I thought that was played out. Guess we still got that mentality.
share A lot of you guys are missing the point. Meganjerai wasn't saying it is wrong to cast a light skinned female in the role of love interest. This person is only saying that typically light skinned women are preferred to play love interests.
I myself am a light skinned black woman but I can step back and see that there is a general preferance for light skinned women. It is sickening. I get tired of seeing movies and music videos with light women (often times wtih super long hair) goven the lead romantic interest.
I would like to see more Gabrielle Unions out there star in these movies and music videos. Black women come in so many darker shades than yellow, lets see them get the spotlight more often. Jeez.
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Well, I care because I think that there is an unconscious tendency in Western culture to choose light-skinned women, and multi-racial women over beautiful black (dark-skinned) women. I grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, and even there, light-skinned women were "prized" more than dark-skinned women. I will be honest and say that I was and may still be the same way. I don't think so, however. I think that once you are exposed to different cultures and races (as I was when I moved to America) you develop a greater appreciation for the beauty in different races. Just the other day I got an email from a cousin who is living in Nairobi asking me to hook him up with a "white chick." What I am trying to get across is that many people are very ignorant about issues of race and sex, and that even if people are "overreacting" about a light-sinned actress to play the love interest, it is good that they do bring their concerns up, discuss them, and (hopefully) learn something new. Btw, I am biracial.
"Together since the world began, the madman and the lover."
Its funny these black men get mad when a black woman dates or marries a white men in the movies. Yet when these black men are called out for being hypocrites they don't like it. You see these black men going around talking about "keeping" it real yet in their movies they sure their love interests are closer to white than anything. Its like they are saying the woman is still "black" to some degree but she's really not she's closer to white than black. I guess that's why Halle Berry and Beyonce Knowles are very popular with black men. They like their women to look "kind of different" more to the white side but not too black.
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.....are you kidding me? sigh. poor black people...it's quite sad. Go complain to your black peers becuase they mixed so they have good looking facial traits.
shareSo, I am a black male, who is probably going to marry a white female. Does that make me a sell out? Am I any less black on a given day? I will tell you this: I rise and fall under the sun and my skin is black as dark chocolate. I listen to raw hip hop, and I read a lot of books. I worked hard to be smart enough to keep myself above the general ignorance claiming our people on a daily basis. But I ask you, upon hearing I am dating a white woman, are my words and insights instantly without cred? This is a topic that should readily be written about for an episode of The Boondocks. I think we watch shows like that and totally miss the point: we have to stop all this DNS. If you don't know what it mean, you could be guilty of it. I won't type it out here, cause I want this post to remain, but if you need clarification, "ask a real broad or n*gga that know" to quote T.I. While people are wasting time debating on the accuracy of Hollywood's favor toward light-skinned black females (who, by all accounts are TRULY black, btw) our government is still bending us over and stickin' us unpleasantly in the rear end. How about the fact 1 in 4 of us will see the inside of a prison in our lifetimes before we are 25? How about the fact most of us live well below the poverty line? How are our illiteracy rates? They say money talks, so here's something real to chew on: the cats on Capitol Hill just voted themselves a $33,000 cost of living increase to their salaries, yet, they won't raise the minimum wage to $7.50/hr unless the rich (white) people get tax breaks on inheritance. Now, extrapolate this- $7.50/hr for a year is roughly $14,400 a year. That's less than HALF the raise those jerks just gave themselves! And we're arguing over skin tone in our own community...so are we really off the porch, or did they just move where we sit?
shareBlack is Black...........I get so sick of the disrespect of light skin black people, as if we are somehow less black.
"I'm not sure if it's true, but it's a rumor, so that's good enough for me"
It's hard for us no matter how you slice it: flash back to 1989 and you remember how hard it was for dark skinned blacks, and now, we tilted too far the other way....we need to center ourselves and handle up as a unit.
sharei dunno...i do sort of see it as selling out to marry a white person. no matter how educated they are in the 'black experience' you can never really ever relate to them. and so there is never really a real connection.
I should eat more, or I will end up like Kate Bosworth. Anorexics Inflate!
I do agree with that. What do people in an interracial relationship talk about? Their upbringings are so different.
shareyeah even if they grew up in the same neighborhood, how they view the world would be completly different. and if the black person wants to look past all of those problems, and still be with a white person, it sort of shows that maybe they are dating them for inferiority complexes rather then mutual understanding(ie love).
I should eat more, or I will end up like Kate Bosworth. Anorexics Inflate!
To the three previous posters, you seem to be so sure that interracial relationships are a dead end, won't work, incompatible etc. because of background differences and world views. I agree that backrounds are 99% of the time different, and that it is not easy to have a successful marriage etc. with someone of another race, BUT these relationships do work. My mom and dad are a perfect example of this. They have been married for about 20 years, and (as far as I can tell) are still very in love with each other. What experience have you had either witnessing or being a part of an interracial relationship to claim that "They don't work?" They do, if you are willing to learn and grow, rather than give up.
"Together since the world began, the madman and the lover."
the experiences i had, was dating ppl primarily of the white race, who at the end of the day, i was uncomfortable bringing up certain issues that were important to me. and no matter how they reacted, i just didnt want to talk to them about it.
i mean i guess if you are ok with ignoring issues of race that happen to your people, then an interracial relationship will work perfectly. for this reason, thats why i see interracial relationships between white and black as selling out. i dont feel that so much with other races intermingling.
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I should eat more, or I will end up like Kate Bosworth. Anorexics Inflate!
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Everyone here has to realize that if this movie were a true to life depiction of the deep south in the 1930's-40's, there were clubs run by black people that discriminated against people that werent 'high-yellow'. Literally, bouncers were at the door, if you were darker than a paper bag hanging on the wall, you couldnt get in.
sharepinklima, i am a (light skinned) black girl who lived the first 23 years of her life in Jamaica, my native country. my boyfriend is a white jewish boy from queens, and race or background has NEVER been an issue. i actually didn't ask him if he had ever been out with a black girl til about 6 mths into the relationship. it never came up before, because it wasn't important. OF COURSE we have our little cultural differences, but that is part of what makes our relationship so great, learning something new literally everyday. i would love to raise children in that kind of environment. pple need to stop looking at INDIVIDUALS under a blanket heading of oh, you're black so you're like this, you're white so you're like that. how can you preach about equality yet promote segregation? gimme a break man, seriously. [note i said 'man' and not 'mon' :)]
"on a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero." - fight club
i did not mean it to sound like that i didnt think that an anglosaxon and another race could not have common interests. but just that being the minority is quite often a challenge, and i could never relate one of my biggest challenges with an anglosaxon, because most of the time they are completly oblivious.
i just dont believe in interracial relationships with anglosaxons really work out unless you ignore one of your own bigger issues.
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I should eat more, or I will end up like Kate Bosworth. Anorexics Inflate!
i disagree. why should you have to ignore your own issues? my bf acknowledges he will never be able to relate to me in terms of how certain things might make me feel, but he is always patient and listens to me whenever i want to talk about anything, race related or otherwise. the first time someone passed a comment when we were at the mall (a black person, mind you) we sat and talked about it like any other issue a couple would sit and discuss. which is why i said, take it on an individual basis. if you choose to be in a committed relationship with someone that means you should be able to talk to the person about almost anything. i don't see him as 'my white bf', he is just my bf. instead of seeing diff in race/culture (not just black/white) as a hinderance, why not look at it as a way to pass along knowledge that, as you say, they would have otherwise been oblivious to?
"on a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero." - fight club
yeah my 'white' boyfriend listened to me too. but i wanted more then that, i want someone to understand the issue. and its frustrating when they cant comprehend. and i dont think thats so much to ask.
but then again. it is right that you cant just wait around for a rarity. there are alot fewer educated black men out there, so sometimes you do have to be open to the possibility of dating outside your race. although i would rather do that with someone who is not anglosaxon.
another thing is do you get strange remarks/reactions from white women when dating white men? i do. actually i get strange remarks from everyone when dating white guy.
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I should eat more, or I will end up like Kate Bosworth. Anorexics Inflate!
no, i havent gotten any remarks from white women, or men. it's been all black men so far, but they didn't come across as the most educated of persons, so i chalked it up to ignorance and general male stupidity. as i said, i'm from jamaica, i didn't grow up in an environment that was viewed in black and white. so i can't really relate to you wanting to be with someone who understands experiences you may have had because the only time i've ever experienced racism in my entire life was when i moved here two years ago. it didn't even upset me, it just struck me as a bit silly and annoying. so as an individual, i don't want to be with a black person solely cause we can relate and sit and gripe about how bad we have it etc. that, to me, is counterproductive. but we all have our own selection criteria, i guess. the only thing that matters to me in a relationship is that we make each other happy. i mean, it's just a difference in culture/skin colour, it's not like they're Martians! i'm curious about your statement about being open to the possibility of dating outside your race but you'd rather they weren't white. why?
"on a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero." - fight club
nice one babes. Some people just don't get it. Like I said, ignorance is bliss.
shareAre you kidding me? My boyfriend is White & Asian, and I'm Black. Our parents are all highly educated, well-traveled, college professors, and none of them are from the US. We're both ivy-educated, well-traveled and love various international cultures (not necessarily our own). BUT OMG our SKIN colors are different -- what the heck would we talk about? Clearly, I have to find some Black guy from the projects in Philly who's never traveled or read a book. We obviously will have more to talk about.
And to those of you who think I should “hold out” for the black guy with a background just like mine: I’m not racist enough to exclude or include people based solely on their race.
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No disrespect Hungovermouse, but I'm curious as to why the black guy would be from the projects....and would you date the black guy from the projects who has read many books, but unfortunately wasn't provided with the means to travel?......If the answer is no..then you're right my friend in this case its not an issue of race...but class.
shareYeah, because, you know, my skin color is the only thing that defines me as a person, and thus it is the only thing that I ever really talk or think about. I mean, I've met similarly educated people from other races with the same interests as mine, but there's no way I can ever connect with them on any human level because our skin colors are different.
Good call there.
"What do people in an interracial relationship talk about?"
Any one of our myriad of similar interests
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I am black Jamaican and married a white Swedish woman and we had PLENTY to talk about and alot to share.
Ignorance is bliss. Meanwhile the black community hovers at the bottom with no idea how to rise. Fixation on race is a shortcoming of the human being.
i like this guy. he keeps it real. i'm white, and i don't like it when latinos join on my mexican beauty. but what u goan do. nothin, keep lovin her. peace
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Black men like Halle Berry, Beyonce Knowles, Tyra Banks, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and The Johnson Sisters (remember them?) because they look good. Calm down. We are sorry if there aren't more chocolate coated women in the spotlight.
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LOL!! to Wise-Cricket. Your response was too funny. However, as a brown-skinned woman, I think that there are more opportunities for us. I too was at one time sick of seeing light-skinned womwen in the leading roles, but with the exception of people like Gabrielle Union, Kerri Washington, and some others, it would be nice to see all shades of African-American beauty become acceptable not only in Hollywood, but among ourselves as well. Personally, I think that African-American women are some of the most beautiful women in the world from women as light as Raven Symone, Rochelle Aytes, and Cassie to medium/brown-skinned women as Angela Bassett, Tamyra Gray, Tika Sumpter, Jill Marie Jones, Naomi Campbell and Ashanti, to dark-skinned women as as Alec Wek, we are some of the most beautiful women in the world and it's time that we start becoming more appreciative of the beauty that we possess as a people.
share"Who cares if only light skinned girls get to play the b*tch or hoe of the rappers dreams in music videos (not true by the way). Superficial sex-object roles in music videos are the bottom of the entertainment barrel anyway."
I thought it was interesting that you said that lightskinned females play the lesser roles in music videos because from my perspective even then, they are put on a higher pedestal than the darker skinned women. While you see fair skin girls in expensive houses and beautiful clothes, they put browner ladies in less than nothing, creating them hypersexual and make them dance in the background. Whatever the case of whose out in front, to me it's sad how both complexions are treated.
A. Lady
Turn off your television sometime..
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In most movies, black women not only have the light skinned guy play the love interest, but also insist on making the dark skinned guy the anti-hero. It's pretty much the same in every race. Don't take offense. Just live your life.
shareDoes it matter?
How many fat bond girls have you seen?
Are you saying, they should cast Monique as a bond girl over Halle Barry because she's darker?
Its just the way it goes in the land of beauty.
We should probably all wait until the movie comes out. This actress was hopefully cast for her talent and ability to fit the role - not the shade of her skin. If she turns out to be a horrible actress or something...then people can start complaining.
shareit shouldnt matter. No matter how light she is, or how dark she is. WTF is this subject even doing here. If some black people don't like others because of there skin color, how are other people from different races supposed to respect black people????????????????????????????????????? shes hot and i can't wait to see the movie and hear the album
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nucleicacid5-Well said!
The person that posted this topic, get over it, I'm dark-skinned, I still get more job oppurtunities based on my speech and education. Not color. Yes, in some cases it happens, but man people just need to educate themselves and stop living in the past.
With that said, things happen, if you're so concerned, then make your own movie and cast your own ideas as to whom should play what role based on the hue of their skin color. People need to stop being so petty and grow up! There's more of a prejudice amongst black people not being "black-enough" based on their speech or the way they carry themselves, it's getting old and ridiculous! This state of mind doesn't help forthcoming generations think of their race as a unity not "light or dark skinned"! There are bigger problems in the world than who plays what role in a film. If she can act then fine, let her do her job.
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i am a medium brown skinned blck girl, but i would very much like to marry outside of my race. that has nothing to do with selling out. there are many interracial couples in my family and they are workin out fine. i love interraccial dating!
p.s. black women are beautiful in general; no matter wat shade!
I am light-skinned and the reality is, Black folks still have this mentality that light is right. And as a previous poster stated, White people have this mentality as well.
You can sugar coat and sing "we are the world" but that's the truth. I hear men to this day, and Black folks know that this is true, that consider lightskin more beautiful. Hate to use this example, but look at these videos.
I'm not saying she shouldn't have been casted but I'm sure the consistently casting of light skin females in roles isn't coincidental. We still have a problem; a mentality. One that I'm sorry to say, probably won't change.
**Look at the little girls on tv and commercials. Light skin with the soft, curly hair. Can you count on one hand, the dark skin girls on tv and commercials you've seen lately?
When we start keeping it real and addressing the issue, instead of standing on unrealistic soap boxes, a change on our distorted view of beauty might change.
WAKE UP, PEOPLE! COLORISM IS STILL AN ISSUE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY! The vast majority of black females who play the desired love interest in movies/music videos are medium brown to light. Rarely do you see a black woman the complexion of India.Arie portrayed as desirable. There are MANY darker complected black actresses who are attractive besides Gabrielle Union: Maia Campbell, Yolanda Ross, Heather Headley, Vanessa A. Williams (not the Miss America).
In the arena of colorism, black men hold the balance of power and they make their opinions and influences quite clear with their selections.
And I am a fair-skinned black woman. You don't need to be dark in order to see this. Stevie Wonder can see this...
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No this shouldn't be an issue, but IT IS. And if we want the problem to go away everyone needs to stop acting like there isn't a problem. We have to address the issue, to solve it, not act blind and start spewing hate and intolerance when someone voices a concern, observation or opinion. How do we expect to make progress?
"Who want beef now, my heat shell annoyed them-PLAOW"-Nas