A nightclub is under fire after having light vs. dark-skinned black women battling in a beauty pageant. The “Battle of the Complexions” was held in St. Louis this week, allowing light and dark-skinned women to compete to see which is most attractive.
“This is the most debatable topic of the year, whats the sexiest skin complexion?? So ladies come out & lets settle this!!” said local organizer, Mack TV.
The event, held on Martin Luther King Drive, told contestants to “cum out & rep either team-lite, team-caramel or team-dark.”
Adolphus Pruitt, president of the St. Louis branch of the NAACP, said that the event “raises the same sort of hair on the back of people’s necks like me and some other folks.”
“Folks who buy into it, support it, feed into it, they’re just assuring that using race – using the skin complexion of women, devaluating women and things of this nature – is going to continue to happen, because as long as people spend money to take advantage of it, somebody’s going to use it as a promotional tool.”
Mack TV and another promoter of the event, “Nelly Da’Celeb,” says that the event was held to celebrate Black History Month.
“Some guys will say, ‘I don’t like talking to dark-skinned girls,’ or, you know, some girls will say. ‘I don’t like talking to dark-skinned guys,’” Houston said.
The statement didn’t do much to slow down the outrage on Facebook. One woman said, “The women, the men, and the promoters of this event are only doing much more to create a larger divide by skin color in an already too divided country. All involved are losers in my book.”
May I call your attention to the 3 Ads above this sickening article. We struggle to overcome and “they” make money.
Things like this make my people — African-Americans — the laughingstock of the world!
We as black people are our own worst enemies…This is some sick sh*t!!!
YOU ARE SOOOO RIGHT!!!
Sad….SMDH I wouldn’t claim any Black person who participates in this ridiculous mess. Pure ignorance and self-hatred is being promoted.
What can the rest of us do to pull blacks up to sanity?
This color thing in black movie and video has been going on for a long time. It is about time that this subject is beening addressed. It is kind of nice that we have so many colors in our race. We have the largeest choice of beauty, more so than any other race. I am a brown skin woman and I love my color. But I love me first. If you feed into the white man’s game, You are only distroying yourself and future black people from feeling that ( we are a beautiful race of people) Don’t let any other race plant the seed in your head and you pick up the ball and run with it. Why do you have to have someone else to teach you what is beautiful in you. SHAME ON YOU.
At last! Some TRUTH. And what a laugh that the Pres. of the local NAACP would be against this unique contest. The NAACP is the most bourgeois, colorstruck Negro organization
among black American culture. Being color segregated is part of the black A merican experience born from the Black Diaspora. The shade of a black woman’s skin has always been a staus symbol , as well as the length and texture of her
hair. The desired complexion being a caramel complexion.
How many black American men marry ebony skin women with
nappy, short hair? Probably many who can’t find the preferred
women. Celebrities, or black professional , or upwardly mobile
young black men ALWAYS PREFER CARAMEL TO WHITE COMPLEXIONED OR OUTRIGHT WHITE WOMEN. This
contest is FOR REAL. It is a clever–brilliant–concept in beauty
contests. Even our black-skinned beauties will have a chance.
I would like to know why did anyone go to this shit ?
You know, all the social issues going on this very minute concerning AA, why would they give attention to something as dividing as this? I mean, there are so many more things that they could be shining the light on. But instead, they choose this dumb crap. COME ON PEOPLE, LIKE SPIKE LEE SAID IN HIS MOVIE “SCHOOL DAZE” “WAKE UP PEOPLE.”
Light Skinned vs. Dark Skinned..Who in the world would even think about bringing skin color into a conversation…it is terribly ignorant and further more I wish Dr. Watkins would not place it on his website for it is not worth the ink and paper it is written on.
Light Skinned vs. Dark Skinned..Who in the world would even think about bringing skin color into a conversation…it is terribly ignorant and further more I wish Dr. Watkins would not place it on his website for it is not worth the ink and paper it is written on.
Like you, I have noticed this trend – the “not too black” trend. I love my people and my color which happens to be dark skinned as well as the multitude of shades in the Diaspora, but CLEARLY, there is a message being sent here. Dark skin/kinky hair, particularly in a woman is apparently viewed as unappealing or what - undesirable? Everywhere I look, dark skinned sisters are barely represented in the media. TV, movies, music, videos, commercials, print ads, etc. In addition, everywhere in the media, I realize there is another trend – black men & white woman, rarely the opposite – white men & black women. What do these things imply – that dark skin is so unappealing that not even black men find them desirable, but desire lighter skinned or even white women instead? We’re all aware of who runs & controls these entities, but we as Black people not only accept these stereotypes, but we buy into them!
I believe that stories like this serve a purpose and that is to spark a dialog on matters which are right in our faces! Why pretend that it doesn’t exist, we’re pounded over the head with it on a daily basis – it’s a form of brainwashing, a phycological assault that should be discussed.
Black people has long dealt with the race issue and here we go again. Completing with each other like a pack of wild animals aiming for the best of the best. What don’t seem to understand is that we are the Best! Only the worst of us has come to light and it is ugly to say the least. Still trying to find the beauty? It’s simply not there! The club now has such a
smell of shame and sh- – / It won’t be before someone will judge you and your club!
This is just another incident to incite how our “black men” really feel about their “black women”. Its really sad that our men feel that they are now too good for their own and feel that a light or white skin is worth more. They will marry them but use and abuse us.
If you are white, you are alright, if you are yellow you are mellow, if you are brown stick around, but if you are black get back. These are words written years in a song. When I was 15 years old, a girl offered to be my girlfriend because other African American girls said I was too dark. Today some of celebrities skin seems to be getting lighter from how they appeared just a few years past. Those of us who are still “color struck”, are but pawns in the White mans’ hand. My first discrimination came from my own. I don’t care how light skinned you are you are still a N_____ in the White man’s’ eyes.It remains a shame that African Americans are prejudiced against each other. When I was 21 and James Brown came out with the song “Im Black and I’m Proud.” Then all of a sudden it was alright to date a darker Black man. Some of us will always be the White man’s slave and N_____ with having color contests.
how does this differ from Tom Joyner’s cruise where the “light verses dark guest hold a contest “of sorts” on board…hmmmmm?
BERNICE, What complexion is the FIRST LADY? I think dark-skin ladies and people in general think less of themselves than others do.
BERNICE, What complexion is the FIRST LADY? I think dark-skin ladies and people in general think less of themselves than others do.
BERNICE, What complexion is the FIRST LADY? I think dark-skin ladies and people in general think less of themselves than others do.
BERNICE, What complexion is the FIRST LADY? I think dark-skin ladies and people in general think less of themselves than others do.
BERNICE, What complexion is the FIRST LADY? I think dark-skin ladies and people in general think less of themselves than others do.
BERNICE, What complexion is the FIRST LADY? I think dark-skin ladies and people in general think less of themselves than others do.
BERNICE, What complexion is the FIRST LADY? I think dark-skin ladies and people in general think less of themselves than others do.
BERNICE, What complexion is the FIRST LADY? I think dark-skin ladies and people in general think less of themselves than others do.
no matter how many times this “discussion” appears online, media, etc. the issue of color/hair is “usually” discussed intellectually, or ignorant of the true “facts”!!!…the FACT is not so much that light is “considered” “right” or preferable to “dark skinned”; even with knowledge of the history of what has and CONTINUES to take place within this country and “throughout much of the “world” where America’s preoccupation with “color and hair has spread. WHY IS THIS?….it is because the media and those who control world “communication” has been very SUCCESSFUL in INDOCTRINATION of what is DESIRABLE!…..Many refuse to see “clearly” that we have been BRAINWASHED!..and have accepted this as preferable…even our children will choose a white/light doll over one that “reflects” their image!….WHY?…
When you are “constantly” told that you are not “beautiful”, your “hair” is “nappy”, your body is too this or that…after a while you “BELIEVE THIS IS TRUE”…
ADVERTISEMENT spends billions to get their message across and it WORKS!…so why do many of “us” refuse to actually “SEE” that the BRAINWASHED (WASHED WHITE) IS preferable WHEN our MAGAZINES, TELEVISION, SYSTEMATIC ADVERTISEMENT bombard us with these IMAGES OF what’s beautiful/acceptable?
Why would successful men (MANY OF WHOM WHO DO NOT KNOW THEIR HISTORY) as well as many women
feel as though it is a mark of SUCCESS and having arrived to a certain station in life!… it has been so programmed within our psyche!!!…..there is no way to get around the truth of this successful ploy that is STILL STRONGLY IN OPERATION TODAY…..AND…..if you don’t know your history my friend, then just take a look at your HALF WHITE/BLACK PRESIDENT AND HIS BEAUTIFUL DARK SKIN WIFE!!!…
THAT GIVES YOU A “CAPSULE VIEW” OF WHAT THIS COUNTRY HAS DONE TO PEOPLE OF COLOR!!!
Education!….EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT THE HISTORY OF OUR PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY….those who “made it over, (you don’t read about in history books) their strength, beauty and WHAT THEY REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THE HAIR/COLOR THING IN THOSE DAYS…..LEARN FROM YOUR PASS, THEN YOU CAN BEGAN TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE/HAVE BECOME TODAY!!!!
Self hatred & ignorance runs rampant & it begins with us. Who is going to take us seriously when we don’t hold our own accountable??
Really? Really? Seriously? Is this what are people have to look forward to daily? Is this what our heritage and race has come to? Personally, I think the idiot that hosted this needs to be banished to West By God Virginia to live in a raggedy double-wide trailor. I thought we put shiggity to rest when Lawrence Fishborne starred in School Daze. SMH
you are so right and I am not black but a latino and we have the same problem or way of thinkin.
Boy its hard to believe that in the 21st century this kind of stupidness is going on amongst some black folks ,whats even worse is the bone heads that actually took part in this nonsense ,i feel sorry for any future black leaders that might decide to carry the mantle and fight for the black cause why even bother .
Anything to get your money. It’s sad the promoters have to resort to this level to make a dollar.
Spike Lee is not a positive example; he himself married a light skinned black woman and he’s even said that he prefers light skin as opposed to dark.
I belive there was no harm intended because both dark and light skinened black women are attractive we each bring our own sexy indivigually! the same with long hair or short ;as long as it looks good on you rock it. I have dated both dark skinned and light brother’s but i found that i preffered chocolate men they just gave me more of that tall dark and hansome manly look , like Denzel Wasington’s, i had and still have the biggest celeb crush on him yuummmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!! LOL
I DO AGREE THAT WE CAN BE IGNORANT ABOUT OUR OWN SKIN COLOR AND IF WE CAN DO THAT TO OURSELVES THEN WHY SHOULD’NT ANYBODY ELSE ; SO PEOPLE WE NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER ON THE SHADE THING AND THE HAIR THING! I’M STEPHANIE HUNTER AN I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE!
One Word………. Disgusted!
II am a dark shin brotha, and I don’t see the difference in color. I dislike every color equally. The way I treat a dark skin person or anybody else of no importance at all.
I see this topic in the same way I see the 2 Live Crew. They make money the more the media talks about it. No one really cares about this type of thing anymore. However, if you tell me a light skin Dr. refuses to service a Dark skin patient, then that should be a relevant issue. Not a beauty contest.
If you want to percent this type of events from happening start with the kids, not the adults. Its just a waste of time. Nothing will change, plus the event is over and there will be another and another one.
Freedoms given to us by the Slave masters (1st. Amendment)
Didn’t the radio host/owner Tom Joyner have a light skinned vs Dark Skinned tug of war?! Why are we still valuing humans based on skin color in 2012! Ugh!
What if the darker ladies were found to be the sexiest. Most of the posts assume that lighter is better and will win. That is an example of what everyone has issue with. When something is controversial money can be made because people will involve themselves in controversy. The question never will be answered because everybody is hyped about the situation. We can do nothing about the differences in complexions but we can honor all with respect and dignity as being children of God.
I cannot believe that people would do that!! I can’t believe that a mature black woman would be part of that! I can’t believe that someone was promoting and financially supported this in the black community, on Martin Luther King Jr Drive!! The audacity of men to publicly ridicule a woman because of her color is racist!! Plain and simple. Is it not enough that a black woman has enough to compete with than to add this to it? Are you kidding me? I am so upset with this because I have had to deal with negative comments about my dark skin color all of my life and now you want to publicly say that my skin color or anyone else’s skin tone/color isn’t right! How dare you black men to do this to us! Shame on the people who encouraged this type of behavior.
What kind of freedom is this we claim as Americans. When I reached the age of 21 I took over my life as a adult. No one No one can say anything to me that disturbs me about me. Being a real man gave me a open window to all skin colors all over the world. Skin color only is a issue among those that choose to make it a issue. Try being a real man and the world opens all of the doors. From sea to shining sea. If you are color struck you will just miss half of the beauty in the world. I don’t feel sorry for you. Be what you wanna be.
Why the heck are women still in beauty pagents anyway.
GROSS!!!! This is exactly why our society keeps getting stomped on! I know other races have their problems but why do we as black folks keep glorifying trivial things and degrading ourselves like this?! We are one of the poorest minorities in this country next to Native Americans, have one of the highest unemployment rate, our youth are in prison instead of school, social security is going extinct, and we are worried about who had better looking skin. Then we got an ad with women all assed-out? As of today, March 1st there were about 55 murders in Philadelphia since the new year! We’ve only been in the new year for 60 days people!!! Which means we’ve only had 5 days where nobody was killed and we are talking about who has the best skin color?! They are gonna take us out one by one if we dont change this madness…..
Keep guns and drugs on the street to kill off our brothers,now devalue our women,kill their esteem,and self worth.HOW STUPID!!!!
I hope all of have the same outrage when light skinned and dark brothers are compared in your presence. Thank God he did not make me stupid!!!!
Has anyone heard of the article written by Willie Lynch in the 1800′s. He came to America to speak to the the white slave owners about how to keep your slave in line. Read it because it appears we as African-Americans are still operating under the same mentality today.
Wow, such ignorance. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, not complexion.
This is ridiculus! Black is black. It does’nt matter what the pigmentation is. Light vs. dark has gone on way too long. All it does is cause problems. I get tired of men” complimenting” me on my light skin! It’s a turn-off. It should’nt matter what complexion we are, especially amongst our own. But, you know what? It’s a problem. When I look in the mirror, I don’t see a light-complected woman. I see a black woman.
the most ignorant and disgusting thing i had heard since slavery. BLACK IS BLACK no matter what your shade is.WE as a race of people are so pitiful, that’s why all the other races, see us as MONKEYS. Hispanics come in all shades, but they don’t degrade one another, they are black,creme-colored , white-skinned, but their hispanics. We are the only race of people that do not stick together and degrade our own, that’s why all others think they are better, because we don’t like ourselves.
I feel we should celebrate our Rainbow of Flavors…Not pit one against the other…We have more Flavors than Baskin and Robbins!…Yet we don’t Clebrate…We Hate on Each Other!… “Willie Lynch Lives!”
Hmmm. whoever thought of doing that should have been ‘skinned’ and it should have been boycotted by the participants instead of being contestants. Celebration of the diversities within your own race should be promoted not one of competition. If there is promoters who have large sponsorships with health and beauty aids for the Black Woman’s Wheel of Color.. that is assisting with enhancements for each woman…..but NOTHING that is drawing direct attention Light skinned versus darker skinned.. I have seen so much beauty in all shades..
I hope that one day soon we will recognize that the most secure way to insure our futures’ security is to educate our children. A college education produces high level thinkers which better prepare us to make better choises & decisions in life.
I am a member of Concerned Black Men of Phila., Pa. Founded in 1975 by a group of law enforcement officer smentoring young people in an effort to give them hope and a sence of responsibility.
I also believe that those corporate owners that toke jobs out of the country should be charged with treason for the way they distroyed lives. They are enemies of the state & country.
Richard N.
from Philly,
Sorry to disagree with you Mystic, but Afrikan Americans are not the only group or race of people to define class lines with color lines. The Latinos do it, as I have talked to some darker skinned who have told me this. Also South East Asian countries (like India, Ceylon, Bangledash) have extreme color cast systems. In fact most of the prostitution in India is made up primarily of dark skinned people. Also in most countries outside of the U.S..light skinned people are not considered black, but brown or mixed race.
Absolutely. I think they are STUPID. You know who has shows? Dogs and Cats. Women are not animals to be paraded about. It reinforces the idea that our only worth is as an ornament and a sex symbol. It’s bullshit.
guess you didn’t read the earlier post from the hispanic person that said it does go on in the hispanic race. i also have heard of it going on in the indian[east] race .guess people are people no matter what race. ease up folks and don’t take every thing so seriously. it’s not the end of the world if one complexion within a race is preferred over another. i’m a brown skinned black woman between light and dark.
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A LINK TO TOPICS OF DISCUSSION ON THE ISSUES OF
LABELS, CATEGORIES, HISTORY & CURRENT EVENTS. =)
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https://www.facebook.com/allpeople.gifts/posts/452738141409383
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