light skin vs. dark skin

15 replies · 10507 views · Started by i*heart*pie · Dec 2008

i just recently watched (like ten minutes ago) the Tyra Show's April 24th episode (Do Light Skin Black People Have A Better Advantage) with my Asian sisterfriend who was nothing short of shocked to find this kind of discrimination within the African-American community. She thought it was stupid tho' because she felt that Black people had enough goin' on in America without having to fight themselves as well. Smart girl. I think I asked this before, but I got a serious case of I-forget-itis, so **** me. Do you think lightskinneded folk in the African-American community get better treatment than darkskinneded folk? Huh

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tbaybee23 · Jan 2009

#1 Reply

yes they do....white ppl are friendlier towards them because they are closer in color...but dark skinppl face more stereotypes ..but in the blk community light skin have more to prove forgive my spelling and grammer its late ill add more tommorow all this is based on my own experiences im dark skin n my mom n sisters are light

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NeoSoulBrotha from Rosedale, MD · Jan 2009

#2 Reply

I don't think so. A generation ago, there was definitely a difference, but I don't believe it applies today. I am light complexioned and don't think I've ever received any preferential treatment because of it. If anything, it's been a disadvantage because of Blacks that don't see us as "authentically Black".

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· Jan 2009

#3 Reply

as u since that

NeoSoulBrotha wrote:
I don't think so. A generation ago, there was definitely a difference, but I don't believe it applies today. I am light complexioned and don't think I've ever received any preferential treatment because of it. If anything, it's been a disadvantage because of Blacks that don't see us as "authentically Black".

quite a few lightskinned friends of mine feel that way, and even though i joke about it sometimes, i understand it's pretty serious, especially with the recent induction of a lightskinned president. i've heard a bunch of 'he doesn't really represent the black people' which is funny, because i thought as the Commander in Chief, he would have to represent all the entities here in the U.S. i wonder, what exactly makes a person 'black' enough to everyone else?

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MariaBR · Feb 2009

#4 Reply

I have a light complexion and I see both sides of the story. When around black people I am not really black because of my complexion yet I know more about our history than any of them. I really don't see how anyone can be more black than another. Black people come in all shapes and sizes, so A dark skinned woman with a curvy body is no "blacker" than a light skinned woman with no shape at all ( aka me! lol). And I do feel that at times white people treat me differently becasue one I have long hair, i'm skinny and I have light skin, but most of the time they think I am mixed. Yet when they figure out I'm not its a different story. Black people need to stop fighting each other and face real issues together because at the end of the day it doesnt matter if your a light skined or a dark skinned you are still black with ancestors who came from Africa.

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· Feb 2009

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MariaBR wrote:
I have a light complexion and I see both sides of the story. When around black people I am not really black because of my complexion yet I know more about our history than any of them. I really don't see how anyone can be more black than another. Black people come in all shapes and sizes, so A dark skinned woman with a curvy body is no "blacker" than a light skinned woman with no shape at all ( aka me! lol). And I do feel that at times white people treat me differently becasue one I have long hair, i'm skinny and I have light skin, but most of the time they think I am mixed. Yet when they figure out I'm not its a different story. Black people need to stop fighting each other and face real issues together because at the end of the day it doesnt matter if your a light skined or a dark skinned you are still black with ancestors who came from Africa.

i totally agree. but i'm beginning to think that we as African-Americans have been so brainwashed some from our experiences, others self-inflicted, that we don't really know how to define ourselves anymore. our preferences fluctate and yet, stay static all at the same time. i might just **** for whiplash with the extremes i see within the community.