Dark Girls

I just finished watching the documentary Dark Girls. Now that summer is here I have a lot more free time so, I've been cheating on my boyfriend school with netflix (shhh don't tell it's just a summer fling). So, yes back to Dark Girls. It was a good documentary that has definitely paved the way to a much needed discussion on colorism. 

I am dark skinned. Have I always known I am dark skinned? No. This seems to shock people, but I know for a fact that it's possible to live life without seeing the different skin tones amongst people of colour. I know this because that is how I lived for the first ten years of my life (or maybe eleven). I can remember the exact day I was told I was dark skinned. It came as a huge surprise because there I was thinking black is black, but no there are different shades of black and it matters which one you are. However, even after it was pointed out to me that I am dark skinned, I didn't have too many encounters with people mentioning my skin tone. I went to a school that was predominantly white, and they just see black, they don't see dark, brown, or light skin. 

Fast forward to when I moved back to Kenya. In Kenya it wasn't so much a dark/light skin distinction, but more of a black/mixed-race. I guess you could say that this is technically still a dark/light skin distinction. Still, in Kenya mixed-race people are pretty much worshipped, and thought to be more attractive. This was my personal experience anyway. 

Fast forward again, and I find myself in the land of 'opportunities' a.k.a the US of A. I did my last two years of high school in the States, and I still didn't really have to many encounters with colorism. It's only when I came to university that I really began to understand, see and hear colorism. It's surprising how much focus we put on the lightness or darkness of skin as black people. College is where I learnt that some boys will only date light skinned girls, and that some girls will only date dark skinned boys. This still surprises me to this day! Is black not black? Plus why are we so focused on how people look like? It's the soul, the connection and chemistry you have with someone, and how they treat you and others that truly matters. I'm just so baffled.

So let me wrap things up. I honestly cannot remember any incidents in my life where I have been judged because of being dark skinned. I haven't had people judge me positively or negatively for being dark skinned. Now just because people haven't said things to my face it doesn't mean that I have not been discriminated against because of my dark skin. I am sure there are men who wouldn't date me merely because of my skin tone. I am sure there are people who also think I am ugly because of my dark skin. However, at the end of the day we are all black. I think its so wonderful how we come in different complexions. I feel like every black person has a skin tone that is unique to them. I have never met anyone who is my exact same skin tone because our skins are just so unique to us as a race and as individuals. I am left in awe by how beautiful we are. At the end of the day all colours are beautiful! Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, black and white.