Colorism

hair and light skinned women. We see from the day Europeans arrived in Africa they tried to restrain and erase the essence of beauty in African culture, leaving behind remnants of racism that eventually morphed into colorism. This paper will explore the psychological impact of colorism in the social and economic aspect of African American women’s…

Throughout history there has been discrimination to those who are different. It has been the culprit behind many organized and unorganized hate crimes. Just as there are many people that feel the need to judge and put others down, there are others willing to fight for the rights of those that can’t defend themselves. Sadly this is not just a thing of the past. I can remember how growing up I was discriminated and looked down upon for speaking English with a Cuban accent and how my teachers at…

Throughout this semester, there have been many topics discussed. Most of these topics were surprising and for the most part eye openers for many people in this class, like me. We discussed immigration, discrimination in the workplace, discrimination based on weight, race, gender, sexual orientation, tattoos, piercings, the LGBTQ community, sexual harassment, and racism. While having these discussions in class, I learned that in order to live amongst each other we have to be aware that everyone…

When most people think of discrimination, it is often affiliated with racism; there is a general misconception that stereotypes or labeling about a particular race emanates from a different race, but people within the same race stereotype each other regularly. Racism has been an evident widespread issue within America for generations, which causes the issue of colorism to be overlooked. Although racism is a prominent form of discrimination, colorism is just as damaging. Many may ask, “what is…

The various articles included within Shades of Difference discuss the dynamic complexities and differences of colorism and racism, two terms that have been incorrectly used interchangeably for years by society to refer to generalized, racist phenomena. However just like Trina Jones explained in “The Case for Legal Recognition of Colorism Claims,” colorism is the maltreatment of another based on their skin color, while racism is the prejudicial and stereotypical beliefs one holds and perpetuates…

night, because this ties into the topic of my blog: Colorism. The Colorism issue has expanded in that it is seen in the public eye in music videos and performances. The internationally known female artist named Beyonce’ Knowles took a stand on the issue in her Super Bowl performance. Knowles mentions in her newest song: Formation, that she is proud of her heritage. What a great way to get the whole country to realize that all people are equal and that we should love ourselves. Knowles sings: “I…

Colorism is concerned with actual skin tone, as opposed to racial or ethnic identity. Colorism is a form of discrimination that gives privileges light skinned people over those who are darker skinned. For example: both will experience the same discrimination. In most cases, a light-skinned Hispanic will still experience the racism, despite having lighter skin and a dark-skinned Hispanic will experience the same thing, but the lighter skinned. Many people believe that colorism is only a “black or…

Colorism Cause and Effect “…I instantly knew that Miss Miller did not like me because of the color of my skin. I was too dark and I was a nappy-headed colored child,…Pat was five years younger that me and she was light-skinned…And I was put out on the porch to sleep…I wasn’t even allowed to sleep in the house..” -Oprah Winfrey Colorism is a form of bias in the United States prominent among the black community that is primarily based upon skin tone and hair type, afflicting relationships…

Blacks but there is another problem between light skinned and dark-skinned. Colorism plays a huge role in sexism. It creates a divide in black society and blacks’ women especially feel as if they’re not important. The foundation of this problem is based on the same misunderstanding of the definition of race and why colorism…

Throughout history, we have seen the disparity in treatment between darker and lighter individuals this is no different in Puerto Rico. The pressure to identify with a certain race often leaves many Latinos confused about their racial identity. Colorism and lack of representation have really impacted the way many Puerto-Ricans see themselves. Many people in these countries tend to not acknowledge their African ancestry for a multitude of reasons, some as simple as just not knowing. According to…