colorism
Introduction
Welcome to the lecture series fridays.
Which has gone from a read with me type thing to a let me just talk to you.
Today we’re gonna talk about colorism.
All my sources and notes from todays episode be linked to this episode and published on my website.
Summary
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Im going to break down why this is so important to understand being a poc.
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How white passing brings white privilege
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How colorism could contribute to self hate, internalized racism,
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And lastly, how to know if you’re adding fuel to the fire
LINKS REFERRED TOO
Video on colorism-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSolIJYt9Pk&t=803s
When was the first time you knew about colorism?
I found out the term watching youtube.
But my first experience with colorism when my crush alex in middle school would only seem to like/hang out with mixed girls and none of the girls that looked like him or me.
Based on google, the definition of colorism is- prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group.
"colorism within the black community has been a serious emotional and psychological battle"
I can’t tell you how many times guys would criticize my hair but praise other girls with looser textures of hair. Both of us were the same race tho- black.
Theres also hate in the black community. Darker women against lighter skin women.
The argument is that since mixed women are lighter they are loved more. Their “toned” down to darker skinned women.
I hate this narrative.
And then theres the doja cat situation. Since darker skin women are obviously black based on physicalities or having more melanin, we don’t have to “prove that were proud to be black” while lighter skinned women tend to ignore their black side, and not identify as such.
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Note this is not me claiming that the whole community is this, Im just saying what I see.
This sadly is an argument in its own. Of self hate or internalized racism that we will get into later.
Why is colorism important, even now.
Yes im speaking on the black community, but based on the definition of colorism we can see colorism among people of color.
With the black lives movement, i've notice that people with lighter skin who would identify has black have not participated. And with the people who do, they sometimes get bombarded with other darked skinned people claiming that since they are lighter toned they aren’t black.
Its a complicated issue among the community that us as black people, as a black women we need to show the whole world that we’re proud and strong all the time, when sometimes this isn’t the case.
Even on twitter I saw among the hispanic community fighting between Mexicans and people from central america. The argument was on bringing Mexican flags to blm protests when Mexican flags stand against what the protests are combating.
But on the other hand people also were arguing on how mexicans act and how darker toned hispanics act.
There was even a video on instagram explaining racism but also touched on colorism. She explained that people with brown skin were considered more mexican compared to lighter toned mexicans.
I want to mention that people who are white passing benefit from white privilege.
I went for a job interview for a movie theater and the interview process was really dramatic. They were putting us through situations that may happen when were on the job and it was so humiliating in my opinion.
If you personally know me, you know I am a worry wart, on top of that i sweat when i feel anxious.
I was sweating up a storm while doing my situation, with the pressure of the other candidates for the job. This was the last step before getting the job.
Lets fast forward, i didn’t get the job and so did three other people. It was me, another white guy with soo much knowledge on movies, a black guy that didn’t really talk much and another white girl who was just sweet and made me smile. I didn’t want to think it but I felt that since I was black I didn’t get the job.
I really didn’t do much wrong. Only one thing, I touched the fake costumer in my interview situation. While another person had the opportunity to re-do their whole situation when they did something wrong.
This work place is only one place where people who look white could benefit. White passing is not being white but looking white. Having colored eyes, maybe straight hair compared to curly hair. You're palatable for white people so they want you around more.
So, yes you could be proud of your background of course but you may obtain more opportunities than your cousin or me.
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Note I can’t say this is fact, but this is fully my approach based on my opinion.
From my experience i know that colorism contributes too self hate
Even as a child i knew that me being my color was not cute. My cornrows were not cute. My crooked tooth was not cute and my classes were not cute. When I would go out with my mom I would constantly be called mister and sir just because I didn’t wear ear rings and had bigger boobs.
People loved my crush jacob, a mixed black boy with curly hair and green eyes. He was funny, cute and got along with everyone because of his humor.
Boys have short hair and girls have long hair. Was the rules.
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Note he would always talk about his eyes,
So instantly when i noticed that because of my hair i was being seen as a boy, i started to hate it. I relaxed my hair in the fourth grade and classmates would tell me wow you do have hair. It was so nice for people to see me has the cute girl and not the dude.
But I was tom boy and my hair would puff up immediately after recess and my chest had a long way to go so I would continue to get remarks until 5th grade, which became a hate fest.
Each time I would see another black person in public i would watch how they acted and sometimes I would stare. Most of the time it was other black kids throwing tantrums in the store or getting hit by their moms, and in my head I just thought I was better that I wasn’t like other black people.
Soon I would count how many black people were in public spaces with me and what they would do. Looking back it was so clear that I had internalized racism because I continuously justified why white people would treat me different or why girls at my school didn’t want to play.
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Note i want to do an episode fully talking about internalized racism
Well because you look the way you do, like a boy.
Even when I was little when my mom got a little too loud, or would threaten me i would constantly try to stop her and tell her people are looking at us. Or that people were judging us.
Okay colorism is bad, what now?
It always starts with your language.
Oh you’re pretty for a dark/brown skinned girl. This would mean that brown girls are generally not pretty. Its really damaging for young girls and young women.
Men. please do not hate or bash girls with darker skin. You are the problem if you hate on dark skinned girls just because they’re darker and praising light skin girls because they’re lighter. Women are watching you, girls are watching you.
Thank you for tuning into this episode, colorism is still going around today, so when you see it, address it and let people know that its damaging.
Stay safe. Black lives matter, see you in the next episode.