Quote:
Originally posted by evaclear04
This type of racism happens to me every single day. If I have to hear...." Your so nice to be light skinned" I just might slap someone. I remember the first time someone ever said this to me... I was baffled... what in the hayle does my complexion have to do with my attitude??? Not a Dayum Thang!
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You know I've had the same thing happen to me over and over. You would be suprised how much I had to fight as a child because of a stupid complexion issue and because I came from a two parent household, sad but true. When I was younger, I met a girl up the street and we hit it off. One day we were in her kitchen eating and she said she never thought we would be friends and I asked her why. She told me "I just didn't think you were that cool." Years later in college I've had people to say Afrochic, you cool peoples because we thought you were one of those "stuck up red girls." I've also gotten the "you look like an AKA" comment more times than I can count.
When I was in college I would style hair in the campus salon. There was an older lady (50ish) who eventually became my regular customer. One day we were chatting about women who have been in the cosmetology industry for years. She knew a lady who had varicose veins from the constant standing for years in a salon. That woman looked at me and said, "I wouldn't want to be as light as you because if you got varicose veins, you can see them, and that would be ugly." WTF?
Another thing I can't stand is job interviews. I have a name that you wouldn't know the race until I step in the door. I don't think white people mean it, but some act as if they have never been around a black person before who can speak English and dress in business attire. Sometimes they act as if I'm the spokesperson for the entire black race. One day I went to an interview and I was at the head of the table while a good seven or eight people in the company interviewd me. One white lady told me she wish she could tan and get my color because she turns red when she tans. She also wanted to know what hair color was in my head because she liked it. And the other lady said my God look at her teeth, they are gorgeous. I felt like sideshow damn bob up in that piece on display. What in the hell did any of that have to do with the job? How long have we been in America? There are a wide array of hues in the black race. Why is this an issue?
I've also gotten the comment, "Are you mixed with something?" And I say yeah, two black parents. Many people do not realize how ignorant their comments can be. But why do I remember the sarcastic and hurtful comments from childhood until now, and I'm 28 years old? Racism outside and inside of our race is alive and well. By the looks of it, it is not going anywhere anytime soon.