Colorism: An Issue in the Entertainment Industry
Colorism or "shadeism" has become a common topic of debate and concern in the entertainment industry. The origin of the bias that is based on skin color often starts at birth or when people are younger. People tend to associate and compare a lighter skin tone with beauty while a darker skin tone is often perceived as less attractive. The 20th and early 21st centuries were the centuries through which the black people broke away from the bondage of oppression and social injustice and establish themselves as recognized and sovereign race in the U.S and across the world. However, one problem was evident from the 20th century. Of all the most successful black people of the time, most had one white parent. Due to the differences of their skin shades and even intonation, light-skinned black people are more accepted by the social media and the television than the dark-skinned black people.
Colorism and Success
It is apparent that in the world of entertainment the light-skinned people tend to find their way around in comparison to the dark-skinned black people (Griffin, John and Bonazzi 200). Social scientists have come to the agreement that colorism is a key ingredient for the success of dark-skinned people. The American society considers the light-skinned African Americans as a part of their lineage as they have they share some percentage of their genetic composition. A big percentage of women and even men across the world have embraced colorism and see it as an added advantage to fame and success (Griffin, John and Bonazzi 200). A 2014 research in beauty further found out that, most of the beauty standards were centered along the white features and hence the dark-skinned people are disadvantaged and often feel left out in the white-dominated society.
Theoretical Perspective on Skin Tone Differences
Several theoretical perspectives such as the conflict theory apply in this case. An example is in the case of the reconstruction era or the civil rights era where the white Americans felt threatened by the presence of the African Americans (Lori176). In an attempt by the white race to uphold their status and gain access into as many resources as they wish to, they have to protect their race by devaluing the other races. The only exceptions, in this case, are the people who are closer to them in terms of genetic and intellectual behavior. It is the desire to have the white features that have further led to the boom of the cosmetic industry which benefits from the boom in the demand of facial creams and weaves that are worn mainly by the African American women (Lori176).
The functionalism theory, on the other hand, strives to explain why and how society functions the way it does (Lori 78). Since the society has placed a greater value on the light skin, it follows that being light has its advantages in comparison to having a darker skin. The concept of "pigmentocracy" is applicable to the functionalist theory. Complex as the society might be, people are viewed and valued according to the color of their skin. An example is in the case of the film industry which is lopsided (Lori 82). It, therefore, follows that in roles that require African Americans mostly those of a lighter shade are selected to fill in the roles.
The symbolic interaction theory clings onto the assertion that facts are often influenced and determined by symbols through the process of human interaction. An example is in the case of the social media which has attached beauty to anything that is white (Uzogara, Ekeoma E et al 201). Black objects, on the other hand, are criminalized and viewed as deviants from the norm which is white. The light-skinned black people tend to avert the common stereotypes that are driven by the need and desire to embrace the whiteness in television. The dark-colored black people are often viewed as illiterate, vulgar, poor and stupid and hence most white people do not like interacting with them. The colors black and white in this context are mere symbols and tools of reference which help propagate the stereotypical attitude towards the dark-colored African Americans (Uzogara, Ekeoma E et al 208).
Methodology of the Research
The main methods adopted in this qualitative research include interviews, observation and the analysis of documents. Five voluntary participants that described themselves as African Americans were invited for interviews regarding their occupation, gender, income and their perceptions towards the light-skinned blacks and the whites in general (Lori 123). Each participant was interviewed separately and later released to intermingle with the other participants. Their responses we later recorded and analyzed after two weeks to come up with the main findings.
Findings of the Research
The findings indicated that the skin tone disparities were a major source of discrimination and unequal treatment in the workplace. Additionally, all the dark-colored black people experienced various forms of intentional and unintentional discrimination which further made it difficult for them to attain promotions and pay raises (Lori 203). However, there was a common notion among the dark-skinned African Americans who believed that the light-skinned African Americans received preferential treatment. It is also true that a lot of white and non-whites shun the issue of prejudice and discrimination basing on the skin color at the workplace and in the society in general (Lori 2010). It follows that the best way forward to combating racial discrimination based on the skin tone is to encourage both the whites and the non-white races across America to have open talks as well as a sense of ownership in the discrimination in the first place.
Racial Stereotypes and Discrimination
The issue of racial stereotypes and discrimination based on the tone of the skin continues to be a big issue in the U.S. Although all the African Americans and people with the black pigmentation receive a form of discrimination, black people with a lighter skin tone are often exempted from several discriminatory stances by the whites. The whites find some form of similarity and affiliation to the light-skinned people of black descent and hence tend to favor them and refer to them as "second in the hierarchy" in order or aristocracy. However, the African Americans and the dark colored people also have some forms of stereotypes and misconceptions towards the whites and hence end up suffering in silence when they can avoid it.
Works Cited
Griffin, John H, and Bonazzi Robert. Black Like Me. New York: Signet, 2010. (200)
Lori L Martin. Color Struck. How Race and Complexion Matter in the "color-Blind" Era. Dordrecht: Sense Publishers, 2017. (218)
Uzogara, Ekeoma E et al. “A comparison of skin tone discrimination among African American men: 1995 and 2003” Psychology of men " masculinity vol. 15,2 (2014): 201-212.
