Hood Politics

colorism and lightskin privilege.

Colorism is a one way street. Dark skins are the only people actually hurt by colorism. No light skin person in our entire lives has been rejected over this idea of not fitting the role. Our privilege of having lighter skin and being brighter than a paper bag is what keeps us afloat in a Eurocentric world. We have never, ever, ever been the victims of colorism, only the beneficiaries.

"But we're all black. You're being just as divisive as white people. The Willie Lynch Letter is fake. Can't we all just get along? Light skins don't have a privilege. We're all in this together."

Dark skin black people, specifically dark skin women, are the only people in the black community who have their identities questioned on the spectrum of colorism. No light skin, white passing or not, has ever faced the same harsh realities as dark skin people- nor will we ever.

Because some of our light, privileged, *sisters don't understand what colorism actually is, I am your guide;

Colorism: The social construct forced into people of color to associate darkness with ugliness/negative contexts and supply lighter skin tones with the ideal image of beauty/positivity.

Colorism is not against light skin.

Colorism is not against light skin.

Colorism is not against light skin.

Colorism is not against light skin.

Colorism is not against light skin.

Colorism is not against light skin.

If you think that you, a lighter toned black person, has suffered from the same consequences as your average darker toned black person, you have lied to yourself. Light skin people, *women, are put on this pedestal and then cry when people point it out. They sound just as ignorant as white people who claim to be "colorblind," in order to deny their benefits from racism/colorism.

I find that a lot of dark skin men are only appreciated by light skin women, the same light skin women who look down upon dark skin women as if their future children cannot possibly be dark skin- as if dark skin isn't human in the first place.

Hearing, "You're pretty for a dark skin," is nothing like hearing, "You're pretty for a black girl." You can go your entire, light skin life, being asked if you are mixed and being found attractive only because your skin is lighter than the next black woman, but you have yet to experience the same things that dark skin women go through, hun.

Being the "Good Black," is nothing more than being safe in a white person's eyes. It's almost the same thing as being the "token black friend;" same privileges, same pedestal. You're just another person claiming they don't benefit from a system built against black (dark skin) women.

"My boyfriend/partner is dark skin, I can't be a colorist."

Sounds a lot like: "My boyfriend is black, I'm not racist."

"You're just jealous of light skin. I didn't choose this skin color."

Sounds a lot like: "You're just jealous that I'm white. I didn't choose to be white."

"Not all light skin people,"

Sounds a lot like: "Not all white people,"

"We're all black. Color doesn't matter."

Sounds a lot like: "We're all apart of one race. The human race. Color doesn't matter."

You sound the same as your average racist, only this time internalized racism has you thinking you're different than the dark skin woman next door. Stop telling dark skin women that their experiences are invalid, you'll just be another oppressor of many that they have to face.

Side note: Don't be mad at dark skin women because their ancestors knew how to run faster than yours in the master's house. Check your privilege, sis.