I’ve got beef with
colorism. Colorism is defined as discrimination based on skin color. Myself and
other young women I know have had to deal with issues surrounding it, both
within our own race and others. I’ve struggled with colorism since I was a kid,
and as an adult, I’ve still found myself in situations where I’ve had to
wrestle with it. I’m not a hater and I’m not insecure, but I don’t like being
treated like I’m invisible, because of my shade of brown as a woman of color.
And I can't imagine that other women of color appreciate similar treatment as
well.
I've had some
girlfriends who've been darker than me suggest that from their perception, I'm
light skinned, so when I've shared my colorism experiences with them, they've seemed shocked. However, I'm definitely brown and I'm not exaggerating what
it's been like. I’ve noticed. Man, have I noticed. And I’ve felt awful
every time it’s happened.
I noticed during early
moments in my youth, growing up in predominantly white neighborhoods and
schools, and watching as teachers and different guys I went to school with
would always tell the lighter skinned black girls and/or white girls how
beautiful they were, as I looked on and often wondered, what does that
make me?
I’ve noticed (and sadly
have continued to notice) whenever I’ve heard different ignorant black guys and
a handful of white ones, make statements as well as suggest that lighter
skinned black women are more attractive than darker ones, and have expressed
their preference for white women or any other races of women that are not brown
or dark skinned.
I’ve noticed whenever
I’ve been out with friends (whether they were light skinned or anything but
brown to darker skinned) and watched as guys from all kinds of races would
approach them, and completely ignore me.
Honestly, it hurts. I
know I shouldn’t feel less than or compare myself to others, but I do feel some
type of way about all this. It’s messed up and I don’t understand it. I’m
brown, beautiful, with big brown eyes, and a contagious smile that can light up
an entire room. Along with a great body and a very dope spirit, plus, a mind
filled with knowledge, education, intelligence, and creativity.
I’m not invisible.
Don’t treat me like I am.
When I was in undergrad
I wrote a non-fiction piece titled, Mirror, Mirror, about
self-esteem and one of the chapters focused on issues surrounding colorism
within the black community. There’s always been this long standing stigma that
if a black person is light skinned they’re deemed as more attractive, because
they look close to white (which was once the ultimate standard of beauty.) Of
course what’s considered the standard of beauty has drastically changed, but I
still feel the stings when I believe I’m overlooked because I’m a woman of
color that’s shades darker than someone else. I’ve had other black girlfriends
who’ve battled with similar issues, and have seen how visibly hurt they’ve been
whenever they were overlooked, mistreated, or felt less than, because they
didn’t look like the girl everyone gushed over that was lighter than them or
from another race. But I’ve got some words for any and every woman of color who
has felt this way. And I also have words for those of you that diss, dismiss,
and overlook us.
To my fellow women of
color who have felt the shade of colorism…
I believe you’re
beautiful. You may not look like the others that surround you, but you still
have value and are appreciated. I see you, know you, and have felt what you’ve
felt in more ways than you’d ever know. I’ve cried the same tears and have felt
invisible. I’ve definitely felt not pretty enough or good enough plenty of
times, and want you to know, you’re not alone. Don’t ever feel left out or
invisible because someone doesn’t recognize your inner and outer beauty.
To those that diss,
dismiss, and overlook us? It’s your loss. We’re
dope.
Also, a special thanks
to…
Naturi Naughton
Teyonah Parris
Tika Sumpter
Normani Kordei
Kelly Rowland
Keke Palmer
Angela Bassett
Alfre Woodard
Taraji P. Henson
Lauryn Hill
Rutina Wesley
India Arie
Sanaa Lathan
Naomi Campbell
Lupita Nyong’o
Gabrielle Union
Viola Davis
Shonda Rhimes
Kerry Washington
And all the others.
You’ve helped in many ways.
I praise you because I
am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full
well – Psalm 139:14