Light Skin vs. Dark Skin

To all those who don't think that color hierarchies exist and permeate t/o people's psyches & effect their self esteem please read (or re-read) NNENNA's post.

To BeReal:
I found your post interesting and thought-provoking, however it is based on your personal opinion, and not on factual data.  The terms "light skin" and "dark skin" point to one's perception of a particular element of the physical world, and not to any inherent physical trait. Therefore, "light skin" and "dark skin" are value judgments, subject to dispute.  To paraphrase you:  "lighter skin is prettier than darker skin".  Presented in this manner, without qualifying factors or mitigating circumstances, it is a blanket statement and all inclusive.  Thus, ALL light skin is prettier than ALL dark skin, regardless of its origin or condition.  Following this line of "logic", the following statements would also be true: 
1.  Light skin riddled with boils and pustules is prettier than smooth, blemish-free dark skin. 
2.  The light skin of a 100-year old person is prettier than the dark skin of a newborn baby.
3.  The light skin of a cadaver is prettier than the dark skin of a living human being.
I would venture to say that not everyone would agree with the above statements. Below are some of my opinions and observations which would refute your statement that everyone thinks that light skin is better than dark skin (but just don't want to admit it.)

- I work in an office, where my co-workers are predominantly Caucasian and Hispanic.  When summer season rolls around, there is a mad dash, an utter frenzy, to see who can achieve the best tan.  The darker these co-workers are able to tan, the more compliments they receive. If it were true, as you suggest, that everyone likes lighter skin better than darker skin, this phenomenon would simply not exist.  My co-workers would not be motivated to alter their naturally light skin for any reason.

- I am of a particular shade of brown that has deemed me light, brown-skinned, and dark, depending on who I'm with.  My mother is considered light-skinned here in Colorado, but among her Creole in-laws in Slidell, Louisiana, was considered brown-skinned.  This would support my statement that the terms "light" and "dark" are value judgments, based on perceptions of skin color, and not on the skin color in and of itself.

- Try posing the question of shades of skin to a totally blind or color blind person.  The responses you would receive would no doubt change your opinion of how skin color is perceived (again, this is based on the fact that your statement that light skin is prettier than dark skin, is without qualifying factors or mitigating circumstances).  And because people who cannot perceive skin color at all, represent a fair portion of the world's population, it would be impossible that "ALL people prefer light skin over dark".

- There is a tribe in Africa that has a certain ritual during marriages.  The bride-to-be is placed in a cave with no exposure to sunlight, for three days.  When she emerges from the cave, her skin is noticeably lighter.  Her lighter skin is viewed as a sign of delicacy and weakness, helping to foster a sense of strength and capability in her husband-to-be.  When I saw a picture of such a bride, after she had left the cave, she did in fact appear "lighter" than the other members of the tribe, but would in no way be deemed "light" by American standards.  Again, evidence of perception, and not reality.

- To anyone out there who finds that they are treated differently by others because of the "perceived" color of their skin, remember that that is only a reflection of that person's thoughts and does not reflect on your inherent worth as a human being, physically or otherwise.  My personal belief as a Christian is that God created us in His image, and since I believe that God is "pretty", I also believe that every shade of human being is pretty, as well.  Let us not shy away from those whose opinions differ from our own.  While we may not agree on every subject, we will all leave the discussion with new ideas, and these can be the basis for intellectual, and most importantly, spiritual growth.

Peace,
Linda D. Martin



.     

To BeReal,

BeReal speak for your self, there is no inherent divine ordinance that deem pale-skin or light-skin as been more beautifull that dark-skin as you suggest. Otherwise that would be the case since the beggining of time, and as corden to history thats not the case. In fact it is nothing but a recent white supremacist racist Europian import indoctrination that spreads trout the four corners of the earth, especially among people that they enslaved and colonized. Your concept of pretty hair(strait, curly) that you mention didn't come from African people or Dark Skinned/Black people. Thats another concept that came from the same white supremacist in their dilusion of white superiorty. The same way that African people and many others did not put other skin colour above dark skin where beauty and attractiveness is concern trout history until recently-------is the same way THERE ARE MANY people today who doesn't. So in your preference to be pale or light skin, and the same of been more beautifull and attractive, and your concept of pretty hair, you speak for no one but your self and those like you.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder indeed. Simple because white supremacist invented the idea that their pale skin is above all (and then turn around  darkining their skin by wearing dark stocking, tanning ect for "attractiveness" another one of their racist contradictions) thoes not make it natural law ( except for those who buy into it ofcouse)

chinani

Good observation

I hate people trying to bleach themselves all of the name of being fair  . Black is beauty and i think we black fellas should be proud of our beauty skin colour.!! 

Who's laide? Anyhow, speak for youself. I'm not "helpless and stupid". Wonders shall never cease. . .

I am a dark skinned female and sometimes there are light skin guys that like me and sometimes there are light skin guys who prefer lighter girls.  Right now I am in a complicated relationship with this light skinned guy and I think that he would treat me better if I had lighter skin.  The other light skinned guys I've dated treated me much better than he is treating me now. what do you think

to me dark skinned guys r hotter

Bhola - thank you for the reply.  And thank you for providing a great subject for my & my girlfriend's discussion tonight.  As you elucidated - yes, we in the Western world discriminate in terms of race (i.e. Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, Etc, ), whereas, it appears that many other countries discriminate on the basis of COLOR (or shades of,  ) My question:  Do Nigerians view their countrymen as Nigerians, but discriminate between themselves as far as color? I don't get it - the Nigerians I have met are always so beautiful and elegant, so it distresses me personally, that they would stoop to Western motives of segregation.   Of course, I wouldn't be able to distinguish between an Ibo or Igbo.  I hope you can help me understand this.


Linda Martin

Dark skin is ugly. Light skin is beautiful.

Get it right people!

People like this still exist???    Are you Nigerian? Wait, don't say. I might be  by your answer. But they say "ignorance is costly". 

They do exist alright! Only in the states lol.  I think using the word IGNORANCE is too kind.  There is a saying that you shouldn't argue with a fool because people might not notice the difference.  For this reason, I shall reserve my comments.

i think that the people who think dark skin gurls is ugly is jus bein ignorant. it i strue that alott appl think light skinn is better the dark skin they never look in the inside they alwayz gotta judge you from ur color. what botherz me the most is that most of the people that i know and heard of thatz hatin on dark people are black people themselves. Honestly i think dark woman are beautiful and so is every color is beautiful and unique be proud of what you are and don't let people get to you. I used to hate bein dark becuz all ma family is light but I'm dark and people alwayz want to make fun of me and make black jokes and i actually though tabout bleachin myself I'm glad i didnt. Have ya'll seen that one eposide of trya and that one girl waz tlkin bout that she waz too dark and her skin color waz like, queen latifah jus a little bit darker and that one other gurl say she want to marry a korean man jus so her kids can have good hair like i said jus plain IGNORANCE i can't even comment on that one i waz speechless but i love ya'll people who love every color peace

 
okay someone correct me if i'm wrong, but i'm damn sure this thread was started by a dark-skined girl feeling insecure about her skin tone, if not,we won't have an issue for discussion here. The last time i checked a large proportion of the most sucessful black runway models are dark-skined and yet we don't see the lighter complexion girls stiring up an hate campiagn.

Quoting from the famous advert "love the skin you are in". Dark, Light, Caramel, Brown, Bronzed are all of wonderful variety of the human skin tone, whichever yours is, as long as you look after yourselve, you'll look beautiful anyway.

  You’ve got a tough job on ya hands correcting all the errors in my post.

Since you come across as a very calculating person, you can very well tell the title and previous posts indicate a lack of self-confidence on the part of the darker counterparts. To me the title just sounds a bit on the competitive and comparison side.  To the darker skinned sister- up your self-confidence and stop moaning about a lost itinerary.

Thank you for your reply, Desiree.  Since the word "calculating" has several meanings, I've decided that in this context you meant "shrewd".  Indeed, it is this shrewdness, along with my ability to think logically, that prevents me from assuming I know the skin shade of someone I've never even seen.  Furthermore, what you consider light or dark may differ considerably from what I perceive as light or dark.  You intimate that the "darker counterparts" lack self confidence, yet you state that "a large proportion of the most successful black runway models are dark-skinned".  I'm pretty sure that it takes quite a bit of self confidence to strut down a runway, under scrutinizing eyes, sometimes wearing next to nothing.  I believe that most of the dark-skinned people responding to this thread are not complaining or "moaning".  Rather, they're expressing their incredulity that such antiquated notions of skin shade still exist.  Remember, Desiree, that we do not all see things the same way (thank God).
lm