Racism: Colorism and Anti-Blackness
Many believe that racism is simply a black and white issue. While this is true in many cases, there is more nuance to the issue. White supremacy, the belief that the white race is above all others, is the root cause behind many racial problems. It contributes to colorism in black communities, in which lighter skinned black people are prized above darker skinned ones. It also led to the sentiment of anti-blackness among other communities of color: it is clear that the darker a person’s skin is, the further they are from the white ideal, and therefore less desirable, less intelligent, and more aggressive. It is obvious: the racism experienced today is a result of the centuries of white colonialism, imperialism, …show more content…
After several decades of white people directing racism toward black people, black people began turning it inwards, in the form of colorism. To revisit slavery: the treatment black people endured during this time forced them to develop a resentment towards their own blackness, sometimes called Stockholm Syndrome. This syndrome causes a kidnapped person to develop a positive connection to their kidnapper. Maurice Lindsay writes in her article, Why Black People Hate Black People, “This mental illness first took root in the minds of black people during the 16th century, after slavery became legal here in the U.S., and was originally used as a tool by our ancestor’s slave-masters, to instill white supremacy in the minds of all the slaves throughout the plantation. By using physical punishment such as whippings, lynchings, rape, etc. to brainwash our ancestors into obeying, loving and trusting them and only them, overtime they began to identify more with the needs and wants of their slave-masters than their own people. This then produced an entire generation of not just physical slaves, but mental slaves.” This idea is …show more content…
While racism and colorism may overlap, they are simply two distinguished phenomena that are caused by the same reasons: white supremacy and antiblackness. The oppression people have faced over the centuries by the Europeans has caused them to internalize these ideologies and live up to the beauty standards their oppressors have set, by acquiring white or European features. The reason behind the attempt to change is to gain the privilege that comes with being pale and European, as people with these white features are deemed more attractive, more intelligent, and more worth being publicized or employed. The classification of most people of color into those with fair skin and those with dark skin through the media and other social institution has led to the development of color hierarchy—whereby the darker you are, the more likely you are to be discriminated by society. Although colorism is usually overshadowed by racism, it has been acknowledged as a separate issue by many studies and researches. However, whether or not the colorist behavior is going to continue, is only for members of these communities to
Many believe that racism is simply a black and white issue. While this is true in many cases, there is more nuance to the issue. White supremacy, the belief that the white race is above all others, is the root cause behind many racial problems. It contributes to colorism in black communities, in which lighter skinned black people are prized above darker skinned ones. It also led to the sentiment of anti-blackness among other communities of color: it is clear that the darker a person’s skin is, the further they are from the white ideal, and therefore less desirable, less intelligent, and more aggressive. It is obvious: the racism experienced today is a result of the centuries of white colonialism, imperialism, …show more content…
After several decades of white people directing racism toward black people, black people began turning it inwards, in the form of colorism. To revisit slavery: the treatment black people endured during this time forced them to develop a resentment towards their own blackness, sometimes called Stockholm Syndrome. This syndrome causes a kidnapped person to develop a positive connection to their kidnapper. Maurice Lindsay writes in her article, Why Black People Hate Black People, “This mental illness first took root in the minds of black people during the 16th century, after slavery became legal here in the U.S., and was originally used as a tool by our ancestor’s slave-masters, to instill white supremacy in the minds of all the slaves throughout the plantation. By using physical punishment such as whippings, lynchings, rape, etc. to brainwash our ancestors into obeying, loving and trusting them and only them, overtime they began to identify more with the needs and wants of their slave-masters than their own people. This then produced an entire generation of not just physical slaves, but mental slaves.” This idea is …show more content…
While racism and colorism may overlap, they are simply two distinguished phenomena that are caused by the same reasons: white supremacy and antiblackness. The oppression people have faced over the centuries by the Europeans has caused them to internalize these ideologies and live up to the beauty standards their oppressors have set, by acquiring white or European features. The reason behind the attempt to change is to gain the privilege that comes with being pale and European, as people with these white features are deemed more attractive, more intelligent, and more worth being publicized or employed. The classification of most people of color into those with fair skin and those with dark skin through the media and other social institution has led to the development of color hierarchy—whereby the darker you are, the more likely you are to be discriminated by society. Although colorism is usually overshadowed by racism, it has been acknowledged as a separate issue by many studies and researches. However, whether or not the colorist behavior is going to continue, is only for members of these communities to