BGN loves receiving emails from readers and listeners of our podcasts. This email was from a reader responding to a post about the issue of colorism in the black community. The OWN channel recently aired a documentary called "Dark Girls" about this sensitive subject matter. Check out the email below from a fellow BGN about her experience.
BGN Reader:
I am a relatively lighter toned (and I hate describing myself that way -- but it gives context to this correspondence) black woman. I may be mistaken for Latino at times, but when the police have followed me in my car -- I've been viewed as black. No mistaking there. But that doesn't mean I can't relate to that discrimination. I think it's a problem that we as a culture have to recognize, but also change, because it is our problem. I stated this on a Facebook page, and I swear to you -- if my photo was not on my profile, I would not get the same reaction that I've had. I was immediately told that I'm ignoring the problem by saying that it is our communities problem. And that me being a woman of a lighter hue, and saying that means I'm negating the experiences of darker skinned women. I went on to say that it's sad that we are having this dialogue, the notion of light skin v. black skin is stupid -- because at the end of the day -- it really and truly is. Anyone who justifies that someone is better because of their skin TONE? Really? It's just an absurd and foreign concept that needs to be buried. We shouldn't be giving credence to those who live by that mindset of one color being better than the other. That was met with sheer vitriol.
This documentary was supposed to encourage dialogue, however, I unfortunately think now it's doing the complete opposite. Never in my life have I had an advantage being a woman who is of a lighter complexion, because I never expected it. At the end of the day, I always knew that I was black and that I was supposed to be some kind of black person to other people. And if I wasn't what I was supposed to be, then I was considered not black. I recently went through an experience where my high intelligence as a black woman was considered a threat to my white supervisors, so much so that my environment became full of harassment, I was blocked from a promotion several times, and I had to resign and find a new job. My skin tone provided no advantage with them. With that, I was met with the response that "you're talking about racism. This is about colorism." Colorism is racism. Essentially, judgments are being made on who you are as a person the closer you are to looking like a white person. I was virtually attacked by the host of the page because I was basically told that I have no room to compare because I'm not a dark-skinned woman. And being that I'm not a dark-skinned woman, there is no way that I could have ever experienced colorsim.
Despite me being an actor, I've lost out on roles because I didn't look "black enough" or I wasn't "light enough", I've been disrespected by men because I wasn't light enough when around my other friends. I could be dressed to the nines, have my hair layed ten ways until Sunday -- and my friends would carry themselves ever which way -- they would still get the attention, and I would be virtually ignored. Not even a hello. My friends chose to ignore that, and they don't believe it. It's not just the problem of darker toned women, this is OUR problem. And by me saying it's our problem is somehow construed as ignoring it. What seemed to have been a blessing seems to be turning into a curse. I shouldn't be held accountable for the actions of others -- especially when it is very obvious that I'm recognizing the problem. It's not fair for it to be said that my experiences are invalid because I'm not a dark-skinned woman.
Just because I'm lighter does not mean that I don't possess the features, the soul, the experience of a black woman and the struggle to make other understand my color is not my worth, but it is worth something, and I'm proud of my race and being. Sorry for my venting session, but I'm honestly afraid of where this may lead. There were some black women on the thread that felt like they couldn't share their experiences because they weren't dark enough, but they've been discriminated against just the same, and have had no advantages in life because of their skin tone. Why separate a problem that is very much our own?
Thanks for your time! And thanks for your blog! :)
