I have several things to say about this issue:
When Halle Berry (and Denzel for Best Actor
)won the Academy Awards for Best Actress I was so proud. My friend and I would not change the channel because we were afraid we would miss it (even though, we both new it would be announced at the end of the awards show). Well..the next day my girl and I were eating breakfast at our school caf. The tv in the caf was tuned to a station showing recaps of the Oscars night. Two cafeteria ladies turned as they were showing Halle accepting the award. One said, "Ain't that something a black girl winning that award." The other replied, "She ain't that black though...jus look at her skin...she would not have won if she didn't have that good skin and hair." I lost my appetite. Now we all know Halle is biracial...but her appearance is NOT uncharacteristic of an AA lady who has TWO black parents (period).
My father was what many would call red and my mother is what many would call brown. My two younger sisters have lighter complexions than my brother and I and people made constant comparisons when we were growing up. A pathetic individual who knew my family even suggested that I wasn't my father's daughter because I was the only girl who didn't have lighter skin. When the individual was told that I looked exactly like my younger brother the individual rationalized that it is okay for boys to be darker...but looking at my sisters, I couldn't possibly have the same father.
Hello I was of a slightly lighter complexion than my mom but to someone like that all they see is light or dark... That was a slap in the face, my father an mother were very upright citizens, high school sweetharts, when he passed away it broke her heart....but I've swayed off topic. To say that my mom wanted to hit the individual is an understatement .
