Dark Girls: Official Preview: This is why some women resort to bleaching their skin | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

LI_Leaderboard_4

LI_Leaderboard_1

LI_Leaderboard_2

LI_Leaderboard_3

Sunday 12 June 2011

Dark Girls: Official Preview: This is why some women resort to bleaching their skin

Clips from the upcoming documentary exploring the deep-seated biases and attitudes about skin color, particularly dark skinned women, outside of and within the Black American culture.

49 comments:

R 4 B I Z said...

I want white skin. I hate being black. I have been black for too long. I'm going to Michael Jackson my skin to snow white.
























I'm kidding Oooo :)
I'm black n 100% proud of it.

Anonymous said...

I love this video !

YankeeNaija said...

Definitely brought back memories of highschool, where the lighter girls actually formed a clique, that excluded any of the dark girls. I personally didn't care, but the other dark girls were so offended, that they decided to form a group of their own. I love being a dark skinned woman and wouldn't change anything about myself. I thank God for making me as beautiful as He made me. He did good.

Anonymous said...

Very very sad and self inflicted by the so-called community. I found that guy giving his opinion hilarious, he is hardly an oil painting.....still. What can any one say? If Michelle Obama in the white house won't change their perceptions, then nothing will. I disagree though with the all unifying term of black in America. Very different cultures exist.

Anonymous said...

Very very sad and self inflicted by the so-called community. I found that guy giving his opinion hilarious, he is hardly an oil painting.....still. What can any one say? If Michelle Obama in the white house won't change their perceptions, then nothing will. I disagree though with the all unifying term of black in America. Very different cultures exist.

SirTalk said...

Linda You are so 2 months ago with this post. Nice post though.

Anonymous said...

Am honestly beginning to think this people have too much time on their hands. Oprah is as dark as they ared she made it very far. Michelle Obama is the first lady of USA & she has dark skin. This people should move on an stop blaming the colour of their skin.

Anonymous said...

wow!....So sad...no wonder we never get ahead...self hate is real..Dark skin girls you are all beautiful don't let any moron tell you otherwise...Black men have the most self hate though, they are the first to diss dark skin women

tayo said...

Not only bleaching but the society hails fair-complexioned women as women of beauty.... but thanks to some beautiful dark skinned women in our midst, we dont have to feel like an outcast among the fair women!!!

Black is Beauty... embrace it and love it!!!

Titi said...

Akatas have too many fcking issues, and i think it has to do with the slavery thing

I mean SOME africans may have this complex too but the akatas one is too much. I mean jeeze - is that serious you wanna kill ya self.

No wonder they have such low self esteem and anything beautiful they hate on (eg Beyonce, Kim Kardashian) i mean when you visit some black blogs the hate they spew on fellow black celebrities its sad. You dont see oyibos hating on Britney Spears or Hannah Montana.

I am glad i am not akata - they got too many fcking issues stemmed from slavery. You cant even see one in the mall and smile at them for smile back (ESPECIALLY when you look good) - it really intimidates them and they size you up.

Am in my 30s and true african and have friends from when i was in kindargarten back in africa. Akatas cant keep female/male relationships - they dont trust each other.

Honestly before i came to america i thought all of them were like what i saw on COsby Show. not knowing the majority of them were USELESS SPECIES Aand a DISGRACE to all black race on the universe. I wont touch them with a 10 foot pole. I live here worked with them and i know them like th back of my hands.

SKIN SKIN SKIN - skin ko skin ni. Love your selfs for once in your fcking miserable life - there are better things to worry ya selfs about in life.

i feel sorry for them especially when they dont respect africans. i wont clean them with my dirty shoe. All of them have issues from halle berry to the average person, dont let their beauty fool you. I feel even sorry for african men who marrry their tired asses.

Anonymous said...

It is a big issue in the Black American community, it is an issue in any community that has some kind of diversity in shade of color. The difference is Black people take it a bit far. I have seen some traces of this madness on our Continent...places outside of South Africa like Nigeria (smh).

That's why bleaching is popular. Wake up o people, we are all black. In front of the people that some are trying to emulate (skin color wise) we are all black. When you have that child with a non-black person, your child is deemed as black and treated as such in America. In places like Nigeria, you are treated as a semi-god. I have moved on from guys who have said "thank God you are light"??? I expect that stupidity from people here but not an African.

Anyway, it is not like these people have too much time on their hands...it is an issue for them. You see it as a non-issue because despite our light is better mentality, women are not treated badly because they are not light in complexion. Here, whether people like it or not, it is so real....stupid but real.

adetunji said...

d documentary is uncalled for,

Alicia says... said...

WOW! well the truth finally comes out, no more sweeping it under the rug. I hope whites won't use this as another reason to look down on blacks....but i love that the truth is finally coming out.
the black race needs to WAKE UP!

dark girl for life!!! said...

this is very mild now they should come and see naija gals! yr 1 in school every is naive and came in dark beofre 3rd when eye don tear, every is fair no white some who enter runs are 'clean white' other ajepakos are 'dirty white' with patches all over! this is a very serious issue. oya they should also do a documentary on why white people like tanning abi bronzing. "uwaezuoke" means the world is never enough

NINA said...

LET ME TELL Y'ALL BLACK DONT CRACK..ALL THE DARK WOMEN IN MY LIFE IN THEIR 60S AND 70S ARE STILL AS BEAUTIFUL AS EVER WITH PRACTICALLY NO WRINKLES...

THESE ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN WHO HAVE DEEPER SEATED ISSUES THAN US IN AFRICA BCOS OF THE RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION...WHITE PPL HAVE SHOVED DOWN EVERYONE'S THROATS WITH WHITE OR AS I WOULD SAY "PINK" IMAGES DISPLAYED EVERYWHERE...LEAVING NO ROOM FOR BEAUTIFUL COLORED WOMEN'S IMAGES.MY DAUGHTER GOES TO A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SCHOOL, AND SINCE I HAVE RAISED HER WITH SO MUCH SELF ESTEEM..SHE DOESN'T LET HER FRIENDS INTIMIDATE HER, AND TELLS THEM THAT HER MOM SAID BLACK SKIN IS THE BEST..IT DOENST AGE, AND IT DOESNT NEED TOO MUCH SUNSCREEN, AND IS GENERALLY HEALTHIER..

ALL THESE ARE MIND GAMES PERPETUATED BY CAUCASIANS TO CONTINUE THE HIDEOUS STEREOTYPE THAT DARKER SKINNED PPL ARE LESS THAN...HAS ANYONE WONDERED AT THIS LEVEL OF HYPOCRISY?? WHEREIN WHITE PPL SPEND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY ON TANNING LOTIONS, TANNING BEDS, SPENDING HOURS BAKING IN THE SUN, AND RISKING MELANOMA, JUST SO THAT THEY CAN GET DARKER...THEY THEMSELVES DETEST IT WHEN THEIR SKINS ARE TOO PALE...
SO PLS MY FRIENDS LET'S NOT GET IT TWISTED BLACK SKIN IS THE BEST, AND HEALTHIEST...

Anonymous said...

americans have issues and we try to look at them abeg black or white or light or biracial if u are beautiful na so. nobody can make u less than what God wants u to be. abeg these african americans sef dem no get job that's why dey have time to be looking at white people and hating themselves. abegi u fine u fine...u succeed u go succeed no be mata of skin color.unless some ppl wey dey blind and ppl wey get preference. me i prefer dark skinned girls i am not attracted to light girls but it doesn't mean they r not attractive.

Anonymous said...

Chi please look at the girls knuckles here at 2.00 did you see that they were alil darker that her skin tone.

Anonymous said...

You people have time sa.

People are dying of HIV, you people are here talking about skin colour.

Hian!
Americana get time

Anonymous said...

i am very dark in complexion and i have never liked it.Growing up as a child in Nigeria, kids in the area called me AJA DUDU(Black Dog) and it made me cry. I have lived in the UK for almost 10years and i'm in my late 20's. i have decided to marry a white man. I have also started using skin lightening cream for my body and i get more attention from men of color. I am not proud of this but who can blame me?

Anonymous said...

this is really sad...

joshua said...

if you r waiting for some ignorant clown, thats dealing with self esteem issues too n needs you to make them feel better about themselves and probably doesnt have as much common sense as you, to tell you you are pretty no matter how you look..then you truly are ugly...true beauty comes from within, from your mind, from you knowing your worth...if u beautiful inside, then itll radiate outside for everyone to see...be confident people. black n proud!!!

Anonymous said...

SMH

Light skin is considered a sign of beauty, plain and simple, so light skinned people are considered more desireable.

Does this make it right? Not at all, it just is what it is.

Go watch Spike Lee's "School Daze" , though its about 30 years old, it deals with the subject explicitly...

Anonymous said...

Please don't get me started with this. I don't want to belittle what people have been through or are still going through But when dark skin people stop belittling themselves and passing it on to their children that's when all this crap will stop. Be proud of your skin, and the best way to to fight this is not to make the the light skin people your enemy cos they are not. love urselves!!!

Cece said...

This is soooo sily, coming out to even do this video is self hate because Black skin is sooo beautiful and am so rocking my black self like my fellow sisterz kelly Rowland, Naomi Campbell and the rest of them even my Nigerian sisters keep there black color clean and even. With that said i knw some, who don't just care about there skin,which is bad. There are so many products out there for black skin and not so expensive to use. even shea butter is good. so i dont know why they made this stupid video. cant believe we are still discussing this at this modern tme LMAO!!!

Anonymous said...

serious self esteem issue.....they need to get a life

Anonymous said...

if u leave in naija, u wont feel bad. come home!!!

Anonymous said...

michelle obama is not light skinned, oluchi onweagba, geneveive, gabrielle union, cmon get off it!!! black is beautiful and lasts. light women get old too soon.

Anonymous said...

But haba these ladies are really beautiful now!
I think this issue has more to do with self esteem than skin colour.

Roberta Zadelski said...

Strange hos we never look at the advantages of the dark sin.

1. You hardly get sun burn.
2. It's rare to get melanoma and other forms of skin cancer when you are dark.
3. Dark skin does not develop age spots in old age (except if you bleach).
4.Dark skin starts to wrinke on average 10-15 years after white and lighter skins.
%. I live in a place surrounded by white and lighter coloured blacks. Have you ever looked at the wrinkles they get around their eyes as early as in their 20's? You will thank God for giving you your black skin!

Anonymous said...

I'm a very dark skinned chic n so is my sister. I know I'm beautiful and have never felt less beautiful bc of my skin color. The truth is that we black people also have to maintain our skin color. I try things that can make keep my skin well hydrated and glowing alwys. It's not always easy but it's not always easy for the light skinned sisters n caucasians either. The koko of the matter is self love, and self esteem. I walk into most rooms and i can easily be the darkest person in there and the most outsatnding bc i'm confident beautiful and i know it and i carry myself as such. black people should learn self love and feel good abt hemselves bc when you do, it really does radiate outwards and others around you will pweceive you as such. shekena.gbam##

Anonymous said...

this is NOT just an american thing. wish african americans knew it has NOTHING to do with slavery. it is an issue AFRICANS deal with as well. we bleach way more than african americans. blacks stay being their number 1 enemies... so sad to be insecure.

Alicia says... said...

anonymous 3:36 and 4:10, please go and jump into the lagoon. first of all, what is wrong with her knucles? they look normal to me.
and as for 4:10, the reason why you probably get more attention now is because you carry yourself in a different way than before. you probably have more confidence which then reflects on the outside. im sorry to say but you are so sad and pathetic. you meet the white guy and he asks you why you've decided to date and get into white guys and you'll tell him because you want light skinned children and you hate your skin tone? or when you marry him and he finds out that you're a bleacher? come on, either you are joking or a complete idiot. yes, a white man is gonna marry you just to have some light skinned kids and accept you for your self hate and skin bleaching? how will you expect ANYONE to love you when you cant even love yourself? can we blame you? YES! there are PLENTY of dark skinned women holding it down in the media for you to look up to, so stop the excuses.
why do we even need to look up to people anyway? SMH! this has got to stop.
even 100 years from now they will still be debating the topic, unless....
determining your child's phenotype becomes a reality and all black people will be programming their embryos to have light skin, light eyes, and "good" curly hair. SMH!

it's true, African Americans have sooooo many issues, yet we try so hard to emulate them. SMH. Nigerians and copy copy syndrome with copying everything blindly.

Ms Ken said...

I think if it was easy to get over, they would have done it since, coz u see older dark skin women dealin wit it still..they r not fools.
@Titi, I agree akata ppl hav a lot of issues, prolly stemming from slavery as anoda commented said. But u sayin u wont touch dem wit ur dirty shoe just hurts coz these r YOUR OWN PEOPLE,we all African. Time, space and slavery may have seprated us but still. Some of dem may jus be lost coz dey inherited value systems from slavery dat u dint have to go through.
It mite seem like a small issue to some ppl but really try to see thgs from their perspective and where they reside- USA is very different from Nigeria.

Chi said...

@Titi,
did an AA women steal your husband and 5 children?? Naija Voltron abeg take a chill pill and go and sleep. Calm down! People like you are the reason for issues that arise. Infact what are you doing in their country??

Its a sad situation, even worse in our beloved Naija, rest of Africa, Caribbean. My sister and I look alike but growing up because I was quite fair like my dad, I was considered "pretty" and my sister was seen as "the one that isnt pretty". A big shame.

Ms. J said...

This is a good documentary, irrespective of what we all say, there was a time we wish our tone was just one shade lighter,just as you wear contacts it has nothing to do with low self esteem.
Titi is right with the Akata issues, but at the end of the day, black is ageless and beautiful!
Roberta Zaldeski.... spot on girl!

Anonymous said...

there is a fine line between insecurities and low self esteem. we all have insecurities and that can be fixed by good vibes, retail therapy, etc. Low self esteem has no cure...u r awlays going to feel inferior. u think black skin is the problem, then when u r yellow, u worry about sun bun or freckles etc...it goes on and on. all my mixed friends as so miserable in te USA, cos blacks don't accept then, neither do white.,..so they ask "who am I". abeg condeleeza rice makes me proud that im black

Anonymous said...

i'm light skinned..i never knew this was an issue IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY' till i travelled to north america..i mean, yeah racism still exists in some form but we blacks are the ones that actually hype it..in lag,i used to be called a yellow paw paw..i even hated it.i saw myself as the average black person.to me black is black.but no o, not to the black community in north america esp USA.i love titi's post contrary to what a lot of people say..anythin that happens, black people will want to play the race card..it is so damn annoying cos we can testify of blacks that are doing well regardless of what society says about them or not..and the black community in the US have a lot of issues even among themselves..they get jealous when they see someone else doing well..instead of trying to learn from the person, they try to drag the person down..its rily sad..i hope the video goes out to achieve wht it is meant to if not it will just be a waste and will reaffirm to black people the reason why they need to waste their time discussing their skin color instead of doing things which will make them better people.watch the movie 'the blind side' and you'll understand some of these things tho not in detail...but rily i think it is sad that adults pass this down to their children who are supposed to be the future generations and this brings abt low self esteem and hate..pls o, learn to love your skin and understand that God loves you..regardless of color of ur skin you will do exploits as long as you dont focus on the wrong thing..nuff said..

j said...

@ akatas
its your attitude that makes people prejudiced against you not the color of your skin
fix your attitude first

black people have got issues sha
one minute its the hair we are debating on

nappy hair vs relaxed hair
fat nose vs pointed nose
full lips vs thin lips

now its color
haba theres more to life than all these crap going on

and to think I consider really dark pretty women the most attractive guess im alone on that

Anonymous said...

@ Anonymous June 13 12.45 am... Shut the fuck up... if the lady says she married a white man just to lighten hwe generation why is it such a big offence to u moron. thats why u people dont mind ur business. The issue of black and light skin wld always be in in existence and never gonna wipe. mumu like u...have u ever wonder why light skin naija girls tend to get job quicker than the dark skin girls who even came out with first class. Now Ask Ur Father...Ewu Mmeee!! Mscheeeww!

Anonymous said...

Saw this documentary about a month ago and must say I am still gob-smacked. People are blaming the African-Americans but this is perpetuated everywhere by blacks. I see people of dark skin marry white people so their kids do not come out darker and some brotha's who prefer dating white or other races so as not to deal with their own kind. Until you learn to love yourselves, no-one else would. Blacks enough of the self hate, the weaves and all the rubbish in the name of wanting to be and look white and learn to project yourselves in a unique and beautiful way.

Allegra said...

Am I missing something here...........I do not see anything wrong with these ladies (all looking fab) except for poor choice of earrings in some cases. Mehhhn, learn to love yourself and others would follow.

Alicia says... said...

12:31 PM, it is clear you are the same idiot suffering from your inferiority complex. hahahaha, so she will marry her white husband will all her bleaching creams? ewwwww, who is gonna marry some self-hating creature? yes it's an offense to me as a black woman. BLACK PEOPLE CONTINUE TO SHAME THEMSELVES!
I guess self-hate really is a disease. and when he asks, "why me?" y'all will answer "i wanted light skinned kids" SMH!

Anonymous said...

june 13, 12:45am
WTF is your problem? i was only staying how i felt being very dark as a young girl and i don't see how that is your father's problem. How dare u call me names? who on earth do u think you are to open your bloody mouth and utter rubbish. its obvious you don't get the point of the documentary. You bloody wanker.

i don't think its any of your business who i marry. it has got nothing to do with my self esteem...Monkey banana

Anonymous said...

I am completely shocked that there are so many readers on this blog who have tagged this skin color issue as a Black-American issues. I am a Nigerian living in America and I have noticed that the worst issues with skin color come from Africans! Africans, on a whole, are the ones buying skin bleaching cream, constantly referring to someones complexion to describe them, and also echoing the comments said on the video. Yes there are other issues going on in the world, but to try to use that argument to lessen the issues of complexion is naive. Naming a few black women who are successful means nothing. It actually proves the point that skin does matter--the fact that you can actually name the dark skin women. Race/complexion is a very big issue and it CAN have an effect on your lifestyle (jobs, relationships, etc). The problem is exacerbated in America because there are so many other races. Back home is not as homogenous and therefore the problem probably is not as apparent (though I find that hard to believe since it is when I go back home that people mention my complexion). I am not saying lay down and die because of your complexion--everyone should see him/herself as equal and push forward. I, however, do not appreciate how much people undermine legitimate issues or try to push it off as an "American" problem. I read this blog alot and I notice how many times people comment on someones beauty relative to the persons skin color.

Adebola said...

@ Annonymous 9:27pm You have the right to marry anybody of your choice, but please darling do it for the right reasons, saying you want to marry a white man, because of childhood bullies who at the time were ignorant is damaging to you future and that of your children. Marry anyone you like, but for the right reasons. And you bleaching you skin now, would have serious implication for you later, speak to someone about what you have experienced in the past, so you can move on. I am very dark skinned too and I have gotten comment from people because of my lovely even skin tone which makes me smile. I have never for once wished I was lighter and I appreciate my light skinned sisters too. Genevieve is dark skinned and so beautiful, and alot of the Ghanian actress are so dark and beautiful, ever wandered why modelling agencies come to Africa to employ the very dark beautiful models, because of the beautiful skin tone love, some of the most successful black people today are dark beautiful women. That alone should inspire you. Forget the bullies, they were only JEALOUS Start loving yourself today, because no one else can love you better. @ Titi I appreciate your comment.

Anonymous said...

@ Annon June 13, 2011 9:27 PM

Let me jump in here! Yes it does partially have to do with your self esteem but it probably has more to do with inferiority complex. I am a dark skin lady myself...same complexion like Nollywood actress Genny Nnaji. Never once was I called aja dudu in the 11 years I lived in Nigeria. If anything, people told me and still tell me that I have gorgeous skin (both blacks and whites; in Nigeria and in the USA). I must admit though, I have heared the term 'aja dudu' before and I honestly think that its a shame that anyone will call you that. In other words, whoever called you that ought to be ashame of themselves.

That being said, I just want to let you know that bleaching alters your pigment and the strong skin lighthening chemical is cancer causing. If you don't believe me do some research on skin bleaching and the medical side effects. Bleaching also messes up the elasticity of your skin so if God forbid you have to undergo surgery someday like a C-section or any other health-related surgery, you will be in a hot mess.

As for you marrying a white man just to get fair skinned mulatto kids, that is your choice which you sure have a right to make. Just keep in mind that not all mulattos AKA biracial kids come out light. DNA has much to do with it. There is a possibility that they may come out darker...maybe not pitch black but somewhat dark as well. I have seen that happen and I also have some biracial friends who are my complexion as well.

Lastly, please learn to argue your point across without becoming verbally abusive. You may not agree with Alicia but you don't have to start cussing like a drunken sailor. Is that how you intend to be when you get married and engage in a verbal argument with your future white husband? Just so you know, White people will not tolerate that typical Nigerian aggressive behaviour that I see Nigerians display online and in real life.

Learn to disagree with another person without all the cussing. Learn to control your anger outbursts....your heart and blood pressure will thank you for it later in life when you get up there in age.

Peace!

Anonymous said...

do any of u realize that light vs dark is not a 'black' issue but a world issue?? majority of bleaching products generate from where? Asia..na dem bleach pass. funny thing is while they Asians, Indians etc may not be black, they suffer the same cast system and discrimination that blacks talk about. the lighter skinned they are the more favorable their chances in the community, esp in India. so people this color issue is a world issue brought on by old time white European ideals of beauty. don't worry about what the world says and love yourself, i love Oprah as an example because she really defied all the stereotypes of what her color was 'supposed' to make of her. xoxox

Bibi said...

For all the people saying this does not happen in Nigeria, keep telling yourself that and you'll eventually believe it.

Ever wondered why all the so called "lower class" women are way darker.

As a matter of fact, I have been told by a Yoruba, yes, Yoruba childhood friend that he couldn't date someone as dark skinned as me, cos boys would assume "nothing dey happen for me".

Facts said...

mtseeeww don't like ur skin? get bleaching cream, dont like ur hair retouch it, don't like your nyansh? enlarge it, don't like ur lips get injection, don't like ur boobies? get implants.
Now lets all go back to work and class.
ok bye

Recent Posts