Does Colorism Hold People Back From Success? | Listen To Black Women

In this episode, we're asking the question: does colorism hold people back from success?
VISIT OUR SITE: bit.ly/KK8Af7
SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/KZkJMX
WATCH MORE: bit.ly/12nX00w
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: on. KqfX8N
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: bit.ly/SUwIis
MADAMENOIRE is a passionate, cutting-edge web publication geared towards African-American women. The publication's mission is to unite black women at various stages of their lives, around a common aspiration for better, more fulfilling lifestyles. MADAMENOIRE provides breaking news, an open forum for discussion and cosmopolitan advice born from the lived experiences and needs of these women of color (which includes mothers, young professionals, fashionistas and intellectuals).
---
[VIDEO TITLE]

[@kaztazable]

i'm not saying this out of sympathy for the woman in the middle but because it is the truth: SHE IS GORGEOUS!!!

[@breannanouveaux5132]

kaztazable wait...why would she need sympathy ?

[@keyairak100]

Thank you!

[@YERO01]

Yeah a linda in the middle..smh aye caramba.....real talk she is absolutely stunning...flawless. Crazy how the people have not evolved beyond the same tired cliches...that's crazy Valeu!

[@tweetyqt05]

Gorgeous!!

[@oyaje182]

I proclaim it! I fell for her the first time I saw her. I like every color in the rainbow, but I love orange. She is my "Queen of Orange". Marinate on that for a sec.

[@hersupreme3348]

I am lightskin and it’s frustrating hearing other lighter skinned women completely deny having any sort of privilege. It really means that you could have potentially participated in colorist acts against your own family, loved ones, friends, etc. it means holding yourself accountable.

[@usedbyjesus]

Or maybe they have been treated like dark sisters cause they look black...and never really notice cause their in the struggle too...you know a lot of white folk do not care if you a high yellow or blue vein society light skin person ..you black they wouldn't want you...

[@kathleenking47]

It's not just skin tone, but features and hair texture as well

[@BillionaireDubaii]

❤

[@teneshaalexander6599]

It’s time to let go of old notions and standards of beauty! Darker skinned women are beautiful and deserve the same respect as all other hues!

[@Inotrobot]

It starts with you, if DSW are going to Azealia Banks every situation, u will end up creating more Light Skin Women, because y'all are the first to reject ur People and go date White's.

[@taylorthenatural5509]

@@Inotrobot That's a bold faced lie. Right now MANY more black men are dating out than black women. You tried it.😂😂

[@kathleenking47]

I notice, white men, tend to GO for darkskinned BW IN white culture, they have colorism, in being too white

[@kandikrush6553]

I am a lighter skinned woman raising a beautiful dark brown daughter. I did not really recognize colorism as "a thing" until I had her. I was naive. People can be so ignorant ....even when they attempt to compliment her. Great video, ladies. I want these segments to be longer.

[@breannanouveaux5132]

Kandi Krush the fact that your daughter is darker brown is probably because the black male who chose you saw you for color.

[@shortmonee3123]

@@breannanouveaux5132 Men don't make marriage commitments based on color... Pay attention!!

[@breannanouveaux5132]

Shortmonee 312 and you're a fucking liar

[@Samuel115s]

You have a pretty smile 😊

[@tom11zz884]

@@breannanouveaux5132 or maybe...just maybe the Black man actually loved her? You know Black men are capable of this thing called loving a woman.......

[@problack5658]

Colorism does indeed hold people back from success because they aren't given opportunities to be great.

[@myrickcarl]

Pro Black you dumb bitch I'm not dark skin for one. And for two I have no issues with dark skin people. Dark skin people just make too many excuses on why they ain't shit in life. And third you are unattractive.. and if I was on the street I would never look in your direction..

[@problack5658]

Carl Myrick ok w.e you say.... i wouldn't want you looking at me, period. cause if i looked like you, id sue my parents...

[@thegreatdel9679]

Bullshit stop crying & complaining! I’m not getting my way it must be because I ain’t light skin! Bullshit! It’s plenty dark skin people getting ahead, don’t cry to me about being dark skin 🙄 we all have the same challenges get over yourself

[@menace2society619]

Successful people make their own opportunities and don't wait for anyone to give them anything

[@alicenathalienala5139]

+Carl Myrick you're an ugly self hater nigga

[@universallove878]

Yes. The show "Martin" was a perfect example. My Aunt would always tell me "I always wanted Martin with Pam, Not Gina".☝️💯

[@BeautyAndBrainsGirls]

Love from Haiti 🇭🇹 we have to deal with those same issues in Haiti...does not make any sense to me...

[@truthseeker8265]

Omg gurl, I feel the same way. That’s why I’m leaving LA. I get way more love on the east coast. And you are gorgeous btw!!😘

[@keyairak100]

Thank you! ❤️

[@gregoryglass9040]

And down south love coca sistas we never change lol

[@GODCONVOYPRIME]

You mean you're not leaving LA because of the sudden resurgence in medieval plagues? Haven't you heard? The bubonic plague is making a comeback.

[@MsVirgoTrini]

When a mother says this statement not knowing her daughter could hear her, "Why is she wearing a black T-Shirt, she is already dark?" The daughter says in a stern volume, "No mom I am fine wearing black even if i am dark skin, i am fine the way i was born even if you are not." Momz was clueless "But i didn't mean it like that.... smfh... (I witnessed and was floored/ pissed)

[@dada15151]

Yup I do not watch grown ish for this very same reason Very good conversation

[@honeybdream]

Yes, to this convo❗️We may need a part 2. Representation in the media is so powerful. My toddler watches the video 'Black & Proud 2017' everyday! 📺✔️

[@user-hw3ej6ht6y]

People use colorism and featurism as both an excuse and to gain an edge on competition. I'm blacker therefore I'm better ... I'm lighter, therefore I'm prettier... 'I'm bigger therefore I'm stronger and better' ...

[@user-hw3ej6ht6y]

pink girl Every body uses these tactics to get ahead of competition...

[@wilsonajames]

In the entertainment industry, I agree. However, I have never felt my skin color (or its hue) has held me back in my professional, IT career. It's about knowledge, education, and making proper business moves.

[@babasolaosikoya5947]

U spoke my mind. I'm have an I.T career and I don't think they care about your color. If you are the best in your field then nothing can hold you back.

[@Albacore877]

Brother James, the IT world and STEM careers are male dominate. It’s the females, regardless of skin color who are discriminated against more than male skin tones/hues. It’s called double standards. Men are paid more than women in the same position, regardless of skin color.

[@ThePltsweet]

You just proved the whole point. You forgot that there is also something called sexism, so as a man in such professional settings you already have an advantage. Male privilege. A dark skin woman has sexism, racism and colourism stacked against her.

[@chaa7659]

@@ThePltsweet Exactly.❤

[@chaa7659]

I’m in the IT field and have experienced sexism at the work place. I think the point of the video is addressing colorism in all areas of people activity, just because you haven’t experienced at your job doesn’t negate the fact that it happens

[@hersupreme3348]

All these women are absolutely GORGEOUS. What wale said was facts “racial ambiguity can be a positive catalyst” for anything careers, love, etc.

[@YourGirlSudanny]

I definitely think it does! Great video as usual ladies!!

[@SimplisticallyDigital]

The lady in the middle is beautiful. No pity, because I am dark too, but not as pretty as her. It is what it is. Her beauty helps her to get ahead too. IJS

[@INAN2222]

wonderfully candid discussion. Thank you!

[@user-je3ks2um5l]

Oh my God. I can't take my eyes off the girl in the middle.

[@Kilala.6029]

THE DARK SKIN WOMAN IN THE MIDDLE IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS ... NO PITY JUST FACTS.

[@KimontheWeb]

Great discussion ladies!

[@MsKitty12291]

Being told you're pretty for a dark skinned girl is real. Or always being called chocolate is annoying. My first experience with colorism was from family. I do believe my complexion has hindered my growth in the workplace as well. I'm always approached abrasively regardless of the situation but my coworker is looked at as the "nice and good attitude" having blac and she's light skinned. It doesnt help that she always comes to me when something or someone may need to be confronted or addressed.

[@gregoryglass9040]

Well when i came up darkskin was in like for real

[@hersupreme3348]

Representation matters. 💗💗

[@bobbyblue46]

The black women in the video need to learn the difference between being light skinned and biracial. Light skinned people have black mothers and fathers they just happen to have a lighter appearance.Biracial people are a product of mixed race unions they have lighter skin appearance due to race mixing. Yara Shahidi is not black instead she is biracial Hollywood needs to stop their racism and start hiring real black people to play black characters.

[@babasolaosikoya5947]

Bobby Blue Almost all the cast of blackish are black people apart from Yara Shaidi who else is bi racial. So you are saying there should not be any opportunities for bi racial kids when it comes to black roles? Which roles can tbey have then? If the cast is 98% black got no issues with the rest being fair or biracial.

[@pandoraheartsvd]

I notice that a lot of black people that try to make it seem like colorism doesn't exist are lightskin themselves. As a lightskin person myself I do acknowledge my privilege. And I also believe that the hate towards darker skin people in my community should stop.

[@notevenonce2260]

We put a LOT of emphasis on black men's apparent preference for light skinned women, but we don't consider the significance of their own complexion. Every now and again, I'll hear folks talking about dark skinned black men liking light skinned women, but there's a subtle tweak I think needs to be a part of the conversation: While it's true that dark skinned black men may prefer women that are lighter than they are because of their conditioning, colorism says that the ideal heterosexual couple is one where the man is darker than the woman. That means that darker skinned black women often prefer men who are darker than them. So if you are a lighter skinned man pursuing a darker skinned woman, you may not have as much success if that darker skinned woman is still trying to match the composition of that ideal type. It also means that light-skinned black women are socialized to prefer darker skinned black men. That means we can't simply assume that black women's general preference for darker skinned men is a manifestation of their supposed pro-blackness. To the contrary, there CAN be anti-black ways of uplifting certain forms of blackness over others. Not always, but sometimes. And those times are worth consideration. I bring that up because colorism isn't ONLY about how people are treated individually on the basis of their color or about how darker skinned people are treated as a group. It's ALSO about what we think couples should look like. There's a part of it that's about pairs of people, but that usually gets skipped over when trying to discuss colorism at the individual level and then shifting to a group level discussion.

[@ladyofspa]

The time has come, stop asking and just take your pedestal Ebony black women. Mahagony beauties will not take the back seat to anyone anymore. The lies, illusions, and ignorance is done. We here in the front row pretty, soft, smart, happy, and proud🌹

[@cjeff9523]

Here is my thing. I love to see a black woman wearing her natural hair and looking natural. That's the woman I want to wake up too. Unfortunately, society has placed the black woman into thinking long hair, nails, eyelashes, fake booty is the thing to do or be. I remember the episode on the Fresh Prince, when he was in a room with Tisha Campbell and she started popping off her nails, eyelashes and wig. She was a hole different person. I understand having some surgeries or procedures on like, tummy tuck due to weight loss, teeth fixed or whatever. We black men can only be who we are and what you see. Black men lets accept the black woman for what they really are. Black women be who you really are. Remember we are not perfect, be you. Just my opinion. I can be wrong.

[@djkharizzma1107]

This conversation was not about hair, nails, etc. it was about COLORISM a.k.a. how different Black females are treated because of their skin tone.

[@keiracarmichael9430]

@@djkharizzma1107 Exactly I think he just wanted to bring up fake hair, nails and butts as if blkw are the only women who wear those things🙄... and let's be real the fake body thing occurs more with non-blkw than blkw seeing that only 17% of blkw have actually gotten plastic surgery whilst 65% of ww have the highest percentage of plastic surgery compared to all groups of people! yet they out here calling blkw fake for wearing normal female accessories like tf?

[@davidchance2473]

I just here to take notes .

[@kittothekat427]

the one in the yellow looks brown skin to me but does it depend on youre skin color which you find lighter or darker

[@gregoryglass9040]

And your pretty too

[@Neeshpeesh123]

But friend you are like really really pretty. FACTS!

[@th9256]

It has always exist. My best friend is light skin and still to this day she dont get it. Whenever we we're together guys would not even look at me. It was always what's up light skin, or men thinking we are not beautiful. She's so oblivious to the world because she never had to deal with that kind of pain and thinks it dont exist.

[@myrickcarl]

T H you ugly. Not to be funny or rude. Most dark skin women are just ugly. That have nothing to do with colorism

[@th9256]

Carl Myrick thx

[@th9256]

@Aaliyah Williams thx boo. I pay ignorance no mind. I dont need validation from him. I'm good! Its ppl like him that ignite the fire in me.

[@queenlcq7901]

T H he wants attention. Don't feed him. Let him starve...LMBO. He said the exact same thing under someone else's post.

[@th9256]

@@queenlcq7901 thx boo. I pay ppl no mind. Just ignorant!

[@laradara7175]

So true

[@jameelahraby3535]

it dont..if you have Faith in God ...you can have anything you want in this life...what God has for you is for you only...

[@gregglass4796]

jameelah raby we

[@kirkbrown2147]

Having faith in God doesn't mean you won't face wrong doing

[@rafaelnadalismyboo]

I love Brandeeee. She’s the best.

[@BVictorian]

rafaelnadalismyboo thank you 😊

[@sassk6283]

The entire time I was sitting here eating my Pizza I was staring at the young lady in the middle. I was thinking damn she is FUCKING HOT. And I immediately wanted to comment. ButI continued watching and she said "Don't pity me" and that people go up to her and say "You're beautiful" to over compensate. Maybe they genuinely mean it. I understand the topic is colourism. But beauty is not just skin colour. It is also your features. I am an East African woman from the UK and I can honestly say I FEEL NO PITY FOR YOU. I honestly believe you have beautiful facial features. Your high cheek bones are to DIE FOR.

[@Samuel115s]

7:32 I agree with that, pitty is not good. This kinda reminds me of how some white people act when it comes to white privilege and white guilt.

[@hersupreme3348]

Brande is so damn pretty man!

[@laradara7175]

Yes definitely

[@fender1000100]

No question about it. That lady in the middle is an absolute beauty. One of the prettiest women I've ever seen in my 58 years on this planet. She's above Halle Berry and Beyonce all day long.

[@avianalaureano8264]

It does hold darker skin people back more which means they have to be 10x better than lighter skinned people which is sad

[@leonardo07746]

funny, in Cuba darker skin men are considered the less desirable

[@MrSnow-dx1pr]

Nothing should hold you back from what you want to do in life.you cant let your race be a excuse.

[@Uworld17]

I don't understand we are still having that conversation when naomie Campbell is still rocking the runway...

[@chelseaaustin9202]

Short answer: yes.

[@matshagglund3550]

Is Madame Noire basically media of "race first" and "pro black struggle love"?

[@sharleenkmar2237]

As a person from a predominantly white country and a person of colour, I thought I was just about as dark as they come. I genuinely did not know that there were black people darker than will smith till i got older and social media. The representation of POC in media is that bad and i watched a lot of movies growing up and to this day i probably would have if it weren't for social media and youtube. I used to think most black people were around the Hillary shade range

[@johnlewis226]

Lord help that woman in the middle

[@brainiacbold169]

So if you are darker it is a sign of being more aggressive? Then it has a negative connotation for women but a positive connotation for men in the public’s opinion. As a black man this shit pissed me off for real. Ladies..we as black people need to understand that we can’t fight against racial discrimination except the Trojan horse ideologies that they stem from.

[@blackhistory2661]

Excellent show and topic ladies. As we continue to move this conversation forward, I think it would be really dope to have a panel of dark skinned, African American men share their experiences. When the doll test was conducted during the Brown vs. Board of Education case let's remember, Black boys prefered the white doll too. This means colorism has greatly impacted the lens of how African American men see Black women and consequently, themselves. Should such a panel be created I'd love to serve as a guest(www.thebandblackhistory.com), also guys like Kevin Garnett and the great Bill Duke would have really important stories to tell. Thanks for this segment and keep up the good work.

[@megasurfer32]

I actually find non black men find me more attractive than black men. Cause I don’t feel like white or Latino men care as much about “dark” vs “light”, Black is just black to them lol. In terms of success, I’m pursuing my MA so my complexion isn’t really stopping that, but maybe it does cause me to see myself as “less than”

[@v.a.993]

Naomi Campbell has been celebrated all over the world for her beauty, as have other dark skin women.

[@BEAutifulkiss21100]

That overcompensating thing is real lol

[@AlexisMaria]

He right tho

[@MeMyself984]

OK, so now we done took a leap back into the "if you black, stay back, brown stick around, if you light, you alright" era? Ugh! I am tired of it. As a little brown girl in the 80s and 90s I remember all the chocolate women and girls on TV: most of the cast from the Jefferson's, Rudy and Vanessa and their cousin Pam, Pam on Martin, Kenya Moore (when I was a kid, she was Miss America), Trina, Brandy, Sheryl Lee Ralph... And so many others. Why do we keep asking white folks to give us a spot? 🙄

[@claudiasamuels6965]

The lady in the middle is the better looking women on this show. Sorry no offence to the other ladies they are ok also

[@gregoryglass9040]

Right sis she is the biz

[@deejae2489]

It is colorism affects our ppl

[@tenpin2387]

Beautiful, Beautiful women in the middle

[@tenpin2387]

Gabrielle no longer speak for dark skin black women

[@tenpin2387]

Beautiful dark women in the middle

[@zipahdeedoodah]

I happen to like dark skin women... so there

[@christywoods9180]

I Have said before on here and I'll say it again,I've been subbed to y'all for a longtime and love the program,But Ladies,the title,WHY are you putting race titles up,We are all God's children,And If You really think about it,What if,3 White Women had a show such as Y'all do on a channel and the show was called listen to white Women,It would absolutely be called racist,and I think it would be racist so I wonder why y'alls title even has to say that?Y'all are 3 Beautiful smart intelligent Women,We brought Our children up to be colorblind,I'm Caucasian and Native American, and We have several Caucasian people in Our family,And 14 Black people including mixed black and white and 3 Hispanics in Our Family.Why can't We all just Be People Instead of white people or black people or Hispanic people?just curious,regardless I Love You LADIES,And I will always be honest with My feelings with Hall because I respect You and Myself.Now let's start the show!!!😂😂😂😗😗😗😗

[@breannanouveaux5132]

Listen to black women is the name of the program....

[@erikmurray9564]

Besides rapping and acting, which a small percentage of Black men participate professionally in, dark skin men do much worse than light skin men societally. If you are dark skinned you get stiffer prison sentences than if you are light skinned, dark skinned men are more unemployed than light skinned men, and dark skinned men are less likely than light skinned men to graduate high school. I think that representation is important, but when put side by side with social and economic issues it pales in comparison.

[@catierollins8493]

True .. and you would think they would speak out more about colorism.. but a lot of males think it’s just a made up dark women issue

[@erikmurray9564]

Catie R In the current climate most colirism discussion deals with media representation or celebrity popularity. These realms have little to do with most Black peoples' actual lives.

[@erikmurray9564]

LivingThe VeganLife As far as prison sentences, I meant darkerskin people, men and women, get longer sentences for the same crimes than l8ghter skinned people. A similar bias exists in school where darker skinned girls and boys are more likely to get suspended for the same infractions that lighter skinned boys and girls get warnings for. And suspensions are one of the predictors of failure in school. As far as businesses, yes people can start them, and darkskinned men do. However, there is discrimination against Black people in general and darkskinned people specifically when it comes to obtaining a loan. I agree that all humans have agency and the ability to choose. However, colorism, like racism is a systemic issue that actually limits a person's ability to make choices by limiting his or her access to societal recources. The point of my original post was to suggest that colorism is actually MORE serious than what is being discussed in this video. Again, colorism is not only about dating, music charts, or representation in films and on television. Colorism is also about the very foundational aspects of what society promises it's citizens and makes life fair.

[@jeffblack5534]

Also look at the men being shot by cops... dark skin

[@shortmonee3123]

Erik I call bullshit!! These are your opinions, doesn't make it factual. I can assure you brotha that law enforcement and the criminal justice system DON'T GIVE TWO FUCKS ABOUT BLACKS SKIN COMPLEXION!! Pay attention...

[@marlonmoncrieffe0728]

Colorism is a very overstated problem. CLEAR skin-whether black or white-and healthily thin body is WAY more important than dark or light skin. And racism must NOT be a problem if you are arguing the quality of diversity rather than the quantity. Interracial dating and marriage is on the rise so you will need to accept the lighter skinned black people out there whether you like it or not.

[@gregoryglass9040]

Naw bro they went the federal government to put down biracial so there you go they on the out lol no more taking up black spaces lol. They said their holdin their own nuts now lmao

[@gregoryglass9040]

In America really bad and in Africa too and

[@knockout4291]

Y'all have beat the colorism topic to a Goddamn dead horse

[@queenlcq7901]

Infamous Underdog don't like don't watch

[@theboss4169]

LOL! Don't forget the hair topic. That's the bloated dead horse next to it. SMH

[@tenpin2387]

The women in the middle is very

[@johnbrowne2145]

I would love to send you ladies some cake soap. Please make your post office box.

[@thegreatdel9679]

This is so stupid

[@debieanais314]

Lightskin girl get bullied too

[@1NeoSoulChild]

Really ? You can't watch a show because there are no darkskinned women? Wth I'm happy to just see Black people on a show. I'm dark but I identify as a Black woman not a dark skinned Black woman.