There’s been a lot of discussion about racial ambiguity on social media among the black community — on the privileges had by lighter–skinned black people (who are often mixed race) and even discourse on whether mixed people should be considered black at all. A lot of these conversations have revolved around entertainment, with many criticizing Netflix for only casting black women who “pass the paper bag test,” as well as writers like Kenya Barris who only focus on representing mixed people. Other conversations are about this bias in dating, and how the preference for lighter–skinned women — especially among black men — isn’t just a preference, but rather a reflection of societal beauty standards that uphold proximity to whiteness. On the other side, some discuss how darker–skinned men are fetishized by society and are praised for their “sexual prowess.”
All of these conversations relate to one concept: colorism. Colorism, as defined by Oxford Languages, is “prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group.” Undoubtedly, discussing representation in film and discriminatory dating practices is important. But some have reduced conversations revolving colorism to just darker–skinned women “complaining” about not being picked. When discussing colorism, it’s important to go beyond just talking about disparities in entertainment and dating. Rather, the consequences of these disparities and how they create a culture where colorism has consequences for the everyday darker–skinned black person should also be included.
Colorism is reflected in the gap in employment opportunities and employer bias. Research tends to focus on black and white disparities in the workplace, but there’s a limited number of studies on employment disparities between darker and lighter black people. A 2009 study by Dr. Harrison from the University of Georgia found that darker–skinned black people have even greater disadvantages when applying to jobs, as opposed to lighter–skinned black people. Robert L. Reece from the University of Texas at Austin also found that there was a hierarchy in incomes: “Light-skinned men sit atop this hierarchy, with higher incomes than other black Americans after controlling for other relevant factors. Dark–skinned people suffer at the bottom of this hierarchy, with lower incomes than the other gender and skin tone combinations (medium-skinned men, light-skinned women, and medium-skinned women.)”
This is in part due to the fact that black people, and particularly black women, are seen as most attractive when they have physical features most fitting to European beauty standards. This includes straighter hair texture, slimmer noses, certain eye colors and lip shapes, and of course, lighter skin. These beauty standards are noticeably reflected in entertainment, with disproportionate casting of lighter–skinned Black women. This influences the perception of lighter–skinned people by hiring managers in the context of the employment industry. A light–skinned black woman with loose hair texture or straight hair would be seen as more “palatable” than a darker skinned Black woman with a thicker hair texture.
Darker–skinned people are also portrayed by the media as more violent. Specifically, darker–skinned black men are more commonly associated with incivility, crime, and misconduct. Regardless of race, people perceive those with darker skin as more likely to have committed an immoral act. As a result, an interviewer may feel consciously or unconsciously uncomfortable or distrustful of a black man with dark skin.
These stereotypes affecting darker–skinned people also influence the likelihood of going to jail. A Harvard study found that “very dark” African Americans have a 65% probability of going to jail. This is compared to only 40% amongst “very light” African Americans.
This is all to show that the biases we observe in entertainment and dating don’t occur in a vacuum. Instead, they are a reflection of greater cultural and systemic practices. Entertainment in particular can serve to challenge or reinforce cultural norms. When questioning discriminatory practices, it is important to also discuss their consequences beyond where we can see them most readily.