There are a lot of people, particularly Black people, who accuse others of “bleaching their skin” in an attempt to be more “White adjacent.” This is even happening to someone with a long history of observing Black culture, like Beyoncé Knowles. People have seen recent photos of Beyoncé and some are convinced that she is bleaching her skin. They say this even though she looks just like she did when she was a child.
Along the same lines people are accusing others of trying to bleach themselves White. One of the latest public figures targeted by these allegations is the great tennis star Serena Williams. Basically, there are photos of her that seem to be taken in lighting that makes her appear to be lighter than she actually is. What people are ignoring is the fact that makeup can make a person look lighter than normal, as well as certain camera lighting. This does not mean that a person is trying to transform into a “White” person.
In most cases, it is not true that people who wear makeup are trying to become White. Makeup has the advantage of covering blemishes and enhancing a person’s natural features. However, wearing makeup does not mean that one is trying to change into another race.
The issues of color are enigmatic…what is it about skin color that causes people to attempt to hurt or ignore others based on it? Actually, race far transcends skin color. There have been numerous challenges to light-skinned Black people who complain about being rejected by darker-skinned Black people. In other words, the issue of skin color impacts both dark-skinned AND light-skinned African Americans.
The truth is that racism is not just about skin color; it’s about a type of tribal bigotry. There are Black people so light-skinned that they can pass for White, yet they are persecuted if they are discovered. In some of these cases, neither Black nor White people can tell that they are “passing.” This brings to mind several questions: if some people are so similar that they are racially ambiguous, why are people inclined to separate people racially?
There are indications that the differing “races” are an artificial construct…that there is no such thing as differing races. This may be true on a molecular or cellular level, but in actual life, people tend to bond with others like themselves. In this regard, we can observe that anyone of any race can succeed in any area of endeavor if they apply themselves.
That last assertion lends credence to the idea that the issue of racial identity is not valid when it comes to leaving people out of life’s activities based on their apparent race; anyone can do anything if they have the sufficient desire to accomplish their goals.
One other thing to consider is the fact that even though there ARE racial differences, it does not mean that the differing races represent different humanities. This is a crucial point because some of the bigotry that comes from individuals who are prominent in the dominant culture exhibit racist actions due to a belief that some “races” are inferior.
Many White people (and, unbelievably, some Blacks) have been notorious for attributing inferiority to Blacks. There ARE differences between the races, but these differences are not “barriers!” There is a difference between cultural habits and interests that cause people to branch out in differing performance directions.
Differences in cultural memories and habits between Black and White (and other) people are obvious. What is also apparently true is that we are all connected. WiFi is the modern proof of this. Since we are on this planet together, we can benefit greatly by pooling resources and sharing our talents and interests. Earth is populated by differing races whose skills and talents intertwine; it’s a tapestry that collectively fits together, and if we ever reach a point of maturity, we’ll be able to maximize our united Earthly existence. Hopefully, this can happen soon. In the meantime, however, each group must understand their own culture and identify strategies that can enhance the quality of life for us all. Aluta continua.
(Reprinted from the Chicago Crusader)