Very interesting audience questions to answer this week! Tune in as I discuss Q1: Which do we focus on first colorism or racism? How can we do this in a formalized manner? and Q2: Hi, your thoughts on skin bleaching in regards to colorism? . And is there a difference between skin lightening and skin bleaching?
Below is the outline I used for my notes, followed by the YouTube video and Spotify podcast to watch/listen to the full live stream.
- Question 1: Which do we focus on first colorism or racism? How can we do this in a formalized manner?
- We can and must do both at the same time because the issues are not separate.
- Our revolution must be intersectional or it’s not a revolution.
- Race or Sex? Race or Class? Race or Sexuality? Race or Environment?
- This idea of one issue at a time or one issue first promotes a “Wait your turn” kind of mentality that many privileged people have.
- White women told Black men to wait their turn.
- Black men told Black women to wait our turn.
- Cis women told trans women to wait their turn.
- Climate activists ignore environmental racism.
- No one person can tackle all the possible intersections, so we have to give people the opportunity to find their intersectional lanes and learn how to be in unity without mandating uniformity.
- We don’t need and could not function if all of us were doing the same thing. Our bodies could not function if every body part focused on performing the same function. So each individual has to understand their purpose and communicate and collaborate with the whole.
- Question 2: Hi, your thoughts on skin bleaching in regards to colorism? And is there a difference between skin lightening and skin bleaching
- Skin bleaching is a direct result of colorism, white supremacist culture, and anti-Blackness.
- There’s a long history of skin bleaching in many cultures around the world, include European cultures.
- Queen Elizabeth
- 30% of the market in China for skin products.
- Beauty standards are one of the biggest reasons for it, but also job opportunities and class associations.
- The terms that people use vary, not a really consistent use.
- Skin bleaching, whitening, lightening
- Bleaching is the more stigmatized word, and others may be used as euphemisms.
- Used all over to lighten/whiten the entire complexion
- Known for dangerous chemicals that damage the skin or worse
- Lightening is less stigmatized, perhaps?
- for hyperpigmentation or to even skin tone as a spot treatment
- Not using it to get lighter, but to prevent getting darker
- Both are still based in the belief that darker is bad. Might be the difference between longing to be light and fear of getting darker.