Comments on: Lighter Skin Equals Self-Hate, Of Course?

By: sara

sara — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 01:30:01 +0000

that is the best comment ever on colorism. You are so right. Even in photoshoots they always like to apply make up to black women that are shades darker and they insist black babies should have vitamin D supplements to make them even darker. I think you are right. Ive noticed how aggressive some whites are towards middle eastern looking blacks, or blacks who are ‘beautiful’. to them you can only be jet black to be real black. they are so ignorant. they cant accept the fact that light skin does not mean mixed all the time. Its like when my baby was born people always gave me the comment she is too pretty to be black, or she must be mixed.

By: Modupe Florence Okpeku

Modupe Florence Okpeku — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:12:04 +0000

I’m wondering why there is so much defensiveness for Beyonce, when I just read an article, crying foul about Thandie Newton, who is half African, playing a Nigerian?!? I’m confused. What is the difference. But Bey and Kelly did have nose jobs. Bey went to Spain decrying how is envious of their culture. And at one time, she and Shakira were looking like twins. You don’t have to be from England to have develop similar observations.

By: modern lady

modern lady — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:57:23 +0000

White people make a big deal about skin bleaching because they’re uncomfortable with lighter skinned black people in general. They like looking at us and knowing we’re of African decent. It’s a superiority thing. As if lighter skin is going to improve Beyonce’s credit rating or something, lol. She’s rich whether she’s tanned or pale. Somehow, they can understand the concept of white people tanning then getting pale in the wintertime, but Black people aren’t afforded that same courteousy-implausible.

Now, I think Blacks focus on it simply because of enmity and self hate. That was also ingrained in us since slavery days. And this Daily Mail article is simply seeking to keep that legacy going.

By: Veronica Young

Veronica Young — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 04:49:50 +0000

This issue is deep rooted and struggled with it for a long time. I talk about my “light skinned privilege” here: http://veronicainspires.com/2011/10/books-that-will-change-how-you-see-yourself-and-the-world/

But the sooner we recognize it for what it is, the sooner we can begin to heal and move on.

Veronica
http://www.veronicainspires.com/about

By: Acc

Acc — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 06:52:05 +0000

Oh My Goodness People, TANS FADE…PERIOD!!! The lightest to darkest complexions can tan and yes tans fade in the winter. Everyone keeps commenting like only light complexions tan, skin tans. Lighter skin tanning is more noticeable obviously so maybe that’s what it is. Anyway I think Beyonce has gotten lighter but only in a media kind of way, not by bleaching her skin. The media or industry has noticeably lighten her in some photo’s and not so much in others. I agree with Michelle that it is what happens in White Hollywood, and it is seen as something equivalent to success, sick but true. I’ve seen a photo of her and she was super light, not even oh my tan just faded light, it was ridiculous. But if she is aware of these things happening I think it is her job to tell people to not edit her complexion, unless she is playing into it and has been/continues to use it as an advantage.

Sidebar: yes that blonde hair needs to go, her natural color is way darker.

By: Phyllis

Phyllis — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:40:31 +0000

A friend of mine saw her at a studio years ago and said that she was naturally light, but they had been spray bronzing her for a while. It you look at her mom, she’s the same lighter complexion.

By: sommerstar

sommerstar — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:50:20 +0000

This “light-skinned,” “dark-skinned” thing shall be (our) demise! WHO CARES?

By: michelle

michelle — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:03:25 +0000

Since we are all prefacing our comments with skin tones I am actually African-American/Puerto Rican and light skinned. Honestly, I think Beyonce is lightening her skin but not intentionally. In an industry where looks count and controlled by White Hollywood finding any actresses/singers with Beyonce’s fame of darker tones is difficult.

I see some people saying, “Oh, well I get light too in the winter.” I get light as heck but celebs have someone whose JOB it is to keep them looking a certain way. While I do not know the woman I doubt Beyonce skips workouts (a lot), eating right, going to the salon, getting her nails done, etc. So why would she not be tanned and looking as she usually does almost all year round especially considering that she can just hop on a plane down to the Bahamas?

At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what she does but we can’t act like Black celebs we like do no wrong. We jump on White public figures/personalities ASAP, or males i.e. Chris Brown in a heartbeat but tend to try to sympathize with women. A bit silly to me.

By: margerie

margerie — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 23:12:33 +0000

@ Isolde, it’s because in the UK light skinned people (whether half or full black) are often just referred to as mixed race. For instance Chris Brown and Beyonce are ‘black’ but because they’re light people here will just assume they’re mixed. Many in the UK and Europe also have the mentality that dark skinned blacks can’t be good-looking, therefore light skinned blacks must be part white because of they’re supposed good looks.

There’s even a TV actor who is black and light skinned but people always refer to him as mixed. It’s silly and quite insulting when you think about it but hey that’s the British for you.

By: guest

guest — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:51:03 +0000

She’s got creole in her for petesakes….so why do ppl even think making comments on her blonde hair and pale skin were even relevant? sheesh….