How do you expect a woman to react when you say “you’re pretty for a dark skinned girl”? Have you ever stopped to think that the statement might just be a negative thing to say rather than a form of endearment. It is received as an insult not a compliment. These are the problems that African American women face on a daily basis. Certain stigmas are attached to African American women whether they are of a lighter skin tone or a darker skin tone; both face harsh criticisms, some however are worse than others.
Colorism is defined as the discrimination of a group of people based on the tone of their skin usually those of darker complexion. But the occurring problem isn’t just the darker skinned tone, but the way people portray it on Black women. Darker women are always seen in a negative light and never seem to be as beautiful or as appealing to the eye as a lighter toned woman. It’s as if women are attacked more if they are dark skinned and lighter toned women are often held on a higher pedestal.
“Dark skinned girls in the black community have a negative stigma attached to them” Imani said. “Darker skinned girls in the black community are often known for being ‘the dark skinned friend with an attitude’ or told ‘not to play in the sun’”.
Listening to my friends recount times where their skin tone made them feel unaccepted or unworthy really was an eye opener for me. It didn’t matter if they were dark skinned or light skinned they all had their different struggles based upon the color and tone of their skin.
“Dark skinned girls have to overcompensate to be cute,” Akili stated. Growing up she always heard ridiculous remarks like “if she was only light skinned” or “dark skin girls are ugly.”
Why has colorism become such an issue in our community? Who is to blame? “It is our fault that colorism in the African American community still exists. We are much stronger race than we realize, but the fact that we have been mentally oppressed for years that everything has become normal. Colorism is another mental oppression tactic that continues to wear us down. It doesn’t matter what shade you are, when all the “superior race” sees is black. The life of being dark-skinned is not easy when the media praises lighter people more on a daily basis. We face double the criticism from the outside race and within our race”, Martenza said.
Lighter toned women still face criticism as well that is often forgotten. “I don’t think that there is a difference between stereotyping dark skinned people and light skinned people because it is all the same. Light skinned women are always portrayed as having an attitude when that isn’t always true. People automatically assume that lighter toned women are stuck up and that think they are better than everyone else and that isn’t true either”, stated Sasha.
At the end of the day, the Black community has to realize that we all have to come together to make a change in how we are portrayed within our own community as well as how others portray us. “There’s a certain beauty in dark skin. And every dark skin is different and that’s what makes it even more beautiful”, Cassie said. It makes you take a step back and wonder how many young black girls feel uncomfortable in their own skin and how many black women are still dealing with their own struggles? Being black is beautiful and powerful beyond measure and if we take a second and embrace ourselves and each other and instead of focusing on our difference, the black community would be in a much better and stronger place.
Text: Mariah Richardson
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