Quiet as it's kept there is a growing frustration among dark-skinned people who are often silenced within their own communities about a devastating type of prejudice they face.
Surprisingly! Many people have never heard of colorism. What is colorism exactly? Colorism is an oppressive offshoot of racism based on skin shades, rather than race. Though it occurs within Blackness, this phenomenon can also be observed within other racial groups across the world.
Racism and white supremacy are global, therefore colorism is also global. Wherever there is racism and people of color, colorism is sure to follow.
Colorism impacts all people of color from all socioeconomic backgrounds, in all countries of color. Colorism or shadism as it is otherwise known; is the pitting of people within the same racial group against one another based on gradient skin shades often, embuing lightness with benevolent and positive traits, while demonizing darkness with negative traits. It is a system of privilege wherein lighter skinned people are viewed preferentially over darker skin people due to their proximity to whiteness. As with whiteness, colorism comes with stereotypes such as: those of a lighter skin shades might be seen as safe or soft, while darker skin shades might be viewed as dangerous or impervious to pain.
There is an overlap with the "Darkness" of skin with "Blackness" as the oppression of African descendents duplicates itself to recreate and oppression within oppression. It is a "double-oppression" of being Black and Dark. Double oppression is when the demonization of Blackness or African phenotype overlaps with the demonization of dark skin, as an unwritten but, fundamental tenant of race-based and shade-based oppression.
Within colorism, there is social meaning attached to skin shade from darkest to lightest. Colorism is a discrimination practice against individuals of Darker skin tones. As a subculture of racism, colorism plays by it's own subcultural rules. These are rules of inequality based on relative skin tone, hair texture and facial features that privilege light skin over dark skin. Colorism is ultimately the recreation of a skin based oppression within an intraracial group.
Colorism is an insidious and divisive counterpart to racism that frequently gets swept under the rug. No one really wants to talk about the real rejection that happens within one's own racial group. Colorism betrays dark skin people, who are often expected to take one for the team.
Colorism is deeply-rooted in slavery. There is no denial racism still exists. Racism is real is structural and has far-reaching everyday implications racism is antagonism directed towards someone with of different race.
The issue of colorism isn't going anywhere. As long as racism is a problem, it's a pretty good indication that colorism will likely continue to be one, as well.
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