Does the western world still have a color complex towards blacks or people of African decent?

Question

I purused Macy catelogues in US and Canada, I noticed most of the Blk men/women were VERY light skinned. Maybe there were one or two who were peanut butter brown.

Even in the "HIGH FASHION" industry dark skinned girls dont get to wear the same types of clothes or colors. If a woman is chestnut or darker she is considered "exotic" and she might were lime green or sand-brown colors. Unless a BLK women who is dark skin has made a name for her self in music or television, she will be hard pressed to reach the SUPER MODEL STATUS.

Its sad the SOME blk brothers have bought into this idea that LIGHT is RIGHT. Most BLK ATHLETES wives are either asian, white, biracial or so light-skinned that you can't tell what category they fit in.

HERE IS MY QUESTION TO YOU
Do you feel...................
1.The West is still stuck on race?
2.TV has left a lasting imprint that dark blk is still ugly or "animalish"?

If you or have been a victim of dark skinned discrim. please share your story!

Answer 1

In America there is still racism (just like in the rest of the world). The racism in America is allot less then it was 30 yrs ago and in 30 yrs from, there will be even less racism. People can't help the color of the people they are attracted too. It's more of a personal preference.

Answer 2

Hi. I'd like to try to answer your question as my experience allows, and add a few bits Iv'e noticed along the way.
For starters, Eddie Murphy's wife in "Dr Dolittle" = the whitest black woman ever. Did he choose her fot the part?
In Hollywood movies the wives are always lighter than their husbands. Does this reflect the real desires of black men? Which came first - the desire or the image, if you see what I mean.
I think you are right about the models - I's O.K to be very dark and exotic like Alek Wek who is a Somalian catwalk super model. Catalogues by definition are appealing to the widest possible customer base with generally bland products, and have the bland models to suit. So, nothing to dark or even unusual, like Lily Cole who is white.
I am white and have just come back from a year teaching in Uganda. There the children are racist and discriminate between shades of brown. The darker you are the poorer they think you look - they say you are the son of your askari (guard) which is really insulting. Also there, mixed race people are considered white.
It's not the west that is stuck on race - it is everybody. It is institutional, global and traditional. T.V only reflects what is out there already. I have travelled in many countries and have seen racism and discrimination in every one of them.
But, however bad things are, just step back only a few years and it's way worse.

Answer 3

I do think subconciously the western hemisphere....mostly the United States is more stuck on race. Not so the South American Countries because to my understanding they have more darker skinned people then they do light skinned people. But i do see it in the entertainment industry as you do. Never really gave it any serious thought but it has crossed my mind from time to time. I had a teacher who was from the Czech Republic and one of the first things she noticed when she came to the United States is that people look at being lighter is better. In a way that is true becaue of the of the countries history towards people with darker skin (slavery). That is where most racial problems come from, slavery. When slavery was abolished white people didn't want to be seen as equal to black people that were once underneath them as slaves. So they started descriminating. Most of that died down but now its subconciously done in the entertainment industry.

Answer 4

Wow, how timely. I wrote a book of poetry on this issue titled: "I WANT WHAT MOST WHITE WOMEN GOT: A BLACK MAN." www.Vs-Voice.com and www.myspace.com/vsvoice

Unfortunately, color is still a factor in the West (USA) as well as overseas according to some Sistahs I have connected with on MySpace. (London in particular.)

What a pity, the world is missing out on our dark, chocolate beauty by trying to minimize it to something less by promoting lighter skin tones instead. I am confident with my looks and I wouldn't change a thing.

Also, please note that I do not have an issue with my light-skinned Sistahs. I have an issue with the media and Brothahs who think that light or white is the only way to go.

Veronica
Tampa, FL

Answer 5

My answer is a question... Why do you specify Blacks of "Africaian decent? Don't other Blacks (some Indians for example) count? And why don't you like lite skinned Blacks? Does one have to be a particular shade to qualify as Black?

Answer 6

Have you noticed how Black people who think they are from Africa do not like Caribbean People?