The Study of Racialism

Hanzou · Mentor Joined: 05 Nov 2005 {Posts: 261 }

I found this wonderful topic on another forum. It comes from the horribly bad Tyra banks show. In this episode, Tyra does a program in which "dark skinned blacks" and "light skinned blacks" discuss the pain and hurt that coincides with colorism in the U.S. Here are links to the showl

Part1
http://www.imeem.com/people/3NyCHVT/video/ZbQLBait/tyra_banks_show_april_24_2008_do_light_skinned_blacks_h/

Part2
http://www.imeem.com/people/3NyCHVT/video/mH228c1X/tyra_banks_show_april_24_2008_do_light_skinned_blacks_h/

Part3
http://www.imeem.com/people/3NyCHVT/video/gqj3mZJC/tyra_banks_show_april_24_2008_do_light_skinned_blacks_h/

Part4
http://www.imeem.com/people/3NyCHVT/video/uxYvOZ_l/tyra_banks_show_april_24_2008_do_light_skinned_blacks_h/

Part5
http://www.imeem.com/people/3NyCHVT/video/4lwVmMFm/tyra_banks_show_april_24_2008_do_light_skinned_blacks_h/

This show illustrates one of my pet peeves when it comes to discussing colorism in the United States; the "light skinned blacks" are almost always the bad guys. The very title of this program illustrates this reality, because no one would ever dream that "dark skinned blacks" have it easier in general society.

Also its more acceptable in the black community to be proud of your "darkness", yet if you are proud of being lighter, you're automatically viewed with suspicion and raised eyebrows. Case in point, the young woman in this program who stated "the blacker the berry the sweeter the juice", or the man who stated that he prefers "dark skinned black women" to resounding applause from the audience. However, a woman who states that she favors her more mixed appearance (though she didn't look very mixed IMO) was demonized by the audience and by Tyra herself. I believe Tyra called the woman "The slave master's dream". Laughing

Programs like this are counterproductive to ending colorism in the US. Not only is it biased towards a certain segment of "black people", it also reinforces the ODR, and makes it seem like having European heritage of any known quantity is something to be ashamed of. Perhaps worst of all, it teaches an entire generation of mixed men and women who claim to be "light skinned black" that they must be the torch-bearers of black victimization in the US, and be the watchdogs of their identity if they intend to be willing participants in the "black" ideology.

Richard Miller

fwsweet · Posted: Fri 30 May 2008 17:48 Post subject:

Funny. This was a topic of lively discussion after my lecture on Wednesday. The lecture was about The Perception of "Racial" Traits, but somehow the post-lecture discussion turned to U.S. colorism. The class never really resolved it, of course, but some interesting points made were:

1. As Richard suggests, it is politically correct nowadays to praise a deeper sub-Saharan phenotype and to denigrate a mixed phenotype. The reverse is politically incorrect.

2. The old colorism phrases ("If you're white you're all right, if you're brown stick around, if you're black get back.") are still quoted, but as an example of the bad old days rather than as serious behavioral teaching to the young.

3. Objective measurements (denial of opportunity, workplace discrimination, pay rate) show the opposite. The darker you are, the more likely you are to suffer discrimination. This is especially true in the entertainment industry, where mixed actors are much more likely to get hired.

4. The pro-dark, anti-mixed attitude that Richard saw on the Tyra Banks show was quite common in the antebellum north and upper south. On the other hand, the "ïf you're brown sitck around" attitude was the socially accepted norm in the lower (gulf coast) antebellum south.

sagascend · Moderator-at-Large Joined: 17 Jun 2006 {Posts: 2418 }

A serious and productive discussion about colorism or any other "ism" cannot ensue from stroking hurt egos on either side. In order to resolve a problem between two entities who have been wronged from their own perspective, and have perhaps disproportionately benefited from some sort of advantage, both sides have to hear one another and find common ground. They also have to stop lashing out at one another just because it hurts to hear the truth sometimes. The truth is not only that darkskinned people have suffered and been made to feel inferior, but that lighter skinned people have as well. Do the reasons why matter more than the the suffering and personal pain on both sides? If the answer is "yes" then the problem of colorism will never go away because people will find a justification to continue treating people a certain way based on skin color/other racialized traits. If the answer is "no," and pain is pain, the focus is on removing it. To me, the latter approach will resolve the problem and the former will perpetuate it.

There are some things that are just true in this society when it comes to advantages or unearned privileges, but even in these cases nothing stays the same. Once upon a time women were revered as made in the image of God and now nothing could be further from the truth according to most of the world's religions. Once upon a time, skin color was as irrelevant as eye color. Things change. If they do, change can happen again when people change their mentalities and do not pass on these pathologies to their children.

gemini072 · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2942 }

gawosany · New User Joined: 11 Jun 2008 {Posts: 12 }

Lighter skin is almost always preferred which is why certain things are said the way they are.

You refuse to acknowledge that.

If it were the other way around, and your light skin was thought of as ugly, wouldn't it be nice if your skin were celebrated once in a while?

It's kind of like trying to make darker skin more acceptable.

I think that was the point of the show ... not to demean lighter skinned people.

gemini072 · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2942 }

gawosany · New User Joined: 11 Jun 2008 {Posts: 12 }

ImBack · Suspended Joined: 28 Jun 2006 {Posts: 630 }

Lighter skinned blacks and mulattos are treated much better than darker blacks.

This is evident from incidents of reported discrimination. Dark skinned blacks experience discrimination at a rate 7 times higher than that of the other two groups.

gemini072 · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2942 }

Grasshoppa · Posted: Fri 13 Jun 2008 02:20 Post subject:

I happen to like women with plump lips. Laughing

DChapman · Posted: Fri 13 Jun 2008 11:36 Post subject:

divana · Posted: Fri 13 Jun 2008 18:59 Post subject:

It's sort of funny to hear this discussion. Light skin black and dark-skin black...LOL! Last time I checked, the color "black" looks like the crayon - no variation. Laughing

All are African descendants with different complexions. But anyway...

Many people prefer different complexions for all kinds of reasons - sometimes for ignorant reasons. For these reasons, often people of all complexions have and continue to be mistreated and hurt by it.

onlyhuman77 · Posted: Fri 13 Jun 2008 21:15 Post subject:

It's my observation African Americans that have access to a multitude of resources have it much easier than those who do not. The spectrum of Darker to Lighter complexioned African Americans is filled with many accusations and false assumptions when attempting to determine who has it the worse depending on whom is asked.

And based on my own experience, being a dark complexioned Geechee (African American) male, there haven't been any instances that I felt that if I were a light complexioned male I would have more doors in life opened for me or harassed to a lesser extent.

ImBack · Suspended Joined: 28 Jun 2006 {Posts: 630 }

gemini072 · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2942 }

DChapman · Posted: Sun 15 Jun 2008 18:15 Post subject:

Richard Miller · Posted: Mon 16 Jun 2008 00:39 Post subject:

gemini072 · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2942 }

ImBack · Suspended Joined: 28 Jun 2006 {Posts: 630 }