This is a serious question. If you are an "extremist" on either side, please do not answer. I have heard that

Question

in the African-American culture "mixed race" children are often "put down," and thought poorly of by others. I worked with African-American students for many years, and I never observed that. In fact, just the opposite seemed to be true. Light skin blacks seemed to be more, not less, popular among their peers.
So, why do we often hear that light skin blacks are descriminated against? I was told by a good African-American friend that in the past, a famous "black" college asked for a picture to be sent in with the application, and if the applying person was "too black," the college would not accept them. On a Christmas TV show featuring a black choir, at least 80% were very light. It seems that even in the "black culture" light is favored over dark. And there is no doubt that light is favored by "whites." Just look at the TV personalaties we see everyday. Again, don't answer this question with a racist viewpoint. Serious answers from people who can look at it objectively.

Answer 1

I have seen both sides of your question, sometimes the child of mixed ancestry is rejected by both sides. Most of the time, though, I see light skin being preferred to darker skin.

However, light skinned or dark skinned, no one is better or worse than another based on superficial physical properties.

Note, thin people or preferred over heavier people, taller people have an 'advantage' over shorter people. All superficial attributes that don't show what a person really is.

That's why I like the Internet, you are not blinded by your sight.

Answer 2

I have experienced this up close and personal. I am dark skinned, and my sister is light skinned, and she consistently got better treatment from some relatives when we were kids for that reason. I even had one relative express relief when she first met my baby daughter, that she wasn't dark skinned. I've argued with friends and family that lighter skinned blacks were not somehow "better" than darker skinned blacks. They could never explain why. I think this is just a pathetic vestige of the "white is right" attitude a lot of people still have. Sad to hear in this day and age, but some people are just stuck on stupid.

Answer 3

From a Cameroonian person I heard that even Africans themselves are doing whatever they can to get their skintones lighter. I have a feeling that so-called "superiority of lighter skinned people" is deeply ingrained in both culture and the minds of people. Probably, those in general discriminate against any Africans just do it without any distinctions.

From my own experience of living in South Korea for three years already I saw that Korean women also desire whiter skin. There can also dark and light asians. When I asked some people why is lighter skin was viewed more favorably, I was told that the royals in Korea used to be whiter because they didn't have to work in the sun.

Frankly, I just think people who discriminate on any basis, do it out of ignorance and prejudice.

Answer 4

Its true in some cases. My daughter is rejected by a lot of people, they call her that white girl and sometimes she comes back from daycare crying because some non-mixed girl pulled her hair and called her ugly. There are older women who make rude comments when they see her and ask me why did I have a child by a white boy... Its not always like this, many people adore her, but some do not. My grandma always treated lighter skinned family members better than the darker ones, accused my mother of cheating on my dad because my little brother came out a bit darker than me and my older brother... My grandma is half white...I grew up in this bias...

Answer 5

I think your observation is true...but I do not know why.

I read somewhere that Martin Luther King Jr. preferred light skinned black women and was actually predjudice against the very dark skinned. I read that, I am not saying I know it...I just can't remember where I read it.

Anyway, I worked with many black women years ago...I remember them talking down about the dark blacks, not liking the dark black men really.

Again, I don't know why....I guess it's societal in nature.

Answer 6

You want a serious answer to a serious question and request for extremists (can be interpeted two ways, one who takes the side of one race over another, or one who is bigoted against Whites and can't be objective) not to answer? This is the first part of why you won't get a correct answer, people who are politically correct attempts to answer questions by not offending anyone and dance around the issues due to offending by having a strong opinion, mainly because they lack conviction, facts, courage, and deny proof both commonsense and scientific reality. If you really want an answer that's serious and factual then you may want to re-word your question, state you will only accept answers with supporting link(s) that can be corroborated from a somewhat neutral source (ie not a "pro" source from either agenda) to explain the stance.

What is the answer for this, though from an extremist (I have chosen the dark, uncomfortable path of truth which shows when you are objective that there is a racial pecking order whether it's PC or not, based on what many would consider good traits towards the advancement of society), is called "colorism" which doesn't apply just to those who are Black but pretty much every race. Literally it's racism against those you claim to be of your race based on usually a lighter skin tones (link 1, though they fail to mention even Whites did this to distinguish against peasants and royalty) or some other characteristics within that race (fat vs skinny, hair length, baldness, etc). Ironically most races have set the standard that usually the lighter the skin the more desired the trait is viewed, this applies thru out history in most cases even before other races met Whites in recent history (common among India's caste system, Orients the lighter skinned was viewed as nobles, and in the Americas about Indian's view as well). Ironically most of the lighter skin ruled their society (this can easily be verified by looking at the history of most organizations and countries, and usually referred to that race's "brightest and gifted") example Louis Farrakhan.

Ironically most won't read this but IQ used to be based on testing of many would consider the ability to measure intelligence (link 2) but of late has been discredited by those with PC agendas claiming "that intelligence is whatever abilities are valued by one's culture" (This is so stupid and would make it where we can't even compare our intelligence vs an animals. Some people will try to claim the poor have a different culture than the rich, then among the poor of each race have a different culture from one another, and don't consider that maybe intelligence determine if culture is possible, that's why animals don't have one!) vs "basic cognitive ability independent of culture" (stance I take, when difference races gather in the same area and exchange ideas, usually a group consensus is reach of "who is more intelligent than whom"). I think what makes colorism noticeable is that lighter skinned people I met all over the world usually had a higher education level and were considered the more intelligent within their society.

When it comes down to it, the reason why colorism bigotry happens is that as a standard deviation those of lighter skin usually were in positions of greater advantage and most likely the reason why this happened is that they were simply smarter within the culture they were in, usually there is animosity from those darker towards the lighter in the form of jealousy and those who are lighter have an attitude of supremacy over the darker parts of their brethren. I'm a biracial White/Oriental who noticed this on both sides of my parent's races, and both races have a belief of what they call societies elite in the form of "white" and "blue" color workers. It's there, it's all races, and it's real but don't expect to get this from those who won't take a hard stance and most of all don't have a source to quote, they don't have any proof that what they believe can be backed with facts.

Answer 7

You seem to be very well informed. I guess that we all like brown skin. Both white and black people are trying to make their sking brown. I know a black person who tried so hard that he became whiter than the whites and then lost his nose on the stage, but this is not my point. What I am trying to say is that we don't like the extremes. Too white and too black are just...scary.

Answer 8

My dad said that he went to a country predominantly ruled by black people
and he was white and so he was treated as different
i think it just depends where you are and how youve been brought up
If for your entire life you've been told that white people are dirt you will not be too kind towards them
then you will realise that everyone is the same and stop being bigoted
so its true in some cases that they are thought poorly of, but it depends on the exact people and their family histories etc

i guess people might favour lighter skinned people as its easier to see facial expressions and thing... but i dunno

Answer 9

thats a really interesting question, i had no idea that different 'shades of black' were seen as preferable by some people. it seems like everyone wants to be the same colour, light brown. now i think about it, the most succesful models are all the same colour regardless of their race, either very light black skin, or very tanned white skin. its quite disturbing that there would be racial discrimination like that, especially within one race.

Answer 10

Honestly, I dont see it..