10 Feb 2009

Just For The [Race] Record!

I am black. I look black. My parents are from Jamaica, and yes I know all of us come in different shades, but I'm tired y'all. My black non-ambiguous ass is tired of having to tell my closest friend..

I AM NOT LIGHT SKINNED!!

Here goes….

For fuck sake. I'm sorry I had to get it out! Which part of me in that picture looks light skinned? When I tell her I AM NOT, she keeps telling me "I don't know why you keep saying you aren't. You are." No luv you are light skinned. You're niece thinks your white and my friends keep referring to you as my mixed race friend, and I have to correct them. No she's black. I've told her SHE is racially ambiguous as even though I know her parents are black to others it's confusing as to whether she's black or mixed race. There is none of that with me. And I've explained this to her on numerous occasions. Not that it matters to me, but how are you going to disagree with the fact that you look blatantly mixed [where you do] and call me light skinned [where I don't], I find that laughable.

[OK I have a slight Texan tan in that picture] If I was light I'd say I was light. But I'm not!! And I've never been referred to as the light skinned or red skinned girl. Apparently with us black folks there are over 30 shades of brown skin that makes us up as a people. I'm beginning to think there are way more than that ranging from the lightest to the darkest.

The fact remains I'm a brown skinned black woman who is in the middle of the spectrum, too dark to be called light and too light to be referred to as dark. **Shrugs** Why she feels the need to find a label for me I don't know, I've never felt I needed to adopt one to classify my skin tone, so why what I look like to others is now a topic I don't know. I just say I'm black. None of this mocha, chocolate, caramel, almond, honey glazed nonsense. B-L-A-C-K.

Can I just be black in peace without some extra label. Haven't we got enough. Even some non-black folks have told me "I don't look typically black." OK what is THAT supposed to mean?

**SIGH**

My sister told me someone asked her a while ago if she was mixed race [look at her [picture]. I mean seriously what are people on. If you're not blick black and dark like the night sky are people now thinking that you're somewhat mixed? I know mixed comes in all shades from light to dark, but c'mon now my sister doesn't have the typical and common mixed look or skin tone going on to even be asked that question.

There are some people, like me and my sister, happy and content with the way we look as black women and not getting all happy at the thought of being looked at as light or mixed. Especially when we don't. We just get on with it.

Fix up people and get some sense.

6 comments:

  1. I also don't get 'typically black'...wtf...I guess to some folks you have to be Alek Wek dark to be considered dark and yet we come in different shades!!

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  2. LOL..... And for get it if you have long hair. U definitely much be part Cherokee LOL.

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  3. U light skinneded whether u like it or not in the USA so get over it. you a few shades of red boneded.

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  4. @Shona. Tell it!! I've come to notice this strange mentality that anything other than Alek and Djimon's complexion then, BAM you are either chocolate or light skinned. **rolls eyes**

    @Newams, you ain't neva lied!! LOL. I have had people TELL ME what my hair type is too. Listen it's straight up afro very small tight coiled hair. On the spectrum my hair is 4B. I texturised it with a relaxer a few times a year, and people find it very hard to believe I'm straight up nappy. Look I've worn the fro and I've even been a card carrying member of the dreadlocks club. You think I'd KNOW my own hair type. Maybe people are under the assumption that you can't possibly be (a) not get all happy at being referred to as light and (b) have no problem in having afro hair and that anything other than that is a compliment.

    @Fashogi, my mother is a St Elizabethan woman. 'Land of the light skinned folks' I know about light and in the USA trust me that's the place where I'm not considered light. I've had many an American confirm that for me when I tell them my story of my friend who tries to put me in that box. "Girl you should see my sister, cousin, brotha, father if you want to know about light." That's the type of response I get, and I tell them "Thank You" point in case proven. I've seen plenty a light skinned black American to know I am not considered light in the US. Now A few shades short of being 'red bone'...I don't even think so, no where near. Never ever been considered light, will never be considered light. And anyone that thinks so especially after seeing those pictures of me and my sister along with my friend clearly needs their head examined. I guess folks have never seen pictures of Tisha Campbell or Beyonce's mama. But then again that depends on YOUR meaning of light. To me Tyra isn't but Tisha is. My friend is close to Tisha's complexion so I don't know what new medication she is on to be lumping me in the same box as her. You've seen my pictures on FB in a frou frou dress next to a white woman. Stop the madness now!! Just stop it!!!

    http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=76233&l=5656e&id=727047320

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