"Unfair Genetic Advantage"

[Biciclista]

Maybe she just had a personal preference. Why do we always read so much into these things? My (step)sister would lay out and tan her naturally dark skin. (She said that, without enough sun, her skin would look "pisswater yellow". Her skin always looked lovely to me, but I was just jealous because I have this easily-burned, nearly-never-tanned German skin.)

In many cultures, including our own, there is a definite perception that white skin is better. This isn't about personal preferences, did you read the Autobiography of Malcolm X? He was the favored child because his skin was just a shade lighter than the rest of his siblings.

I'd love to have darker skin too, but I'm not blind to the advantages I've had for being caucasian in this crazy world we live.

[witeowl]

In many cultures, including our own, there is a definite perception that white skin is better. This isn't about personal preferences, did you read the Autobiography of Malcolm X? He was the favored child because his skin was just a shade lighter than the rest of his siblings.

I'd love to have darker skin too, but I'm not blind to the advantages I've had for being caucasian in this crazy world we live.

I understand completely that there is/was, for a very long time, a desire for people of color in the U.S. to look "whiter", preferably so that they could "pass". But, is this universally because of the perceived (and/or real) dominance of white people? I don't know that it always is. In parts of Africa, people separate themselves into classes based on appearance (in subtle ways that my U.S. eye can't see). White people, also, find particular differences preferable which have nothing to do with "looking whiter" (long legs, etc.).

Regarding advantages? No, I don't ignore those. But not everything comes down to appearance. I spent years blaming various flaws in my life to people treating me differently because I was so overweight. I've lost about sixty pounds so far and... guess what... people are treating me the same. We don't always see the world accurately, and often blame our problems on the wrong thing.

My neighbors across the street can easily complain that my anger at their loud music is because I "don't like Mexicans." I'd be surprised if they don't talk about me like I'm a racist gringa. But guess what? I get just as angry when the wife blasts her American pop music as when I do when the husband blasts his Mexican music. I'd simply like to enjoy peace and quiet within my own home, and it doesn't matter whether or not I like their music and I certainly could care less about their skin color or ethnicity. But they likely interpret my anger differently.

Malcolm X attributed his "favorite" status to his skin color? From his father, perhaps, but he claims that his mother was harsher on him because of his skin color. In any case, can we not agree that Malcolm X had a bit of a chip on his shoulder? Not that he was always wrong, mind you, but he certainly was one to see things in the worst light possible.

Nevertheless, I don't think that my sister is/was the only black woman in history who preferred her skin to be darker. I stand by my point that the motivation of the woman in shootingstar's anecdote may have just been an issue of personal preference.