Colourism

Apparently the world has evolved past the macroness of discrimination based on race and sex, and now there's a cause for concern among races (most notably the black community as highlighted in the 'Dark Girls' documentary) of discrimination based on colour. Not to trivialise the issue or diminish its impact on people's current & past experiences, but this is utter ign'ance that shouldn't be fed more air time than a few seconds (so read real quick).

I'd say my first experience of colourism was growing up in Nigeria where Igbo girls were stereotypically more fair skinned. I was...but oddly darkened in the British sun upon migration. It took one slither-tongued Aunty to break my sheltered existence of self-awareness, and the triggers began. By primary school, I had encountered real-life racism, and more obviously 'colourism' when a mixed race kid transposed his insecurities by calling me & my bestfriend 'monkeys'. It was odd, and I was confused. Who had given him the right to insult me? And what was the protocol in such circumstances?

Hat : Forever21 | Shirt : Primark | Jeans (Pre-BIY) : Thrifted (Croydon) | Pumps : Ethel Austin

By the time I'd reached high school, I was regularly used as the gauge. I was the 'acceptable' black skin colour in winter but too dark in the summer along with the 'ugly' girls in my year. It wasn't a pattern I was aware of until the dreaded ratings debaucle of Year 9. Adolescene is an era where everyone is finding their own identity, searching the hounds of people for those one can truly relate. In all honestly, no one has fully developed. Some may peak, but most wont have fully developed features until their late teens/early 20's, so all these goons that point fingers at who's ugly based on a gradient of shades? Well, that's just ign'ance rife!

Ring : Forver21 | Cuff : Boutique (Croydon)

I wasn't particularly moved by the content of the documentary because I found the message unmeritous to last an entire hour. I think this is an age-old mindset that should be put to rest. Every woman is beautiful in their own way. I mean, some of the women who are pedestalised are still single. Skin colour bears ZERO weight in this equation; its a matter of personal preference. What I think people should do is vet their thoughts first before deciding whats worthy of the public's attention. The fact that rappers enthrone the 'yellow bone' broads and bash down the darker skinned girls (unless you look like Kelly Rowland or Gabrielle Union apparently) is utter tomfoolery. To a certain extent this may just be black americans trying to pinpoint the reason for startling statistics on singleness in middle aged women of that demographic.

Soundtrack of the Minute - Holy Grail : JayZ ft. Justin Timberlake

'White beauty' is epitomised in beautyland. Caucasian (white) features such as the slimmer nose is still highly sought after but this isn't just a colourism battle at play here. Guys want (or atleast what the media depicts men want) a 'yellow bone' light skinned girl, with black girls' lips & hips but a Brazilian perky butt and a 'white' girl's submissiveness...etc etc. What are these said men bringing to the table but a list of unattainable demands? Why intelligent professors and renowned scientists chose to spend an hour of my time spieling utter rubbish spun by ignorant men is beyond me. Intrigue me with a debate on the justice system or rile my spirits with a debate on the glass ceiling! Please don't waste my time trying to rationalise people's personal preference. Will there be a programme scheduled next week to prompt lighter skinned girls to rise above the stereotypes that they are nothing but pretty? Don't just encourage the darker skinned girls to rise...urge humanity to. If the true message of the documentary was to urge us to equalise people irregardless of their shade, then it shouldn't have ended with the mantra "Rise. Dark Girls. Rise".

Onyxsta says...BLEURGH!! Colourism is a cage, trapping its race in a prism of stagnation. We are a nation not to be divided by such ignorance but to strive to prevail above and beyond the structures that try to tear us apart from one another. Xisses