Why lighter skin means more than just being the majority.
C. Amaris Felton | Copy Editor
Chelsey Barmore | Publicist
The essence of beauty among lighter skin tones has created a conversation in not only our own APU community, but also throughout world. Although it seems to be an ancient concept, it cannot be denied that it still affects the lives of those who have a skin color that is seen as “less preferable” to the public.
Shortly after Nina Davuluri won the 2013 Miss America title, one tweet among many others stated, “WHEN WILL A WHITE WOMAN WIN #MISSAMERICA? Ever??!!” Herein lies a reflection of the anomaly of skin color within our society. The view of beauty, or appreciation towards various skin tones, has become stagnant for some. However, a recent study (see sidebar) has brought forth a potential answer in hopes of revealing some of the psychological reasonings behind this societal dilemma that some APU students have reflected on and, perhaps, many more can relate to.
Student Experiences
Benny Lee, a freshman art major, is a Korean student who lived in India for a large portion of his life. During his stay, he found himself paying more for things because of the skin tax set in place by the Indian government.
“[Skin tax] was actually a term that was made by Indians saying that if you’re not Indian, if you’re not local, then you have to pay more for things,” Lee said.
Because Lee is lighter than his Indian counterparts, he was subject to the pains of discrimination.
“[A] lot of people in India think that all the foreigners there have a lot of money,” Lee said. “It doesn’t feel nice when you’re treated in a different way because of your skin color.”
The “colorism” study (see sidebar) also mentioned how darker skin can trigger fears of criminality. In addition, the academic work analyzed how black first-graders have a better chance of remembering stories where light-skinned individuals are seen in a positive light as opposed to those of darker skin.
Norris Spagner, a senior theology major and an African-American male, shared how he was a victim to the societal pressures of wanting lighter skin to reduce potential stereotypes in his community.
“I felt like I had to be lighter, specifically white, in order to get home,” said Spagner. “If I’m out at a certain time at night, [and had lighter skin] I would feel like I wouldn’t get pulled over as much.”
Spagner even mentioned that while driving, he takes off his hat and sits up properly in his seat to avoid potential contact with police. Furthermore, he said there is a mentality present within culture, specifically within the African-American community, when it comes to relating personal characteristics to different skin tones.
“There is this thing where light-skinned guys ─ they’re the pretty boys or they’re the guys who can’t fight or are weaker, and then there’s the darker guys who are [seen as] the tough ones,” Spagner said.
This societal stereotype Spanger presents is not limited to the African-American community. According to the “colorism” concept, it can be found not only in the lives of Spanger’s peers but also worldwide across an entire spectrum of cultures.
Heather Garza, a junior biochemistry major who identifies herself as Mexican, attended a high school that consisted of a large population of wealthy, Dutch students whose parents owned dairy farms ─ a community in which lighter skin was the norm and the motto of “if you aren’t Dutch, you’re not much” echoed within the hallways of Garza’s school.
“When I was in high school, I wanted to be Dutch,” Garza said. “Even though I’m Mexican, I have lighter skin to begin with, so it was easy for me to fit into that mold. [However,] I forgot my identity in my culture, and I forgot who I was because I wanted to be so much like the other people.”
Garza also observed that even though lighter skin was seen as the norm within her community, having sun-kissed skin or as advertised in Neutrogena’s products, a “healthy glow”, also became the new attraction.
“I felt like where I grew up, the white students wanted to look tanner [and] that was a sense of beauty too — was to be tan,” Garza said.
However, by coming to APU, Garza has realized that beauty goes beyond skin color. “I feel a lot more confident now,” Garza said. “Having friends that are darker in skin tone and are completely comfortable in their skin, made me embrace my culture.”
The definition of beauty is a hazy one that society may not ever agree on. Because popular culture is constantly in flux, beauty can be seen as often changing with the times, but the concept will forever remain.
Colorism
An article entitled, “The Skin Color Paradox and the American Racial Order,” written by Harvard professor Jennifer L. Hochschild and University of Virginia assistant professor Vesla Weaver, characterizes the idea of “colorism”.
According to this study, “colorism” is defined as “the tendency to perceive or behave toward members of a racial category based on the lightness or darkness of their skin tone.” This idea further explains the social divide within skin color variations. It is also carried into the framework of individuals’ socio-economic statuses.
Hochschild and Weaver state, “People attribute higher status and grant more power and wealth to people of one complexion, typically light skin, within the groups designated as non-white.”
The effects of “colorism” psychologically interject the minds of those who are victims and victimizers in the skin color discussion. The victims are affected stereotypically while the victimizers continue to play into those stereotypes and base their perceptions on what seems to be truthful.