Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Shadeism.

Recently my friend posted this video Facebook and it touched my heart. For years I have been intrigued by the topic discussed in this documentary and I was glad that somebody had finally spoken about it in an open and simple way. 

Shadeism from Shadeism on Vimeo.


I confess I myself have acted like some of these girls in the video when it comes to my skin color, mostly when I was younger. I found lighter skin to be more beautiful than my own and often wondered why we were all treated so differently because of our skin color alone. 

I used to wonder why I my skin color wasn't as light as my mother's and often felt that it set us apart greatly. Back then I failed to see the other features that made us similar - our eyes, nose, gestures... - because I was foolish and blind. 

Nowadays as a young adult I love my skin color and realize how wrong I was back then and how the media and some people around me had brainwashed me. What I want to say is that I now see every skin color to be beautiful in its own and that women of color specially should realize how beautiful they are the way they are and should not change themselves to please or match others.

What do you think of this topic?

Love,
Sheyla ♥

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3 comments:

  1. I reacted exactly like the girls (Muginga) when I saw that ad to bleach the skin. I know it’s quite common indeed (unfortunately) in the African countries that women bleaches their skin, I was unaware that it’s was such a serious topic in those Asian communities even though I know about those cast stuff in India, so that’s something interesting for me to learn about that now.
    I personally never thought that my skin wasn’t beautiful, it might be because of the fact that in my country everyone is pretty much dark you know, and yes there are some mixed people and light-skin people but I never really compared myself to them.
    It’s clear that the media isn’t helping dark people, whether in the fashion industry, the music industry or any other industry, and that’s the thing that bothers me the most because it’s what causes women to be less and less secure about themselves and their beauty. Every skin is beautiful and I don’t understand why they would portray the “white” or light-skin to be better than “black” or dark-skin. I have to bring this topic, it’s like this Hunger Game racism scandal, where people were clearly ditching on Rue because the girl who played her was black. I mean, come on! Just because she’s black, she’s not good enough?
    Anyway, I think people have to get educated about this, and the media has to stop portraying such an utopian idealistic skin color, nobody is perfect and nobody will be perfect.
    Sorry about the essay lol
    xx

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    Replies
    1. Diane! I'm so glad you shared your thoughts so openly. No need to feel sorry your opinion is valued!

      I understand why you never thought differently about your skin color. Your way of thinking should be the norm but unfortunately we judge one another so easily because they have taught us to be that way which is wrong.

      I also read about the Hunger Games incident and thought just like you. Why can't all skin colors be beautiful? is also my question.

      Every time I see how the media gives more praise to one skin color more than another it hurts me and I can't help but feel sorry for those young girls watching these ads, who do not necessarily reflect the qualities the ads show, and then feel the need to change - by bleaching their skin for example - to "fit in" with these depictions of the media.

      Once again thank you for your feedback. ♥

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  2. I really enjoyed the documentary, this is a topic that i see everyday but haven't really discussed it before. Growing up I never really looked at someone and saw color i just saw a person, but i do agree that it is a problem in the black community. i am a brown skin woman, with a dark caramel tone and many of my cousins and black friends would tell me that i thought i was cute or better than them because i had lighter skin and long hair. I think its sad that lighter is perceived as being better, i mean we are all equally great whether were super pale or super dark. We are the same in Gods eyes.

    ReplyDelete

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Sheyla

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