The Spectrum of Race

This week in class we briefly discussed the idea of a spectrum of race.  This is the idea that two Whites, Blacks, Asians, South Americans, or Australians are not equal just because their skin color says so.  Often, this is found between "light-skin" and "dark-skin" blacks where the former find themselves as the oppressor; I find this interesting, yet messed up.  It seems that as an attempt to gain power lost to stereotypes placed by whites, these blacks, instead of unifying against this, have turned to oppress themselves.  The group that sees themselves are being superior tries to fight their own pain by causing pain to others; by doing this they are giving in to the white beauty standards we discussed where woman "worry about the edges of their hair" (Morrison 83) rather than embrace the features that make themselves beautiful. The "light-skins" are giving whites the satisfaction of conformation to their set standards.  What if these were reversed though? What if whites strove to be like blacks in their looks?  Those that are naturally pale, those with blue eyes, those with blond hair, would all suddenly become ugly.  "Dark-skin" whites with brown hair and eyes would become the sexual and beauty goal for the whole race.  If this seems disturbing, then imagine this being reality.

Oprah discuses the issues dark skin girls face.