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Skin Colorism Research Paper

780 Words4 Pages

Discrimination based on skin color, or colorism, is a form of prejudice or discrimination in which human beings are treated differently based on their skin color. The abundance of colorism is a result of the global prevalence of the term used to describe societies in which wealth and social status are influenced by skin color. This form of prejudice often results in reduced opportunities for those who are discriminated against on the basis of skin color. Colorism can be found specifically in parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States.
African American journalist Jill Nelson quoted that "to be both prettiest and black was impossible”
It is often said that first impression is the last impression similarly when we meet someone …show more content…

Historically being fair was seen as a sign of power, wealth, education and social class. Our society is conditioned to believe that beauty is only skin deep. We ourselves are such big hypocrites as we usually say that main beauty is on inside and not on outside but we ourselves forget this notion when we mistreat or discriminate people based on their skin tone. We only see their skin color and nothing beyond that we do not care for the person’s personality. Such beliefs have been passed down through generations, Children who are exposed to such prejudices and stereotypes learn from an early that being fair skinned means beautiful and that beauty is only skin deep.
Colorism is a social prejudice and nothing more but we have made it a form of defining people, the hierarchy of beauty for black women is different from the hierarchy for white women. For white women, it 's about size, shape and thinness but for black women it 's all of those things, but also the shape of one 's nose and lips, the texture of your hair, their skin color and all those other things which are bound up within how 'womanly ' or not you …show more content…

Jennifer Hudson, Halle Berry, Oprah Winfrey, Morgan Freeman, Hattie Mc Daniel, Steve Mc Queen, Denzel Washington, Octavia Spencer are some of the internationally recognized Oscar winning celebrities who have inspired thousands of black people through their part of fame, They are who they are today because of their hard work, talent and motivation and did not let the their skin tones affect their performance and perseverance and have today proven these social norms wrong that beauty is off only skin

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