So, it is the last day of the best month in the year! It Is my birth month, the "love month", and, who can forget - it is Black History Month. This year is also a leap year, so my month has 29 days. With all that down, I just want to focus on the Black History aspect of it. Or maybe just something to do with black people. Colorism. If you are not familiar with this word (because I sure wasn't until I read a magazine article), then here is a definition:
Colorism is discrimination in which human beings are accorded differing
social treatment based on skin color. The preference often gets
translated into economic status because of opportunities for work.
Colorism can be found across the world. [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorism]
Familiar with it now? Okay. This might not just be limited to blacks, but it is even a problem among us. Where, if you are black and you have lighter skin, then you are more favored than say, someone with darker skin. It even transcends to more than just skin tone, there is also the issue of the "nappiness" of the hair, something I'm passionate about. This is a problem, and surprisingly, still exists today. In my opinion, its just as bad as racism and all the other bad "isms"out there. Some people may not even be aware that they are practicing it and the influence it has on people, children in particular, who eventually grow up to be adults who think something is wrong with them. Case in point, I was at a family gathering with my son and an aunt of his (who has soft curly hair) says "Bwoi yuh really get the nigga hair." (This is Jamaican for "Son, you have really nappy hair.") Of course, he is a baby, so he doesn't know what she was talking about, but I did, and out of respect for her, I did not address it. But it lingered....
I had memories of myself as a young girl with extra thick and long 4c, 4b hair sitting between mommy's legs to endure the tortures of the pressing comb to make my hair more "manageable". Then at the age of 8, having it relaxed, then years and years of all that thickness being depleted due to lack of knowledge or ignorance on my part since I had no clue of how to take care of it, relaxed or not. I eventually went back to my roots though, as an adult who learned as much as I could about my God-given hair and how to take care of it. Let's just say I now have a long term relationship with Shea butter, oils (jojoba, olive oil, etc), water and wide-toothed combs.
Anyways, what that aunt said lingered and, obviously I never forgot. That is Colorism plain and simple. I'm sure she was not aware of it though as she was assimilated into what seems to be the norm, just like me. Here's a poem I found which shows how bad this view of color is:
“If you’re black, stay back;
if you’re brown, stick around;
if you’re yellow, you’re mellow;
if you’re white, you’re all right.”
Isn't this just sad? This mentions all races, but it clearly explains why people go to extreme measures, such as skin bleaching and hair straightening to "get ahead" in life. There have also been studies among university students which show that black people with lighter skin are more attractive. In my opinion, the color of someone's skin should not be the deciding factor when it comes to relationships or anything for that matter. If we are so "black and proud", then why all this nonsense about skin tone? Does it matter to you? Does the color of someone's skin mean they are not qualified for a job? Ridiculous! Does it mean something is wrong with them? And what, for the love of fries, is wrong with a nappy fro?! Well, I surely do not have a problem with mine, and I wear it whenever I feel like it. I love who I am and society will certainly not dictate to me what they think beauty is. Yeah, I said it. Please, bear with me, I do not have a problem with relaxed hair or skin tones, black is beautiful however you wear it. I am just irritated that Colorism still exists and more and more people are being led to believe that something is wrong with them because society (including their own family) has a problem with how they look.
There is also the case of segregation amongst blacks due to lighter or darker tones. For example "she's so brown, she thinks she's all that" and so on. This may lead to a child or two being segregated in a class where darker tones are predominant. I did not personally experience this, but I'm darker toned so I wouldn't know. However, I did observe lighter toned kids being more popular or more noticed by adults in some instances. In the eyes of children though, the person next to them is just another child, they do not "see in color", if you know what I mean. It is thus, our job that they remain that way. Empower their minds, show them who they are, let them be proud of who they are so they don't resort to "bleaching" their skin or whatever other body alterations they might be pressured into doing. Stop and think before you make a careless remark.
Children live what they learn. The only way to stop this cycle is through knowledge and a strong determination to end it. Say I'm black and I'm proud and mean it and not think I'm black and frown because of it. Our forefathers certainly were not frowning when they made strides which changed the world.
