What is Colorism and what do we do about it?
Updated: Jul 12, 2023
The origins and effects of colorism.
By: Ana Palacios
In modern society, we almost pride ourselves in our vast categorizations as we hyphenate our identities to form the perfectly likable niche personality. Some characterizations may be more heinous than the next. Though of course, we must recognize the hierarchy that exists in our material realities which often dictates characterizations in society. Colorism may very well be one of them. First coining the term Alice Walker described it as a favoring towards lighter skin within and between groups: a shared prejudice. This practice, unlike forms of racism, is worldwide, more specifically related to the hue of one’s skin, and less reliant on cultural or societal context.
The difference between racism and colorism may seem ambiguous to some, at the end of the day, it's all bigotry, right? Nonetheless, this cause is worth investigating. It should be first noted that racism is the discrimination and prejudice over someone's perceived racial status. This perception is important and directly relates to the shade of one's skin. Individuals of different races may very well have the same skin color; the opposite is plausible as well. The term “white-passing” has become increasingly popular, and equally as controversial, describes individuals of a certain racial status whose skin is more akin to white individuals, thus deriving privilege from their perceived whiteness. This privilege that being ‘lighter’ affords was studied by NYU professor Eddie Fergus, who observed these behaviors in high school Latinx men. His findings: “Mexican and Puerto Rican males with white-looking skin are perceived as white and sometimes treated more favorably, while boys of the same ethnicity who had darker complexions are perceived as black and often experience discrimination” (Fergus,2010). What is more, these high schoolers experienced the world differently based on their racialized perceptions: already Mexican or Puerto Rican, the reaction to their appearances further dictated their treatment.
This is not to say that somehow racism is invalidated or overpowered by solely the perception of color, in fact, racism is what arguably enables colorism to continue. The high schoolers participating in Mr. Fergu’s study, for example, still navigated the hardships of being Latinx, nonetheless, had different experiences derived from their skin tones. Despite being of the same race, people with different skin tones operate in a world of different expectations, treatment, and perceptions: a difference in even their own material realities. Our implicit biases are so pervasive, that it has taken this long for us to notice them, to reexamine and reevaluate them. Colorism clearly stems from a white prerogative that says “the-whiter-the-better,” so, are we really wrong to attribute at least some of the blame to the white supremacy that has ruled so much of worldly institutions across the globe? To some of the colonial legacy that thrived on the oppression of black and brown bodies?
This is where the disclaimer comes in. While it is important to acknowledge the prejudices that exist within communities, each and every one of us has the responsibility to know our place. Respectfully, we must consider the spaces in which these conversations are had as discussions that most readily concern the members of that community. Those outside the communities are unlikely to fully grasp the very nuanced social relationships that play into colorist issues as they often occur intracommunity, not amongst different power structures in society. This isn't to say we should not engage in purely informational endeavors, much like this one, in fact, they are important, but we should not interrupt or barge into the discussions within other community circles.
Implicit biases plague our everyday lives, whether we want them to or not. This is the first step towards deconstructing these learned behaviors: acceptance. We must acknowledge that though we may not be part of the culture that perpetuates these things, we still play a role in the larger system of white supremacy which fuels a system of deep disparity. For us people fighting for an equitable change, against any and all types of bigotry and prejudice, we must first face the internal racism that is inevitably learned in our societies to authentically continue the fight for justice and equity in society.
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