Colorism

Colorism is a recurring issue that is rooted in society and has existed for centuries. Those who experience colorism are being discriminated against because of their skin color. Oftentimes, it is due to having darker skin, which is commonly perceived in a discriminatory manner. Because of colorism, darker-skinned people are always at a disadvantage, while lighter-skinned people gain an advantage over others simply because they are lighter. The root of colorism stems from racism, as whiteness is always perceived as “better” in society. Of course, colorism is also deeply embedded in many groups such as Black, Asian, and Latino American communities.

Colorism in the U.S. has been around ever since the institution of slavery. During slavery, slave owners favored slaves with lighter skin compared to those with darker skin. Due to this preference, darker-skinned slaves would be forced to do much more intense labor. Even after the abolition of slavery, colorism continued to be a rampant issue throughout the U.S. Black people continued to be discriminated against due to their race and color and were always disadvantaged against white people.

Countries outside of the U.S. with histories of colorism are most likely associated with the different levels of classes. Nonetheless, white supremacy still also contributed to the influence of colorism in countries outside of the U.S. This is especially the case with European colonialism that has spread colorist views to other countries, particularly in Asian countries. In Asia, some people perceive darker skin as “poor,” and that lighter skin is deemed as “superior.” In fact, some countries in Asia use creams to lighten their skin color, which fuels anti-Blackness.

In South Asia, skin lightening is an evident result of prevalent colorism. The roots of colorism in South Asia go back centuries due to colonialism. It was common to see ruling classes with lighter skin, causing light skin to be seen as a correlation with high status as opposed to darker skin. For instance, from the 16th to the 19th centuries, the Mughals controlled large parts of South Asia.

Colorism can also be applied to job employment. This includes the colonial government favoring Indians with lighter skin over those with darker skin. Additionally, since there is an association between skin color and income, this implies that people with dark skin are considered lower income. The upper Hindu castes that tend to have skins with lighter complexions exemplify this colorist association.

Not only does colorism affect people in their daily lives, but it is also an incessant issue in the media. Many Black and brown individuals typically go unnoticed in the media. For example, when it comes to marketing, lighter-skinned people often get featured the most, therefore they are more commonly seen in the media. Numerous marketers see dark-skinned people as “too dark” to be the ones to market their products, so they prefer lighter complexions. Exhibiting colorism through the media only upholds the white beauty standards that people of color feel the need to conform to. This is a product of racism despite whether or not it is recognized.

In a commission study from CNN, it was found that there are biases held by white children. In this study, white children tended to be more positive toward people with lighter skin, while they were mainly negative toward darker skin. Biases like this at a younger age can easily be held onto much stronger as people grow older.

Fighting against colorism starts with bringing awareness to this issue and advocating for anti-racism and anti-colorism. It is crucial to not contribute to colorism, whether it be intentionally or unintentionally.


SOURCES:

[The Roots of Colorism, or Skin Tone Discrimination] [ThoughtCo.]

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-colorism-2834952

[Skin lightening in South Asia is why we have an anti-Blackness problem] [NBC News]

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/skin-lightening-south-asia-why-we-have-anti-blackness-problem-ncna1233549

[Marketing Still Has a Colorism Problem] [Harvard Business Review]

https://hbr.org/2021/05/marketing-still-has-a-colorism-problem

IMAGES:

  1. Colorism [NCCJ]

Karen Lin

Writer on Team Gen Z’s Journalism Team

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