Light-Skin ~VS~ Dark-Skin...When Will It End?

You know as a people, I thought we were sooooo over this, but as I've gotten into the dating world, Im noticing that this issue is a lot bigger than I thought they were. What I mean by this is, many African Americans males and females, are becoming more vocal than ever on what complexion preference they have. I think the straw that broke the camels back for me on this issue was seeing the video blog and hearing all the talk on Wale's "Pretty Girl" music video, expressing the issue that he ONLY had light skinned i.e. very fair complexed, Purto Rician, and bi-racial(black and white), and white women in his video,therefore, portraying that you have to be lightskinnd to be considered pretty.

Surely, after viewing the blogs and discussing this among friends I was just dying to see this music video, I had to see with my own eyes what all the hype was about. So, one Sunday after church, I was channel surfing and low and behold just coming on was Wale's "NEW" music video "Pretty Girls"... www.prefixmag.com/media/wale/pretty-girls-video/37293/
As soon as it came on what do I see (already bias, from all the hype) a half naked very lightskinned girl laying on the floor....only to be followed by more lightskinned women, BUT WAIT, WAIT, WAIT...I all of a sudden seen a splash of color, it was a brown skinned young lady on the screen, she actually got a lil burn time in the video, but real talk, it was MAJORITY lightskinned women. So once the video went off, I sat and thought about what I just saw, and as usual it just roll off my back, b/c its nothing new to see a music video with only lightskinned women in it...its just the way it is..ESPECIALLY in rap videos...hell they even have verses talking about how a "REDBONE" (slang for a lightskinned woman) is the best thing popping. Its very sad that our men have idolized such an idea.

But back to Mr. Wale...a friend of mine just recently gave me a copy (which took him like forever to do...but I'm not gonna take it there!) of Wale's CD called "Attention Deficit" which in my option is one of the dopest album I've heard in a very longtime....very long time! Well, the day I got it, I listen to it start through, and even went back and replayed songs that i was really digging. Well, I ran across a song called "Shades" and being the observant person I am, i pay close attention to detail and in this case lyrics; www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfMNJPwP_nI
and the songs comes on and Wale is speaking about his childhood and how he never felt like he fit in because of the color of his, because he was darkskinned and was the son of immagrants (he is Nigerian), then he even goes deeper saying how he use to put lightskinned people on pedestal, thinking they were more classy,that they had life easier,and his anger towards them (I hate to say "them"...saying it to prove a point not to divide), and how darker women never make it on the tube. SKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRTTTTTTT....*coming to a complete stop*...wait just one dang on minute...well, if you feel or felt (b/c he says he doesn't have those insecurities anymore) that way do you continue to participate in the stereotype of what is consider a beauty and representation of a black women in the entertainment world. Now, with such a strong statement as that, by no means am I trying to come down on Wale, b/c obviously he didn't think it was a big deal about the selection of women he had in his new video, which on some levels is understandable, but my point is it would be nice if he as an artist step in and say I would like to have all representation of of women PERIOD in my video titled "Pretty Girls". IJS! And I'm done with talking about Wale....

Back to the subject at hand...this lightskin and darkskin crap has gotten out of hand, it sadden me that we as a people have gone BACK to ways that were created to cause division between us. The only reason some people embrace their lighter skin back in the day was to pass as white to escape slavery, now we have adopted the ignorant "Brown Paper Bag" test to determine where we stand in society. This is sick, disturbing, and very ignorant. Granted, everyone is entitled to their preference, but it becomes an issue when you attach an stereotype to a complexion, that's when your preference and opinion has gone too far. Its 2010 and still such ignorance exist; I could go on and on about this subject, but at the end it all boils down to this very last sentence... learn to love one another for our hearts not our outside appearances, never allow ignorant stereotypes make you miss out on an amazing person. We were all created to be different and to learn from one another, race, and complexion should never be a reason to avoid someone.


I am dying to know how you feel on this subject...please feel free to comment!