Over the weekend, I woke up lurking thru the Devil's Playground (Twitter) and there was a plethora of complaining bee-ah-ches regarding Wale's new vid "Pretty Girls". The problem was, so they say, was that there was no dark skin women in the video. Only light skin/light bright/messicans. Mind you, these are the same people who use MTO as a source of world headline news.
Maybe I could understand the complaints...if I were still living on Massah's Plantation. And no, I am not taking sides because I am light skin. Truth is, we are so prejudiced against our own race, we could never win for nothing. It wasn't a problem when Trey Songz placed a dark skin with "natural hair" for his vid "Invented Sex", so why now? Oh, is it because "you" weren't featured? As for the "natural" hair, my hair is naturally wavy, so I guess because I have a better grade of hair than some, it's not natural? Cause from what I was told, there was a bit of everyone in it, even big ladies. On another note, why dont you see big ladies complain about not being featured in videos. And why are we even complaining about being in a damn music video? Is this what we have to look up to now?
My problem is that this dark vs. light skin shoulda been gone since Skool Daze. It's more ridiculous that we do not accept other skin tones in our race until we are questioned by another. "Why are you so dark and she's so light?" asked by the ignorant (insert race) male/ female. Our answer would be, if not worse, "Honey, we come in all different shades. That's what's so beautiful about being black." BSTFUH. You wanna say that now, but when it comes to being "chose",you have a major issue. "He only chose her cause she bright/dark." This particular subject brings me back to personal preference. Who someone chooses to want, in the least, is their choice. And most of the time when it comes to videos/movies, etc, it's the directors or producers choice.
Both sides go at each other. Anytime we get mad, we always include color of skin followed by a quick b****. Don't worry other races people do it to, except they'd rather call you out by your class "Coon-ass b****", "Trailer-Trash" or "Wet Back". Do you know how many times I have been called out "High Yellow, hoe"? I can't even count. But the moment I throw a "Dark/ Choclate/ Charcoal" in front of that, I am wrong. I don't like to be called out by my skin tone just as much as you. Instead of using someone's background or wealth as classification, we are separated by our skin tones. That's the same mess they did on the plantation, Massah. What are you going to say when the government decides to do it again? (History does repeat itself, ya know)
If our race can possess such beauty in variations of colors, why do we have to do this? We set ourselves up for failure everytime, which is why so many other races feel as though they can use this termanology the same.
**Disclaimer: The views express in this blog were written and posted by Lady Complex and does not reflect the views of readers.
4 comments:
Girl, I feel ya...black is black to me I try not to even differentiate the two unless I am describing how someone looks. I don't aim to be in videos..and that shouldn't be the epitome of making it for any respectable black woman. Thanks for the article good read! Loves ya @biglilkim
Yes I understand the we need to show our children or girls argument about color, however life is not fair and we don't all get chosen to be in everything. When I saw that in the tweets I was like look I can't fight for fair representation in a Music video? Come on.
I always find it interesting how we negate light skin blacks as a presences of blacks when they are in commercials or movies. First no blacks was our complain now not enough variety. I mean really we go from fair fair fair to blacker than blue and now we have to include that spectrum in every thing filmed.
I mean really I'd rather we'd just start telling every little black girl she is smart & beautiful and can do anything she wants if she works hard at it, including shaking it fast if that's what she wanna do. Ok maybe not...let me think on that, but you know what I mean. Its more important to tell our little girls how valuable they are instead of resting on who they see as desirable in a music video.
I just wish Wale would have responded to that whole thing with Black is Black. Alas he didn't.
-OG
*sigh* this whole thing got blown out of proportion. its a WALE video i mean... who looks up to Wale? it was not that serious.
i do disagree with your use of the phrase "better grade of hair," though. because i do not think there is any sort or scale as far as hair grade/texture goes. i feel that what makes hair 'better' in any case is its health, not its degree of curl.
--Caramel Trollop.
I saw the video, and I think it's great that Wale included women of different shades and sizes. I don't watch videos often (I'm grown and I just can't take the foolishness), but it was refreshing to see that he chose to celebrate all women in the video.
The bigger issue, though, is that as sistas, we always find ways to divide ourselves based on appearance. We need to be able to accept and embrace all of the different colors, and sizes and hair textures that comprise "us." I agree with TDM, and I hate the phrase "grade of hair." Who's to say what's better or what's worse? I love my natural texture, and wouldn't change it for anything. It's part of what makes me me. I think everyone should feel the same way. Naturally wavy hair doesn't make a person any less black than does coarse hair, and vice versa.
Thanks for posting this, LC. Discussions like this are long overdue!
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