This question of what is the true definition of beauty where blacks are concerned has been vexing many a people for centuries now. The issue is always about one’s complexion. Is the lighter girl prettier than the dark one simply because she is lighter? Why is that? And is that how all black people think?
If that is the case I suppose one would probably want to know where all this came from. Is it that we have all been socialized to think that Caucasians are superior in everything and therefore to be white is to be beautiful? Following that line of thought, it probably makes sense how most are obsessed with skin lighteners and stuff. I won’t go into fake hair and nails right now because what we are talking about today is skin complexion.
Is it wrong then, for someone to want to be a lighter shade of their original skin colour? I figure there are two things involved here. On one hand, there isn’t anything wrong at all because lets face it, we are all enhancing our original features one way or the other everyday. And if going lighter makes one happy, then by all means, do a Michael Jackson – as long as it makes you sleep at night – who cares what you do with your skin?
But then again, this ends up causing people to have serious low self-esteem, and low self-worth. If I’m not mistaken, on Mary Jane – she had a niece who felt that she was so ugly because she was dark, and she would rather sleep with someone who wasn’t the same race as hers because she didn’t want her baby to be black like her. Even though this was a fictional story, it does still depict how many of our fellow black sisters feel. And to say it’s heart breaking is an understatement.
Thinking about it though, the white man only came to Africa a few centuries ago. So what was everybody’s definition of true beauty back then? Have yellow-bones been the envy of everyone always? It’s interesting don’t you think how if one is told that they are getting lighter, they almost always become more cheerful, regardless of whether they are in control or not of their complexion changing.
Although if you look at it, the very black individual is more often than not the most beautiful. Think of Gabrielle Union, Genevieve Nnaji, Naomi Campbell … the list goes on. I was about to list the black fine brothers I know, and then I had a sort of Eureka moment you know. This whole black is ugly usually occurs to the girls and not the guys isn’t it? That’s unfair!
What are your thoughts though, do all black people think the lighter one is the prettier? What is YOUR definition of true beauty?
