_Anghellic_
Tia Mowry Bandwagon
The new “Light Girls” documentary, being made by Bill Duke is a follow up to “Dark Girls,” a film that exposed the struggles of dark-skinned women in a world where whiter is seen as better.
When the documentary was announced, two scholars, Nomalanga Mhlauli-Moses and Angie Braden, both said that the “Light Girls” documentary was a waste of time. While neither were directly critical of the effort, both women felt that the conversation didn’t have to be symmetric “just because,” and that the struggles of light-skinned women can’t be compared with what dark-skinned women go through.
In an article for NaturallyMoi.com, Nomalanga explains it this way:
I am not saying that lighter skinned women don’t deserve to be heard. Where I come from, I am considered “light skinned” (personally, I think I am neither light, nor dark) so I have not faced many of the issues that darker skinned women have but I do recognize and acknowledge their pain. While I have been discriminated against and treated badly for many different reasons, I have never thought that it was necessary to make a whole documentary to talk about my struggles as a “light” woman. I don’t think it is necessary.
But April V. Taylor, a respected activist and blogger from KultureKritic.com, had the opposite inclination. She feels that being light skinned often imposes a set of biases on women that can be hurtful for those with a strong black identity. She says that her experience as a “light girl” was often painful and traumatic, and that there is a good reason to make this documentary.
April V. Taylor says the “Light Girls” documentary is important
So, in our little skype experiment, I brought these two intelligent and strong black women together to have a meaningful discussion. It’s really interesting dialogue and gives a lot of us something to think about. I hope you enjoy it. For the record, I’m not sure if the second documentary is as compelling as the first, but it’s important to understand multiple perspectives on issues, rather than presuming that any of us has a monopoly on the truth.
yourblackworld.net/is-the-light-girls-documentary-a-worthy-endeavor-or-waste-of-time/
When the documentary was announced, two scholars, Nomalanga Mhlauli-Moses and Angie Braden, both said that the “Light Girls” documentary was a waste of time. While neither were directly critical of the effort, both women felt that the conversation didn’t have to be symmetric “just because,” and that the struggles of light-skinned women can’t be compared with what dark-skinned women go through.
In an article for NaturallyMoi.com, Nomalanga explains it this way:
I am not saying that lighter skinned women don’t deserve to be heard. Where I come from, I am considered “light skinned” (personally, I think I am neither light, nor dark) so I have not faced many of the issues that darker skinned women have but I do recognize and acknowledge their pain. While I have been discriminated against and treated badly for many different reasons, I have never thought that it was necessary to make a whole documentary to talk about my struggles as a “light” woman. I don’t think it is necessary.
But April V. Taylor, a respected activist and blogger from KultureKritic.com, had the opposite inclination. She feels that being light skinned often imposes a set of biases on women that can be hurtful for those with a strong black identity. She says that her experience as a “light girl” was often painful and traumatic, and that there is a good reason to make this documentary.
April V. Taylor says the “Light Girls” documentary is important
So, in our little skype experiment, I brought these two intelligent and strong black women together to have a meaningful discussion. It’s really interesting dialogue and gives a lot of us something to think about. I hope you enjoy it. For the record, I’m not sure if the second documentary is as compelling as the first, but it’s important to understand multiple perspectives on issues, rather than presuming that any of us has a monopoly on the truth.
yourblackworld.net/is-the-light-girls-documentary-a-worthy-endeavor-or-waste-of-time/
"
Yellabone and Rebone girls in my middle/Highschool were getting beat down by the dark/brown skinned girls ALL the time. I never realized like 90% of the black girl fights in my school were due to colorism, but looking back that appears to be the case. Brehs and brehettes we as a community got to quit worrying(hating on) about these "Benefits" that our light skin sisters receive under white supremacy and realize they have their own hardships in this world too.
....
