I'm going to have to start this brief note with a statement used by some of my Caucasian friends. "I'm not color struck, some of my best friends are light."
With that said, colorism is such a touchy topic in the African-American community that I think I touched a serious nerve.
With my recent post with Fantasia and colorism, I got some really great replies---some that were fiery red hot and some that vehmently disagreed. And I do understand, black is black in many mainstream circles, but black can be another thing in other ones; especially black circles. And still there is a stigma of darker hues.
America does have a racial hierarchy, but also a color shade hierarchy that has created a serious divide in all communities of color. To the point that we still play into them.
So let me restate my point. I agree that Fantasia's assessment of her being targeted for her extra-marital affairs because she was darker than Alicia keys was wrong. BUT I do agree that in her career, like so many other darker-skinned female performers, she has gotten the short end of the stick.
And until black women stop using skin lightener to be "beautiful" then I stand by my words.
That's all. But I still love me some light-skinned folks...including my honey dip.
2 ish talking intellectuals holla at a sista:
STOP IT ENOUGH!!!!!
We light skinned folks haven't been in since the 80s. Ever since Cosby went off the air we went outta style. I was hot shit in the 80s, but I really haven't gotten any love since. Think about it...El Debarge, Al B Sure, Irene Cara........you ain't heard from none of us since then.
We're outta style like bell bottoms. Please stop picking on us. Can't we all just get along?!?
Sister organic the reason some got pissed of at your observations on color isms is because your words had the ring of truth. The issue of black folk being color struck goes back to our psychological creation on the slave plantation. The sad fact is that some of us STILL SUFFER FROM POST TRAUMATIC SLAVE SYNDROME. Colorism is just one symptom of it.
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