light Skinned Black”
is really nothing more than a racist
oxymoron created by Racial
Supremacists in an effort to
forcibly deny those Mixed-Race
individuals, who are of Lineage
that is called Multi-Generational
Multiracially-Mixed (MGM-Mixed)
lineage, the right to fully embrace
and to also receive public support
in choosing to acknowledge
the truth regarding their full
ancestral heritage and lineage.
.
3) The people who have been slapped
with the false label and oxymoronic
misnomer of “Light Skinned Black”
person are simply Mixed-Race
individuals — who are from those
families which have been “of a
CONTINUALLY Mixed-Race
Lineage THROUGHOUT all of their
multiple generations” (starting
with the very first generation of
racial-admixing and leading
to their present generation.).
.
4) Seeing that every other Mixed-Race
group is allowed the dignity of receiving
support in having itself referred to by
the term that it most prefers …
the question becomes that of:…
“Why should the situation
be any different for those
Mixed-Race individuals who are of a
Multi-Generational Multiracially-Mixed
MGM-Mixed) / Mixed-Race Lineage?”.
.
5) If an MGM-Mixed / Mixed-Race
individual would like to be referred
to by the term ‘Mixed-Race’ (which
is what they actually are) rather
than by that of “Light-Skinned
Black“ (a term, which, once
again, has the racist-origin of
being nothing more than an
oxymoronic-phrase that was
both created and coined by
Racial Supremacists in an
effort to try to deny these
Mixed-Race people their
right to and support in publicly
acknowledging and also embracing
their FULL-Lineage) there is no
reason that they (like every other
group on the planet – whether
Mixed-Race or not) should not be
allowed the right to choose the term
that society uses in referring to
them (and to have their full-lineage
acknowledged within that term).
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
RELATED LINKS:
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4160
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4157
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3331
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1399
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/2511
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1402
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1003
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3998
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4065
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3999
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1400
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
ALSO …. here is a brief
COMMENTARY on …
the constant misapplication
of the racist ‘One-Drop Rule’ **
(to the people who are of any
part-Black / Mixed-Race Lineage):
.
[** PLEASE TAKE NOTE
OF THE FACT THAT :
.
The racist ‘one-drop’ “rule” was
made ‘illegal’ in the U.S. in 1967
by the U.S. Supreme Court via
the ‘Loving vs. VA’ case
(i.e. The ‘Loving’ case) – where
the U.S. Supreme Court ruled ...
.
--- 1) All ‘Anti-Miscegenation’
Laws found throughout the U.S.;
.
--- 2) The racist ‘VA Racial Integrity
Act’ (upon which most of the
anti-miscegenation ‘laws’
were founded); and
.
--- 3) The ('black-lineage mocking'
and exceedingly) racist ‘One-Drop
Rule’ (upon which the ‘Act’ was based.)
.
… as being ‘UN-Constitutional’
(i.e. illegal, banned, etc.) due
to the fact that it was both
'racist' and 'unscientific'.]
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
RELATED LINK:
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4162
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
Historical TRUTH VS.
MYTH & Urban Legend:
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
Listed below are links to data
on the Historical MYTH of
a Color-Based / Slave-Role
HIERARCHY — as well
as the Urban LEGEND of
Paper-Bag, Blue-Vein
and Other Allegations
of Features-Based
Entry ‘TESTS’:
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
RELATED LINK:
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4153
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/4154
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/2885
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/2511
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1400
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
If there are any questions
regarding the information
presented, I can be reached
anytime at the email address
and / or websites noted below.
.
Thank you and have a good day.
.
Sincerely,
.
– AllPeople (AP) G.i.f.t.s.
soaptalk@hotmail.com
Founder and Moderator of the following
online Lineage-Discussion Communities
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MGM-Mixed
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FGM-Mixed
http://www.youtube.com/user/APGifts
http://www.facebook.com/allpeople.gifts
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
SOURCE:
.
http://www.facebook.com/notes/allpeople-gifts/the-facts-on-mixed-race/321878451159708
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Chad.
“You don’t care about the black race as a whole”
….that’s a very negative statement to make Chad. It sounds almost like you have some kind of resentment for being born black….
You don’t care about black people as a whole – and you think it’s contemptible that we care about skin shade and the reactions in our own community to skin shade.
YOU have far more important things to worry about – But your Highminded Lordship managed to find time to come on here, read the article and e-dump all over the rest of us, right?
Clearly your dad is doing a bangup job – Your priorities are razor straight.
I have been struggling with my skin color since I was little girl, my parents never told me i was dark skin until I went to school one day in 5th grade and people called me black, why you so dark as if I was some type of animal I was young I didnt know how to respond so I began to hate the color i was I wished I could change it, so I just stayed out the sun to keep from being black. I am 26 years old why am I still struggling with the color of my skin my family talk about me being dark. I just dealt with it, but now that Im pregnant its take on a whole different effect I dont want my daughter to go thru what i went thru as a child and adult I want her to love herself no matter what skin she is in. I want to overcome this barrier in my life and begin to love my black beauty but I have to confront the isses and deal with it because it still makes me cry. I know its been some physiological damage done in refrence to my skin color, but I have to move forward and begin to love all of me.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Denetria.
It is sad and hard for many people to believe that in the 80s, 90s and even today many African American children are still being teased about being “too black”
Many African American children are still facing this ridicule at school and sadly from their own families. These children are growing up to despise the skin that they are in.
You are doing the right thing by doing your best to overcome the damage that has been done that has caused you to struggle with accepting the skin you are in. You definitely want your child to understand that they are beautiful regardless of their skin color regardless of how light or how dark. Don’t allow your child to be damaged as you were. Always reassure her that she is beautiful.
For most of my life, I have been labeled as ‘light-skinned’. I am African-American and Latina, but I grew up in a predominantly African-American household and community. As far as appearance, I am slightly lighter than ‘caramel’ but while growing up, I thought that I was ‘dark-skinned’ because I thought that only Caucasians had ‘light skin’! I have not been exposed to the Latino culture, so I usually identify myself as simply African-American unless I am asked to be more specific. As far as appearance, I look like I am African-American, but I have extremely thick and prominent eyebrows and slanted eyes that give a little hint toward my hidden heritage.
However, I have noticed that I am either quickly embraced by other young black women or quickly rejected. I can’t prove that it is strictly on the basis of appearance, but according to your findings and the comments of others on this website, it is entirely possible.
Thanks for shedding some light on the issue and I hope that we can all learn to embrace each other for all of our unique, special, and wonderful qualities.
well, let me start off by saying. I have never been more happy to be somali. Growing up i didn’t have to deal with this nonsense ( I still don’t). I never experienced “light skin vs dark skin” until i got to america, and i just thought it was plain silly and stupid. I remember when i got here when i was 10 years old in middle school and every one would tease me because i was from africa, some people even asked me why i didn’t look african? I honestly found that to be ridiculous, like are africans suppose to look a certain way??? But anyways my thought on this issue is that its stupid and ridiculous and should not even be an issue at all. Every one is endowned by their beauty, whether light skin or dark skin or whatever skin color there is. I know a lot of people that are blacker than the sole of my shoes, but they are prettier than most light skin girls i see on a daily bases. so being “light” doesn’t exactly mean you are beautiful. Again THIS SHOULDN’T BE AN ISSUE AT ALL!
I love reading the reactions that I feel must be coming from very young people: “It shouldn’t be an issue”. It’s shallow and ridiculous. Esp when it comes from those who have NOT experienced it or who are probably on the higher end of the “social cred’ scale.
Those who are pretty/ handsome/ light skinned/ straight haired (or straighER haired, anyway) – all features that are more valued, preferred.
It’s easy to judge overt colorism negatively – but that does nothing to change the reality: The same way men are viscerally more attracted to slender figures and younger women – people are more attracted to light skin and Euro features vs. dark skin and African features.
If you’re dark and African and have no shortage of suitors – congrats. That’s not what most of us or at least a significant number of us is experiencing.
Please STOP telling me that my discussion of this topic is shallow just because YOU’re not having a bad time of it.
…interesting to see such passionate comments. I’m an australian of european australian and cherokee/african american heritage, and being the lightest person in the family has always been weird. My dad died just as I was getting interested in my heritage; and having not grown up in the states I barely understand why there is so much vitriol in these sorts of colourism arguments, so blogs like this are very intriguing to come across.
I’ve never really thought about the colour of my skin before, but I’ve always wanted to be darker, more so I didn’t feel out of place with my siblings than anything – I’m always the first to burn at the beach, I get sunburnt even walking down the street in a singlet. But hey, light-skinned or dark-skinned – mahogany, olive, alabaster and whatever else; everyone is beautiful.
Ok so. I’m young and dark skinned. My family and family friends compliment my skin. I was at a point where I felt I needed lighter skin to be beautiful. But i researched on dark skin and honestly I think its beautiful, bold, deep and lovely. But recently my bestfriend (she’s light brown) made a joke about my skin and it hit me hard. If she was just some stranger I’d ignore her or reply with something smart because honestly she has a big nose. I even stuck up for her when she was told that. But she hurt my feelings even though my other bestfriend disagreed and complimented me. Should I stop talking to that friend who hurt me? Or ignore her. By the way, she also makes jokes about OUR Ancestors, that I look just like them in color.
Let her know that you feel badly when she makes those jokes. It might lead to a good airing out kind of conversation.
Or she might tell you that you need to be less sensitive or that if you were so hurt it’s really YOUR problem because you have self-esteem issues.
Whatever it is, you’ll need to evaluate her stance and see if you can live with it as her friend.
But a gentle conversation could be a good idea to start with.
First of, i’m disappointed that this would even be an issue to be blogged. Its just people’s character. People get jealous of others for one reason or the other. It can be light vs dark, pale vs tanned, rich vs poor, short vs tall, majority vs minority. These are all things that make people feel insecure. Not every black person is jealous of a lighter skinned and vice versa. Personally, i can’t say what colour i am cos i change with the weather but i can tell you all shades of black has made me insecure one time or the other. I wanna be like that dark girl, she’s so beautiful, oh i wanna be lighter, i wanna be fat, i wanna retain my stature and sorts. It’s just plain insecurity which everyone seems to get one time or the other. Doesn’t generally mean its an issue. I don’t see people starting discussions about how rich kids are jealous of poor kids, because you work for what you become not sit down moaning about your loss. I am me, and i love myself just the way i am, wouldn’t want it any other way but it doesn’t make me to stop feeling insecure. I’ve met tons of black dark and light girls who are ugly and vice versa. So, be who you are! Stop making an issue of what isn’t.
Try searching for pictures of black actresses such as ini edo or jackie appiah, then tell me if black’s not beautiful. Black and shiny looks hawt! It doesn’t matter whether you’re light or dark, what matters is what you think of yourself. Don’t make it an issue, don’t start separating blacks cos some are light and some are dark. I’m proud to be black, whether i’m light or dark, thats all that matters. No need to make an issue cos you don’t feel confident about yourself, there’s a beauty inside of you, if anyone’s too blind to see that, its their problem. And for your info, white guys find black girls attractive, all shades, they’re just too intimidated to show it. I don’t need second opinion about how i look, my looks, my responsibility!
P.s. My best friend’s dark and i like her colour cos she looks amazing and she gets hit on by a lot of guys cos she’s confident. This is the first time i’ll hear of stuffs like this being an issue. Some people just have nothing to do!
Thanks. I actually came to love my skin but it was the way she said it but she’s automatically a rude person. You can pour your feelings out to her and she’ll say “so” and expect you to listen to her. I don’t know how I put up with her for this long. But thanks for replying.
Awesome post! I’ll be writing a bit about this on my blog for Black History month. I am light-skinned (I cringe with typing it). I also come from a mixed heritage, so it’s been a big struggle. You’re not accepted by the white people and it’s tougher not to be accepted by my own people. I wish we had more love for one another in the black community but at least wer are talking about it. Thanx again! God bless!
@Justme
I am confused as to how you DON”T realize that this is an existing issue. Just reading the comments from those who have experienced it first hand should tell you that this is not just an issue but a deep issue that goes back throughout history and sadly still exists today.
Here it is 2012 and we have African Americans who wish they were lighter skinned. Here it is 2012 and people are still being made to feel that they are too dark. Here it is 2012 and we still have families that make comments because one person in a family is darker or lighter than everyone else.
It is a wonderful thing that you love the skin that you are in…sadly many people are still struggling to get to that point because they are still being ridiculed, they are still being looked over for jobs and they are still being assumed many times to be something that they aren’t all because of their skin color.
Pingback: Thinking About Attitude
Pingback: Dark vs. Light « Fidelislusompa22's Blog
Pingback: 2010 in review | Black Girl Thinking
Pingback: Ways to make skin darker for life?
Pingback: The Black Girl Thinking Blog-2011 in review « Black Girl Thinking