Are they not proud of their colour?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.guardian.c...th.healthandwellbeing

Why do these black men and women take a risk to their health by bleaching their skin to become whiter?

/// According to Sherry Dixon, editor of Pride - the lifestyle magazine for the British black community - the scale of the problem is alarming. She believes that in part it is propelled by the success of a new generation of black celebrities who have lighter skin, such as Beyoncé or Lil' Kim. ///

[cazzz1975]

its not just colour either in the entertainment business, its everything from new teeth and plastic surgery to extreme weight loss that is required to be accepted in that industry.

I would imagine a lot of black people like many other races who read magazines and see movies want to look more like their idols in order to feel more attractive and accepted.

[sp1814]

Is the number of black people who go through skin lightening treatments roughly the same as the number of white people who use sun beds, fake tan, bronzing agents on holiday etc etc?

[cazzz1975]

exactly sp

[DrFilth]

i will take a rest when i want aog not when you tell me to have one thanks

one minute you say it is not a colour then you say proud of their colour ?

[Zhukov]

Its just another wind-up Dr Filth
I dont think Aog knows or understands what he believes,and scrabbles around for controversial titbits..to gain attention..or maybe he is just a lonely old git!

[pa___ul3]

beautifully put Trigger!
You can be proud to act with 'British' characteristics and values, but you can't be proud to have been born where you have. To be fair, you couldn't even compare it to anything, it may have been much better to be born in Spain or Canada or Australia, but we'd never know! Unless you really hate your life, you're unlikely to wish you were born somewhere else!

[DrFilth]

Zhukov people who look at the world in black and white miss all the colour and you are probably right

[anotheoldgit]

andy-hughes

/// but that does not give me owners' rights on the bit of the planet on which I have finished up ///

Since you state that you have no owners rights on this bit of the planet on which you have finished up on, then I presume everyone also has a right to be here, if they choose to be?

If that is correct, then can I also presume, that you would not be prepared to defend the bit of the planet of which you don't own, from any foreign invader, that also decided they wanted to live here?

[andy-hughes]

AOG - that depends on your terms of reference.

I have no problem with anyone coming here to live, anyone who 'invades' is a different issue entirely because that label infers a different attitude in coming here - from living here to taking over, which is not the same thing at all.

[anotheoldgit]

andy-hughes

/// "And if they were born in this country they then they hold the right to call it 'their' country, just as the Africans or Indians have said many times in the past 'What are the British doing in 'OUR' country." - actually I don't think they do - anymore than the Africans or Indians do - your nation of birth is down to fate, it does not come with a certificate of ownership.///

That is interesting Andy, if others had taken a similar attitude to yours, we could have still held on to our Empire, strictly on a 'sharing' basis of course.

[anotheoldgit]

/// from living here to taking over, which is not the same thing at all. ///

Mmmmm, food for thought, now we are getting somewhere.

[flip_flop]

Sandyroe writes "Some colouired people have been subjected to so much racial hatred that they have internalised that bigotry and see their skin colour as something to be ashamed of"

Good god, I've seen some complete cobblers written on this site before, but that just about takes the biscuit.

I have never, never, met a black or asian person who has been ashamed of their skin colour. What, exactly, do they have to be ashamed of?

You have wrongly assumed people are whitening their skin because they are ashamed, whereas in fact it could be, and most likely is, a fashion issue.

Mrs Flop spends our summer holidays tanning herself - she doesn't do so because she is ashamed to be white.

[andy-hughes]

I think you are deliberately clouding the issue here AOG - for the purposes of debate i hasten to add.

I would object to 'invaders' coming here in the same way that the Empire nations objected to the British. Going to live in another country is one thing, going to take its assets and subjugate its p[eople is another.

There is a clear and distinct difference - and I know that you know that, despite your apparent statement to the contrary.

[anotheoldgit]

Zhukov

Whatever, what is prominent however is the fact that I am successfully achieving all I set out to do.

Pity though that you have to allay your frustrations by issuing out insults and taunts.

You make it so obvious.

[emmie]

sp the difference is that white people, whatever that is, have no need to appeal to a black community, be it in music, film, whereas in show business, even now, colour matters, so the lighter skinned tone, the more work you will get. There is a lot of prejudice between the black community itself. Have a look at how many really dark skinned people are in the field of entertainment, very few. Beyonce has had her skin lightened, why, because someone told her to, so she would have cross over appeal, if she wasn't quite so dark. It's horrible, and no one should do it. As to making the comparison between the a white person who likes to get a suntan, to black people is a nonsense. I like a suntan because it makes me feel, look better, nothing more.

[scowie]

...and some black people lighten their skin in order to feel and look better. It is no different than tanning. They are not trying to look white!

And I dont think Beyonce has had any skin lightening done at all.

[sp1814]

em10

You pointed out the dearth of dark skinned black entertainers - but I believe your frame of reference may be skewed.

Missy Elliott, Tinie Tempah, Jay-Z, Alek Wek, Kelly Rowland, Will.I.Am etc, all doing rather nicely in their careers.

The sun tan reference is valid. You do it to because the change in your appearance makes you feel better. You shouldn't assume that a black person who lightens their skin is merely doing it for acceptance by whites. That's an unsubstantiated leap of logic.

[sp1814]

Incidentally, for clarification purposes, we should refer to Beyonce as biracial, rather than black.

[emmie]

scowie, better look again then.

[sp1814]

scowie is correct. Her skin was lightened in post-production for a L'Oreal advert a couple of years back, but she hasn't lightened it herself.