Preview: 'Dark Girls', A Documentary on Color Bias in Black Culture

"I can remember being in the bathtub asking my mom to put bleach in the water so that my skin would be lighter and so that I could escape the feelings I had about not being as beautiful, as acceptable, as lovable."

"She's pretty for a dark-skinned girl ...What is that supposed to mean?"


"I use to wish I can wake up one day lighter or wash my face and think that it would change. I thought it was dirt and I tried to clean it off, but it wouldn't come off ."

"They used to say,'Here comes blacky. Here comes tar baby...You stayed in the oven too long.' "

'Dark Girl' Movie Poster  Photo: www.darkgirlsmovie.com

These are some the sad and disturbing excerpts from interviews in the upcoming documentary Dark Girls, a film that explores deeply rooted attitudes and beliefs about skin color that are experienced particularly by dark-skinned women within and outside the African American culture. In the preview, dark-skinned women give their personal account on how difficult it can be for the darkest Black woman to feel accepted in a world where light-skinned women (Black or not) are considered more attractive and desirable.   


The preview  reveals a sad truth: racism is a disease that still continues to plague our society; colorism is one of the lingering side effects of racism. Blacks have been mistreated by Whites and other races/ethnicities for centuries primarily due to their skin color. Unfortunately, most of us African Americans have adopted the European standard of beauty, causing us to lower our self esteem, our confidence, and our pride. It also causes us to become racist and prejudice towards our own people whether we realize it or not.


"There's places I have gone that there's just a lot of whites, and they would tell me, 'You have such beautiful skin'...It's really questionable to me. Why is it that they think I'm beautiful but my own people don't see any beauty in me at all." says another dark-skinned woman. 

Preference is one thing, but it doesn't mean that others (that are not preferred or desirable) are unattractive, unappealing or inhuman. We are all fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. Although this issue is not new in black community, this documentary could help open our eyes a little wider to make us more aware that it is simply wrong to judge another person by the color of their skin; it is the content of their character that determines their true beauty.

It is time that we rise above this issue, that we learn to love ourselves and others-regardless of race, gender, or ethnicity-unconditionally. If we have the desire to do so, it starts with us. Blaming others is a vicious cycle that leads to nowhere. While it is good to acknowledge the root of the problem, let us move on to the solution. Let love prevail!

For more info visit the following websites:

Dark Girls Fan Page

Official Dark Girls Movie Website