A world where dark skinned women are demonised and light skinned women are fetishised

You’re a black woman, right?

So, you’re probably up against racism.

Are you an African as well?

So, you’re probably also up against tribalism.

Oh, and let’s not forget the colourism within the tribe.

The world detests dark skin and it’s no different here in Zimbabwe. As black people we come in different shades of black from the lightest shade to the darkest. Despite having this basic knowledge, discrimination of darker skin tone exists amongst black people and that, folks is known as colourism. Colourism is notably defined as the discrimination of darker skin tones amongst people of the same ethnic group. Summarily, it’s like racism but amongst people of the same race. Sad right? Well yup, that’s our reality.

My understanding of colourism all started when I delved into the world of outspoken black female content creators who were very vocal about colourism within the black community in South Africa and America. At first, I’d vocalise the issue only for people to tell me to sit my butt down because those were “American issues” and not African issues.

Naturally, I began to think I was overreacting and making another nation’s issues my own. Only black people in America seemed to suffer from colourism.  At least that’s what I thought until I asked myself why other ethnicities outside the ones in America were touching on the issue of colourism.  Why is it that Asian nations like India, Thailand and South Korea have their own content creators who vocalise the issue of colourism? Why is it that said nations also claim that their society values pale or light skin over tanned or dark skin? Why is it that most commercials I’d seen on Indian channels were spearheaded by white men and women? White men and women were on almost every commercial I had seen in East and South Asian countries and even Africa. Zimbabwe was and still is no different from the use of white men and women on their advertisements. I remember sitting there and saying…wake up sis, colourism exists here in Zimbabwe.

I tend to think most Zimbabweans are inherently colourist. Whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Tell-tale signs of Colourism in Zimbabwe.

I tried to ignore the fact that society values light skin or fair skin over darker skin tones in my country. However, it was getting harder and harder to try and ignore the fact that colourism exists in Zimbabwe. I realised that pieces of colourism were prevalent in every bar or pool party poster which featured a white woman advertised on it. Most skin care products made by Zimbabweans were mass advertised with white families plastered on posters and even commercials. I realised that this mindset is still rampant today. As I type this post, there is a poster outside my university hostel advertising a pool party. Guess who is on the pool party advertisement? You got it, a white woman. Of course, these examples aren’t necessarily colourist but they expose the origins of colourism. The origins of colourism in this instance being universal adoration of European beauty standards and the universal preference of fair skin. 

Statements like “don’t stay out too long in the sun otherwise you’ll be dark” always rubbed me off the wrong way and they still do. What is wrong with being dark? Most Zimbos are inherently colourist. It’s as though we are programmed to value light skinned people (specifically women) over dark skinned people. Dark skinned girls who are usually victims of colourism say stuff like, “well it’s easy for you cause you’re light skinned” or “I can’t wear this cause I’m dark skinned.”

I’ve also noticed that guys will say stuff like, “I’ve always wanted me a yellow-bone” or the first thing they say as a compliment is “but you’re so light and pretty”. I have come to realise that some Zimbos tend to associate light skin with attractiveness and dark skin with unattractiveness.

I once posted a digital poster on my WhatsApp status that featured dark skinned girls clutching placards that were vouching for the end of skin bleaching or for people to stop forcing little girls to bleach. One of my classmates at the time texted me, referencing my status as he did so, he actually said, “That dark girl carrying the poster would be prettier if she was lighter.” Yikes!

My uncle is extremely light skinned so he has benefited from light skin privilege and observed how his darker skinned counterparts are treated. When my uncle would go and pay for internet bills, the attendants would be polite and patient with him no matter how many questions he asked, whilst said attendants would be rude, snappish and even stand-offish to people who were darker skinned.

I had a hairdresser who would always tell me I’m beautiful because I have light skin like a white person. I’m sure she didn’t mean any harm with her comments but she is a common example of people who have internalised disdain for dark skin.

The disdain for dark skin is a result of colonialism. Yes, colonialism has aided and led to economic and political strife but we must not forget that it has also led to social issues like colourism because white people imposed their beauty standards in Zimbabwe, which always placed whiteness at the top of the pyramid. This led to Zimbabweans placing light skin at the apex of beauty as they deemed light skin closer to whiteness and supremacy.

I started writing from a young age and for as long as I could remember, my protagonists were Caucasians/white characters. When I was about ten years old, I asked myself why the heck all my characters were white. Then I got to thinking about how much value I placed in fair skin. I remember instances in high school where I would call some guys really dark as an insult…as if it was wrong or disgusting to be dark skinned. These situations I found myself in may not seem like such a big deal to people but it made me realise how much I valued fair skin and preferred it over my own.

What colourism has made me realise

Society associates light skin with attractiveness. Simply put, light skin/fair skin equals beautiful and dark skin automatically means ugly.

Dark skin is often associated with masculinity. People tend to call dark skinned women men. They rid them of their femininity. This is why we always tend to see darker skinned women depicted as superheroes, secret agents, warriors or undesirable angry characters in entertainment, whereas lighter skinned women are depicted as ultra-feminine damsels in distress who are desirable.

Then there’s something called the halo effect. If someone has light skin society views them as morally upright people who can do no wrong. Summarily, attractive people are associated with purity. Dark skinned people suffer from the halo effect. Since society deems dark skinned people as “unattractive”, they are already labelled as criminals or associated with anything negative and harmful. Haven’t you noticed in movies that bad guys, thugs and so on are usually dark skinned or tanned whereas heroes or protagonists are always light skinned or fair skinned?

The issue of colourism mostly affects women. It does affect men but on a smaller scale. The reason is that darker skinned men are more valued in a society. In fact, the darker a man is the more masculine and dominant he is thought to be. Notice how novels and movies always describe desirable men as “tall, dark and handsome. This reason is why people tend to state that light skinned men are feminine or they “act like girls”. Thus, dark skinned women are masculinised and light skinned men are feminised.

Light skinned women tend to have “pretty privilege” or “light-skin privilege”, that is, they are often more respected and well treated by society than their darker skinned counterparts. They can express themselves artistically with rarely any backlash or criticism. Darker skinned women are often criticised and ridiculed for just about anything and everything they do. If a darker skinned woman wears a very bright and bold colour like orange or has pink hair or whatever, you’ll watch the whole world go ballistic. I’ve seen lighter skinned women saying, “bruh she should have picked a better hair colour, she’s too dark for orange braids.”

Dark skinned women are severely criticised and scrutinised. It is as though they aren’t allowed to make mistakes. Society is always ready to pounce on them and rip them to shreds when they do something wrong. Every move made by dark skinned women is policed. “Why don’t you choose another hair colour?” “Why wear such a bright coloured dress?” “You’d be prettier if you were lighter”. With all these questions society asks of dark-skinned women, they may as well be saying “HOW DARE YOU LIVE?” Call me melodramatic, but it’s true.

Colourism does NOTHING for black people’s self-esteem or progression because it upholds Caucasian/ white beauty standards. Zimbabweans may not say it or see it, but they think whiteness is associated with being close to attractiveness.

COLOURISM IS A GLOBAL PHENOMENON. Colourism exists everywhere but it mostly affects races of colour that were under colonialist regimes in the past.

Zimbabweans and people in general don’t believe that colourism is real and that is sad. They don’t realise how much damage discrimination of skin colour can affect people, especially in a society that is shallow.

How colourism affects people

Statistics around the world prove that if you’re dark skinned, you’re ultimately treated differently especially in social settings. Light skinned women’s privilege allows them to have an upper hand in dating, marriage, acquiring a career, making friends or just gaining societal favour. Actresses, models or social media personalities like Khanyi Mbau have openly admitted that it’s easier to acquire roles or jobs in the entertainment industry if you are light skinned.

Colourism destroys dark skinned women’s self-esteem. Dark skinned women are always being policed from how they talk, what they wear, how they do their hair right down to how much they weigh. Dark skinned girls lose confidence to express themselves in fear of being labelled as angry or bitter. They are afraid to plait green braids because some ignorant ninny will tell or rather command them to stick to black hair only. Society may as well just be saying to dark skinned women, “how dare you exist?”

I can’t begin to tell you how many black people, boys and girls alike are still trying to heal from colourism. They are trying to rebuild a foundation of self-esteem that was demolished by colourist statements made by society.

Colourism segregates black people. Society places light skin or fair skin on a pedestal and shuns dark skin. This creates a divide amongst black people, especially black women. Look peeps, we are already racially targeted and yet we’re out here separating each other based on our skin tone. Sad.

With colourism comes skin bleaching. Skin bleaching is a deadly pandemic that a discriminatory and shallow society created. I must say I’m in no position to judge anyone for bleaching their skin. However, I won’t sit and pretend that it’s healthy or safe. The side effects of skin bleaching are deadly. They can range from mercury poisoning, cancer, infertility and even death.

Combating colourism.

Combating colourism is not easy nor will it ever be easy. We need to work as a collective to quell colourism, regardless of whether it is easy or not.

It all starts with accepting the fact that colourism exists. That fact can’t be denied nor ignored. When an issue is acknowledged and accepted only then can people sit down to find ways to mitigate it. We need to have these conversations and prioritise them.

Positive reinforcement can go a long way towards fighting colourism. It starts at home dear mothers, sisters, fathers, brothers—everyone. Tell your little girl or sister or cousin that she is beautiful and that her skin is also beautiful so that the outside colourist world can’t bash her and reduce her to yet another soulless self-hating black person.

Let’s try and speak up when we see colourism occurring. Whether it’s your favourite youtuber making snide remarks about dark skinned girls or a group of boys teasing a girl for her dark skin or a group of girls telling dark skinned women to tone down on colourful clothing or hair—just call it out. Calmly express to them how harmful their comments can be and why they should stop. Let’s try to have these conversations so that we can grow.

People say that I’m light skinned (although I’m pretty sure I’m just brown) and they ask me why I talk about colourism since it “doesn’t affect me”. They say stuff like “how does it concern you?” Well, I’m black and I don’t see many people addressing this issue that is harming black girls and women. I have dark skinned baby cousins amongst other relatives, I need to play a role in making society a safe place for them to grow, so yes, it does concern me. Colourism should concern everyone, regardless of what shade of black you or they are.

– The “Weird” Brown Girl

Testimonials

Below is an audio recording of someone who has been subjected to Colourism in some way. This individual has come forward to deliver their testimonial and for their privacy, they will remain anonymous.

Sources

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cosmetic-procedures/skin-lightening/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5120641/