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From Slavery to Hollywood, Colorism Still Grips America
The refrain from American blues singer and guitarist Big Bill Broonzy can be heard in his 1951 song “Black, Brown and White” and shed light on the widespread discrimination against Black Americans in general and darker-skinned Black people in particular. The jingle may be unfamiliar to some. But its meaning is painfully clear.
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Colorism in Muslim Relationships Led This Woman to Make Her Own Matchmaking Service
The year was 2019 and Binta Diallo was looking for a partner. To be more specific, Diallo, 30, was looking for a potential husband. In that pursuit, the young Muslim woman from West Africa did what many Millennials do. She went online.
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When This Muslim Woman Experienced Colorism on Matchmaking Sites, She Created Her Own Service to Fight It
Colorism, a prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, plays a role in most communities of color. But Binta Diallo says the issue is particularly pervasive in Muslim relationships. So she created a blind matchmaking service to fight it.
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Colorism Is More Insidious Than Racism, But Just as Damaging
Colorism is the term for when a person is favored or disadvantaged based on the shade of their skin. It’s a worldwide problem that affects Black and Asian communities especially, and is still apparent in skin lightening creams marketed internationally and in the subtle favoritism shown to lighter skinned people in culture and media. Colorism may be less obvious than...
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‘Whitening' Creams Undergo a Makeover But Colorism Persists
For years, cosmetics giants Unilever and L’Oreal have marketed skin whitening creams to women with less-than-subtle ads promoting “fair skin” as more desirable than naturally darker shades