DARK/LIGHT...SKIN COLOR.........Is this still an issue? Let's be honest Sorors & SF'

[susan314]

Forgive me for the thread crash, but just wanted to mention something that I have always found to be bizarre...

As you ladies have documented so thoroughly in this thread, there are people (black and white) who have a preference for lighter skinned black people, for whatever reason. (I think its craziness myself, but anyhow...)

And yet, white people subject themselves to dangerous levels of sun exposure to try to tan and make themselves darker. For those people who have wised up to the health risks of excessive sun exposure, there are a variety of self-tanners to fake the appearance of darker skin. We're expected to avoid being pale at all costs.

I'm pale - about as pale as a person can get (comes from being a redhead). I can't even begin to count the number of times some "well-meaning" individual has told me to get a tan, or to try one of those new self-tanning products on the market, etc. I've had guys (thinking that they are giving me a "compliment") tell me that I'm attractive for someone "so pale" or that I "could be attractive if I got a tan." No thanks. I'm content with myself the way that I am, and that's good enough for me.

I've just always found it to be strange and confusing why so many members of the white race make every effort to be darker, and yet discriminate so unfairly against people who naturally have darker skin. Its a crazy world we live in.

(Personally, I think that we should appreciate the beauty in all of us...and not just physical beauty, but beauty in character also. Too much emphasis these days is put on external appearance. )

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by susan314

Forgive me for the thread crash, but just wanted to mention something that I have always found to be bizarre...

(Personally, I think that we should appreciate the beauty in all of us...and not just physical beauty, but beauty in character also. Too much emphasis these days is put on external appearance. )

You are not crashing, we welcome everyone whith respectful comments

True!

[RedefinedDiva]

Hi Susan. You aren't crashing.

I think that the White people are able to discriminate against persons with naturally darker skin because despite tanning and all of their efforts to appear darker (temporarily), THEY ARE STILL WHITE at the end of the day. Even with a slightly sunkissed tone, they still do not lose the privileges that are afforded to them because of their race. They still have to option to NOT tan and remain just as pale as they want to be. While persons of darker skin tones never have that option.

Not sure if you get what I'm saying, but it's all a matter that goes to the discussion of White privilege. I'm sure we've discussed that a time or two here on GC.

[susan314]

Originally Posted by RedefinedDiva

Hi Susan. You aren't crashing.

I think that the White people are able to discriminate against persons with naturally darker skin because despite tanning and all of their efforts to appear darker (temporarily), THEY ARE STILL WHITE at the end of the day. Even with a slightly sunkissed tone, they still do not lose the privileges that are afforded to them because of their race. They still have to option to NOT tan and remain just as pale as they want to be. While persons of darker skin tones never have that option.

Not sure if you get what I'm saying, but it's all a matter that goes to the discussion of White privilege. I'm sure we've discussed that a time or two here on GC.

I do understand what you're saying, as far as even the deepest tanned white person still being white at the end of the day goes.

I still think its hypocritical to hear someone who puts a lot of effort into making him/herself darker make ignorant comments about people who naturally have darker skin. (Its offensive no matter what the shade of the person who said it - there's just an added layer of irony that goes with it when that person is obsessed with trying to be darker themself.) Perhaps the reasons you cited above are why they don't see the irony/hypocrisy of their own actions?

Hmmn, now that I think about it, this whole conversation makes me think of a story that was relayed to me recently. My grandmother passed away on Easter, and at her funeral last week people were sharing lots of stories. One of her sisters mentioned that they tried as hard as possible to cover themselves and avoid getting tan while working the fields. (My grandmother was raised on a farm and worked the fields, tended the animals, etc.) Apparently back then, being tan was a dead giveaway that you came from a poorer family. I wonder when the perception changed that being tan was a "bad" thing to being a highly desired thing?

(Sorry, I know that last paragraph is straying a little from the topic at hand - all the talk about tanning reminded me of that story, and of course my grandmother has been on my mind lately with her recent passing.)

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by susan314

Hmmn, now that I think about it, this whole conversation makes me think of a story that was relayed to me recently. My grandmother passed away on Easter, and at her funeral last week people were sharing lots of stories. One of her sisters mentioned that they tried as hard as possible to cover themselves and avoid getting tan while working the fields. (My grandmother was raised on a farm and worked the fields, tended the animals, etc.) Apparently back then, being tan was a dead giveaway that you came from a poorer family. I wonder when the perception changed that being tan was a "bad" thing to being a highly desired thing?

(Sorry, I know that last paragraph is straying a little from the topic at hand - all the talk about tanning reminded me of that story, and of course my grandmother has been on my mind lately with her recent passing.)

When most people no longer had to work in the fields, rich or poor. Then tanness became a sign of being healthy and physically fit.

In the early 20th century being tan started to mean that you were more well off (at least in Europe) and no one would confuse your golden tan from the French Riviera as a farmer's tan. By the '60s tan was in and pale was out.

See: Wiki on Sun tanning

[mccoyred]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

When most people no longer had to work in the fields, rich or poor. Then tanness became a sign of being healthy and physically fit.

In the early 20th century being tan started to mean that you were more well off (at least in Europe) and no one would confuse your golden tan from the French Riviera as a farmer's tan. By the '60s tan was in and pale was out.

See: Wiki on Sun tanning

Funny this topic came up. I was having a discussion about this very phenomenon with a white co-worker the other day. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

[AKA_Monet]

So, how come there are several cultures worldwide that avoid having exceptionally darkened skin? Of course most of sub-Saharan African cultures are quite dark and could never absolutely lighten their complexion--except in one instance that still occurs. Albinism at the Tyrosine locus.

[SummerChild]

Exactly Soror! I keep posting in these threads that this phenomena, which is a fascination with more European features, is not limited to AA cultures. For example, there was a front page LA Times article this past summer/fall about the fact that Asian women are now one of the greatest consumers of fade cream and a substantial number of them apparently carry parasols when walking in the sun to avoid tanning b/c paler is better. I had a friend a few years ago that explained to me that the more European features were also deemed as better in the Latin cultures. Thus, she explained to me, when Latina newscasters were first on the news on their stations, they were women with the paler skin and the blond hair - not the darker skin with dark hair. I don't think it's really limited to AAs.

And incidentally, I don't recall who posted that men tend to prefer lighter women. I think that it all depends on the, strangely enough, the complexion of the man. I am a dark skinned woman and typically attract light skinned men. Many of these men, when I see pics or know of their old girlfriends, they are dark skinned women like me. Therefore, many men that are dark, I see with a light woman and many men that are light, I see with a dark woman. I think people just like to try something a little different from themselves to spice it up a little. LOL.

It's all good. LOL.

SC

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

So, how come there are several cultures worldwide that avoid having exceptionally darkened skin? Of course most of sub-Saharan African cultures are quite dark and could never absolutely lighten their complexion--except in one instance that still occurs. Albinism at the Tyrosine locus.

[GatorDimeBreed]

Hey guys after reading this thread i felt compelled to make my first post

I just want say that I am a light (bright) skinned female with green eyes and what has bothered me the most throught the years is not white people who dont like me b/c im black but other darker skinned females (not all of course but im referring to the rude ones i have come across) Have you ever had a situation where you walk into a group full of white people and you can see them give you this look..like they dont want you there. That has happened to me plenty of times with darker females. It hurts because i feel like we are SUPPOSED to be on the same team..yet you are dividing us. In school i even had this one girl say ''well if your light skinned that means your not black youre white' WTF! So i said then that means Malcolm X was some random white guy helping our cause b/c following that logic he is not black either. What doesnt help light skinned sistas are the few who ARE stuck-up, think they are better than everyone, so they perpetuate the stereotype and make it harder for people like myself.(dont get me wrong i used to be stuck up when i was a young child b/c of my eyes but my mom who is mixed but considers herself full black..put an end to that quickly...and for that i am grateful ). I still kind of have issues w/ feeling completly comfortable with my skin tone ....I feel like the oddball when i am with my friends (most if not all are darker skinned) but i am starting to get over that.
On another note while i do have a preference for darker men, if i see a cute light skinned brotha i like im not going to hesitate just because he's light (i might if he's white b/c like some one posted a while ago i dont want my kids to be see through) so I think there is a diff. between having a preference and purposely not dating a particular color

Thats just my 2cents

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by mccoyred

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Ooooh, that was deep! *snaps*

This is reminding me of the latest episode of ER with the teen white girls who tanned themselves into raisins. They looked like Beyonce did in Dreamgirls while Jamie was singing and she did that photoshoot as a darker, African-esque woman...intriguing on her, not so much for 2 teenagers in the emergency room! Is that what made you think of this, Susan? I notice that when notable things happen on TV, I end up seeing related posts soon after.