I had the implicit bias test confirm what I already knew growing up in the south, Louisiana specifically, where there is such a strong emphasis on skin color and light skin being more beautiful and having my own grandfather tell me to make sure I didn't marry a black man who was too dark skinned because I was already considered on the darker side for my family. I equate being light skinned as more beautiful and desirable because I see the privilege it gives you within the black and larger society as a whole. The media and television is the worst perpetrator of this. One of my favorite shows is Dear White People, on Netflix, and the lead black actress is light skinned, mixed race and has light eyes. This is the standard of beauty for black women and it is something we all buy into, even in the black community your proximity to whiteness is more valuable. We have internalized our own racism and discrimination. This is something I am constantly working to overcome and change in myself. We all have work to do. I am taking this course so I can do something to help other people as well as myself.
Your response is insightful and something I lose sight of often since I am a white female. I am raising a half black female child so your thoughts are very valuable to me and I realize somethings I need to take more seriously. My daughter is always trying to hide her curls and have me put her hair in a pony tail in the back of her head and I am always stating how beautiful her hair is and how everyone wants to see her curls and have her wear her hair down she is only 7. I feel sad when she wants to hide who she really is but I get why. It is just difficult to digest. I realize the media is one of the major culprits and will once again put my TV in the garage I think we are better off without it. But I also don't want to ignore reality so there is a fine line and education I hope will help with my daughter. Thanks for your post.