Initially this post was just for my Whatsapp page, here we are. Yesterday I was honored to host this months Buk’d and Bougie book discussion. Our May read was The Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison. You know how the story goes?
Anyways, I’m posting this as I feel sad and putting my craft out there would do miracles for my mind.
This little rant is for my friends and everyone else who finds it. Please, unlearn the stereotypes you’ve been taught.
1. Its not my responsibility to ‘educate’ you, so if any of the following doesn’t make sense, make google your best friend.
2. I’m not the pretties dark skinned person you know.
– do not place people on a ugly – pretty scale that you created. Use that scale for yourself only, if you must!
– pretty dark skinned women exist.. You believe I’m the prettiest you’ve ever seen because society dehumanized dark skinned people, masculinize dark skinned women, and you now see me as a worthy (read pretty) because you realized I’m not what the society said I am.
3. Stop keeping dark skinned women, as a measure of how good your life is.
If you have a light skin, in one way or another you’re PRIVILEGED. Some times you keep us to remind yourself that life is worse for us… Feeling lonely, at least I’m *pretty I’ll find someone. Feeling broke, at least I can get employed in most Industries…
4. If you are light- skinned and dating a dark skinned person and looking to have kids… There’s a 50% chance the babies will be dark skinned. Please, I beg… Educate yourself, do not subject innocent children to your biasness. Also don’t bleach your babies skin.
5. Dear Dark skinned men
– please stop with the self loathing. I’m not less of a woman/ lack in femininity [using this word for lack of a better word] because my skin looks like yours.
– if you decide to date a light skinned woman, please ensure she loves you and your skin… Because if kids come you’ll both have to love that child.
– stop dating light- skinned women to get lighter kids then complain or loathe the kids if they don’t look like the mum.
Lastly, as a dark skinned woman I understand why people bleach. So, if your skin is light you have no authority to ‘question’ those who choose to lighten theirs.
Also, please Aki listen to us. Profiling exist, Dubouis hatu serviwi (most shops in Dubois won’t serve us), tunauziwa mafuta za Ku bleach without asking, make up mob don’t include our tones & undertones…
I’m struggling with consistency and happiness. I feel lots of despair and exhaustion. I’d love to be grateful and to get going. I keep seeing these posts “embrace whatever face of your life you are in” I don’t know how to do that. I need to actualize my goals and I need to lose some Kgs.