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

[IOTA-4A'88F]

OK, I had alil' bit of time to read some of the comments, I can come at this from different angles...
1. Dealing with Albinism, yes, it can be a different topic, but it also can be the same topic. Not all have total lost of pigment, so their skin can mimic that of a White person or one of fairly complected. They not only deal with the stigma of being 'different' but also, for people of color, from their own race. "Oh you think you are better because your skin is "light bright and pretty much white." I can't count how many fights I had because of my mother's skin tone and the thoughts of; for lack of a better word.... IGNANT folk. I also was thought to be adopted, "oh that is nice of you to adopt that lil' black inner city boy" WTF. I am not gonna even go into how many "PRIVILEGED" conversations my mother had with White folks talking about Black people thinking she was White. I think that can classify as judging someone strictly on their skin tone.

**(SEPARATE THOUGHT) Yes, it was said before, red eyes in human albinos are rare, but not non-existing. My mother receives a bi-monthly Albino publication that had photos of red (and even purple) eyed human albinos. Red eyes are the cause of the underlying retinal blood vessels showing through where there is not enough pigment to cover them. Human eyes are larger (than animals) and can produce enough pigment for the eye to be opaque. **

My mother is #2 of four siblings. Two were albino. My sister and I are not, but I believe my children (whenever I have some) will be. My sister's kids showed traits of albinism.

2. One of the reasons, I think (and probably has been said) is the fact that, society plays so much of an emphasis on skin tone and color (not meaning race) in general. If it is an darker hue, it is denoted as a bad feeling, "It's pitch black outside", "I am feeling blue", "mellow yellow", "I am red hot", "Green with eny." It's only natural that we as a society bring that mentality into play. And it don't stay within the Black race. Hispanics, Asians, Indians, Jewish people have the same hangups about skin tone... some more than us. Including White people, they discriminate on skin tone (at times) worse than we do (IMHO-one of the reasons why they want a tan so bad- it denotes from a White person, a class of luxury and leisure).

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by IOTA-4A'88F

OK, I had alil' bit of time to read some of the comments, I can come at this from different angles...
1. Dealing with Albinism, yes, it can be a different topic, but it also can be the same topic. Not all have total lost of pigment, so their skin can mimic that of a White person or one of fairly complected. They not only deal with the stigma of being 'different' but also, for people of color, from their own race. "Oh you think you are better because your skin is "light bright and pretty much white." I can't count how many fights I had because of my mother's skin tone and the thoughts of; for lack of a better word.... IGNANT folk. I also was thought to be adopted, "oh that is nice of you to adopt that lil' black inner city boy" WTF. I am not gonna even go into how many "PRIVILEGED" conversations my mother had with White folks talking about Black people thinking she was White. I think that can classify as judging someone strictly on their skin tone.

**(SEPARATE THOUGHT) Yes, it was said before, red eyes in human albinos are rare, but not non-existing. My mother receives a bi-monthly Albino publication that had photos of red (and even purple) eyed human albinos. Red eyes are the cause of the underlying retinal blood vessels showing through where there is not enough pigment to cover them. Human eyes are larger (than animals) and can produce enough pigment for the eye to be opaque. **

My mother is #2 of four siblings. Two were albino. My sister and I are not, but I believe my children (whenever I have some) will be. My sister's kids showed traits of albinism.

2. One of the reasons, I think (and probably has been said) is the fact that, society plays so much of an emphasis on skin tone and color (not meaning race) in general. If it is an darker hue, it is denoted as a bad feeling, "It's pitch black outside", "I am feeling blue", "mellow yellow", "I am red hot", "Green with eny." It's only natural that we as a society bring that mentality into play. And it don't stay within the Black race. Hispanics, Asians, Indians, Jewish people have the same hangups about skin tone... some more than us. Including White people, they discriminate on skin tone (at times) worse than we do (IMHO-one of the reasons why they want a tan so bad- it denotes from a White person, a class of luxury and leisure).

Actually linking what's bad and good to colors and skin tones is only natural for some because society created such a consciousness as a result of prejudice based on a fear of those (Black/African) who looked different from Europeans.

Take children for example, when they are very young, they will play with anyone, no matter what color they are. It's only when they start to pick up the attitudes and feelings of those around them and the greater society, that they start to associate colors/skin tones and other physical characteristics of people as good or bad. This is not an innate thing, this is a learned thing. As for the dark vs. light, bad vs. good, that exists among other ethnicities like Latinos and Asians, they have also been impacted greatly by this societal consciousness, which has become a world consciousness. This is the same consciousness "color consciousness" that has put European ideals of beauty on a pedestal for all other races to admire and compare themselves to. This is the tragedy.

[IOTA-4A'88F]

Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest

Actually linking what's bad and good to colors and skin tones is only natural for some because society created such a consciousness as a result of prejudice based on a fear of those (Black/African) who looked different from Europeans.

Take children for example, when they are very young, they will play with anyone, no matter what color they are. It's only when they start to pick up the attitudes and feelings of those around them and the greater society, that they start to associate colors/skin tones and other physical characteristics of people as good or bad. This is not an innate thing, this is a learned thing. As for the dark vs. light, bad vs. good, that exists among other ethnicities like Latinos and Asians, they have also been impacted greatly by this societal consciousness, which has become a world consciousness. This is the same consciousness "color consciousness" that has put European ideals of beauty on a pedestal for all other races to admire and compare themselves to. This is the tragedy.

The bold quote is understood, but I would have to differ on the "for some," respectfully, all ethnicities do this. The skin separation is only the skimmed surface, we as human race have always separated ourselves from those who are not (deemed) like-minded. Not to say, the separation was a negative or positive one, but one that we have in us. Even within the "like-minded" community, they (we, us, them) further separate. Take our orgs... we separate ourselves simply by the organization and within that particular org, we further separate by neophyte as opposed to prophyte, line brother/sister as oppose to other brothers/sisters and even who pledged and who didn't pledge. It's in us all (for some instances, unfortunately).

As far as the children... so on point, they are born without prejudice and a sense of wanting to separate... or are they... I know I kept my Legos separated from my Play-Doh.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by IOTA-4A'88F

The bold quote is understood, but I would have to differ on the "for some," respectfully, all ethnicities do this. The skin separation is only the skimmed surface, we as human race have always separated ourselves from those who are not (deemed) like-minded. Not to say, the separation was a negative or positive one, but one that we have in us. Even within the "like-minded" community, they (we, us, them) further separate. Take our orgs... we separate ourselves simply by the organization and within that particular org, we further separate by neophyte as opposed to prophyte, line brother/sister as oppose to other brothers/sisters and even who pledged and who didn't pledge. It's in us all (for some instances, unfortunately).

As far as the children... so on point, they are born without prejudice and a sense of wanting to separate... or do they... I know I kept my Legos separated from my Play-Doh.

Yes, humans have almost always sought to distinguish and categorize ourselves. One of the earliest distinctions being gender. We take from these differences a need to place different values, roles, and treatments, for instance. Folks like Charles Tilly (Categorical Inequality) feel like this is the basis for all inequalities.

It is about like-mindedness but usually it is initially about the observable differences between people and then the differences in "mind" come later to justify why "they are so different and we are so better."

And stuff like "you think you're better because you're light" is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The person is obviously light so the difference in "mind" is assumed even if it isn't true. But if that light person is fed enough bullcrap about being better than and being treated like they are "different," they may eventually be more conscious of that.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by IOTA-4A'88F

The bold quote is understood, but I would have to differ on the "for some," respectfully, all ethnicities do this. The skin separation is only the skimmed surface, we as human race have always separated ourselves from those who are not (deemed) like-minded. Not to say, the separation was a negative or positive one, but one that we have in us. Even within the "like-minded" community, they (we, us, them) further separate. Take our orgs... we separate ourselves simply by the organization and within that particular org, we further separate by neophyte as opposed to prophyte, line brother/sister as oppose to other brothers/sisters and even who pledged and who didn't pledge. It's in us all (for some instances, unfortunately).

As far as the children... so on point, they are born without prejudice and a sense of wanting to separate... or do they... I know I kept my Legos separated from my Play-Doh.

Separating doesn't have to be negative though. We are separated by our org being historically African American and NPHC but we don't have bad feelings toward non-NPHC orgs or think bad of them.

Also what I meant in my previous post when I said that for some linking color to bad/good is natural, I meant that not everyone learns this consciousness even though they become aware that it exists. Some of us are fortunate enough when we are young to have parents who talk to us and constantly reinforce the idea that we are beautiful and that all skin tones are beautiful.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by IOTA-4A'88F

1. Dealing with Albinism, yes, it can be a different topic, but it also can be the same topic. Not all have total lost of pigment, so their skin can mimic that of a White person or one of fairly complected. They not only deal with the stigma of being 'different' but also, for people of color, from their own race. "Oh you think you are better because your skin is "light bright and pretty much white." I can't count how many fights I had because of my mother's skin tone and the thoughts of; for lack of a better word.... IGNANT folk. I also was thought to be adopted, "oh that is nice of you to adopt that lil' black inner city boy" WTF. I am not gonna even go into how many "PRIVILEGED" conversations my mother had with White folks talking about Black people thinking she was White. I think that can classify as judging someone strictly on their skin tone.

Well, in that case, there are plenty of extreeeeeeeeemely light and light featured blacks who aren't albino. Moreover, many of these people also have fine features (which albinos don't automatically have nor do extreeeemely light blacks, of course) so they could pass for white. So the same theory of "light bright damn near white" applies without an extensive analysis of albinism.

Oh and I was interested by the photos on this website that I'm sure you're already familiar with: http://www.albinism.org/

[IOTA-4A'88F]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Well, in that case, there are plenty of extreeeeeeeeemely light and light featured blacks who aren't albino. Moreover, many of these people also have fine features (which albinos don't automatically have nor do extreeeemely light blacks, of course) so they could pass for white. So the same theory of "light bright damn near white" applies without an extensive analysis of albinism.

Oh and I was interested by the photos on this website that I'm sure you're already familiar with: http://www.albinism.org/

So true... and the link is actually the org that my mother receives publications from.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by IOTA-4A'88F

So true... and the link is actually the org that my mother receives publications from.

It's good to have that support group and that support group's worth is based on the fact that albinism is a condition that spans across race, ethnicity, and culture.