The African American community is made up of an assortment of skin tones and complexions which symbolically unify its brown skin children. Though we are categorized within the same ethnic group, a daunting skin based issue has emerged, and continues to divide certain “color struck” individuals among its community. It’s Colorism, the practice which creates prejudice, discrimination, and disunion for those who should instead be celebrated and accepted by their own society. Unfortunately, it is not our many shades of brown which should ideally establish a common ground and give one another something to relate to for those among the Black community; but instead it is the very thing that is tearing us apart.
Examining the term colorism more carefully, based on the definition from Encyclopedia.com, colorism is the, “allocation of privilege and disadvantage according to the lightness or darkness of one’s skin.”(Encyclopedia.com). As it relates to the African American community, individuals who condone the idea or practice shadeism, just another name for colorism, evidently exercise as well as believe that there are advantages and disadvantages of having light or dark skin, and with good reason. Throughout history, there have been numerous cases, studies, media related stereotypes, and more that have backed their ideologies which lead them to believe that “the lighter you are the better you are.” Investigation into the biases based on skin color have been reviewed and published from Keith B. Maddox, and Stephanie A. Gary of Tufts University, one of the many socioeconomic skin tone experiments found today. Their research, “Cognitive Representations of Black Americans: Re-exploring the Role of Skin Tone”, was presented in an article for the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, and was supported by the National Science Foundation Grant. It also was noted that portions of the data findings from their article were presented at the 12th annual convention of the American Psychological Society in Miami, Florida, June 2000. The focus of their article is presented in two corresponding arguments which both have been backed with evidence from a variety of perspectives. The first being that, “skin tone is a basis of discrimination among Blacks.” The second investigations suggest, “that skin tone is an important factor in both Blacks’ and Whites’ representation of Blacks” (e.g., Maddox, 2002; Gary 2002). The meaning of their findings is simple to understand and serves as yet another purpose for why someone could justify the unjustifiable. The results also show that the tendency of discrimination concentrated on skin color is seen not only with Blacks in the U.S, but globally, arising in countries in which communalism was introduced by European influences, including Japan although a Eurocentric influence was never markedly present. In these societies it is often seen that European features were cherished and the farther these features strayed from the “perfect picture”, whoever possessed them was categorized as lower class. Additionally dark skin individuals received lesser opportunities, and treatment, and were regarded more so as socially deviant in some instances than their lighter skinned counterparts. Ultimately the evidence from their findings suggest that, “Black observers associate light skin tone with positive traits and dark skin tone with negative traits” (e.g., Maddox, 2002; Gary 2002).
These are the facts of the matter and based on these findings, it is partially understandable how those whom are of African American heritage, whom carry and practice the prejudice and cruel ideals of colorism and whom themselves consciously choose discrimination as means of distinguishing themselves socially from members within their own racial category could do so. But then when examining colorism, the African American community needs to take a different approach because, in its most basic form, colorism is not or rather, should not be evaluated as a matter of facts. Instead we must regard it as a matter of morality.
If any should justly believe that having light skin makes them better than, that can also be interpreted by any having darker skin, justly believing that they are less than, and vice versa. Having a mindset such as this may cause a sense of low self worth to the party on the opposite end of the argument. Regrettably this is the principle between those in Black communities who are lighter skinned, and regard themselves as being above anyone with a darker complexion than their own. Even worse, this is the dilemma for anyone with a darker complexion than those in the Black community who are lighter skinned. In this situation these individuals whose skin is not regarded as light, then face negative or unequal judgment/treatment and may begin to desire the biological characteristic of having light skin because of it. Seeking what they were not naturally born with, it is possible that the use of chemically based and essentially harmful products, such as bleaching creams, might be sought out to correct what was never a mistake in the first place. Bleaching creams, not being the actual liquid normally used as a cleaning agent, but a composite of active ingredients such as hydroquinone, or mercury, used to lighten pigment, by prohibiting melanin production. Evidence from Medicine Net.com report that:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a ban on over-the-counter sales of cosmetic products containing hydroquinone, a skin-bleaching (lightening) ingredient. Approximately 65 companies sell over 200 different types of skin-lightening products containing hydroquinone in the U.S. Currently, products that contain up to 2 percent hydroquinone may be sold in the U.S. without a prescription, and prescription skin-lightening products may contain up to 4 percent hydroquinone.
The reason cited for the proposed ban is that studies in rodents show "some evidence" that hydroquinone may act as a carcinogen or cancer-causing chemical … hydroquinone also has been linked with the medical condition known as ochronosis in which the skin becomes dark and thick. Dome-shaped yellowish spots and grayish-brown spots also are observed in ochronosis among black women and men in South Africa, Britain, and the U.S. Ochronosis has been observed in conjunction with hydroquinone use even in persons who have used hydroquinone-containing cosmetics for a short time; … (Medicine Net.com)
Moreover, since these agents only suppress melanin production, once use is stopped the skins pigment may return to the original color of the individual’s skin, or reveal a darker color due to scaring, or damage from a chemical burn.
To receive the full or desired effects from these products, it is advised that the user avoid extended exposure to sunlight being that it could reverse the effects of the product and darken the skin; thus reducing its victims to wearing hoods, sunglasses, and hats as preparation to brave a beautiful sunny day. It’s almost as if they were modern day vampires, sticking to shady areas and avoiding the sun at all cost. Hiding their true self from the world in which they thought they were once a part of.
Continuing to assess the dynamics of the matter from an ethical point of view, let’s review the origins of the term colorism. According to the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, “the ideas of race and perceptions of skin color are social constructions, created in historically specific contexts and used to justify various practices of power.” (Encyclopedia.com). It is also stated by sociology researchers Michael Hughes, and Bradley Hertel of Virginia Polytechnic and State University that, “the relationship between skin and social status of blacks is rooted in the history of black Americans” (e.g., Hughes, 1990; Hertel 1990). In the past, during times where slavery was an accepted and common practice among the mass of society, slave owners would use a method of separation to gain control of their slaves. The idea was to create allotment between the dark and lighter skinned slaves. For instance, in the distinction of being a house servant rather than a field worker, an individual had to be of light skin, most likely distinguished with the “paper bag test”. In such test, one would put their arm inside of a brown paper bag and if the complexion was darker than the bag than they were referred to as being dark skin. Ultimately their chances of working indoors were denied, and they received limited training in skills of trade. Moreover, lighter slaves, most times being the product of rape between the slave and her owner, were regarded as more intelligent, better skilled in the area of labor, and were generally priced higher than black slaves with dark skin; literally holding them to a greater value than darker skinned slaves.
These distinctions in treatment eventually carried onto the bias of skin color within the same racial group today. This is our present, and unfortunately that was our past, but thankfully slavery in America has been abolished, so why hasn’t the practice of colorism disappeared along with it?
I am aware that in asking for change I may also be asking of some, to alter the way they may have seen things for quite some time now. Admittedly in the past I have been exposed to, and have even once supported the ideals of colorism myself. Being that my family ranges from a beautiful dark complexion to a fairly light and lovely one, I have grown accustom to the diversity in tone that our race has to offer. Still, at one point, I truly envied the light skin that I felt my cousins were so unfairly blessed with. Although I was the lightest among my brother and sister, I sadly yearned to be lighter. Naturally believing that it would miraculously bring me ever closer to what I envisioned at the time to be the “true ideal of beauty”, which also entailed me to somehow attaining, a straight nose and, flowing hair in addition to the lighter skin. Fortunately, my turning point came once I became a little older and was able to start putting the pieces together. It wasn’t an easy process, nor was it quick, which is why I am under no impression that the issue of shadeism could just fade away overnight. Nonetheless it was a process and mindset, in which I gradually overcame. What I once used as standard protocol to judge how I felt about myself and how I perceived others, is a now realized and disappointing setback, and a false belief amongst members of my own community.
It is important to remember that we are a community! A metaphorical family expected to support, respect, and accept each other instead of rejecting those who do not resemble the race that enslaved, tortured, ridiculed, and separated us for years. The hateful seed that has been imbedded in us 145 years ago through white slaveholders continues to suffocate and destroy us as the weed it is, only because we allow it to. It is our responsibility to recognize that colorism is not only a problem, but a hindrance in establishing the long deserved unity of our people.
Work Cited
Maddox, Keith B., and Stephanie A. Gary. "Cognitive Representations of Black Americans: Reexploring the Role of Skin Tone." Pers Soc Psychol Bull 28.228 Feb. (2002): 250-59. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. <http://ase.tufts.edu/psychology/documents/pubsMaddoxCognitive.pdf>.
Stoppler, Melissa C. Medicine Net.com. Ed. Jay W. Marks. N.p., 15 Sept. 2006. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. <http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=64167>.
"Colorism." International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 31 Oct. 2011 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
Hughes, Michale, and Bradley R. Hertel. "The Significance of Color Remains: A Study of Life Chances, Mate Selection, and Ethnic Consciousness Among Black Americans." Social Forces 68.4 June (1990): 1105-20. Web. 28 Oct. 2011.
Maddox, Keith B. "Perspectives on Racial Phenotypically Bias." Personality and Social Psychology Review 8.4 Nov. (2004): 383-401. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. <http://ase.tufts.edu/psychology/documents/pubsMaddoxPerspective.pdf>.
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