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Originally Posted by fjsmith81

Know your facts. In other countries darker skin is not view as a way of classifying attractiveness. It is a way of classifying social class. True in some parts of the world the darker your skin tone, the lower the class you belong to. They have this idea that if your skin is dark, then you must be a laborer, working in the sun all day. Let's not get me started about mixing the classes because it something that is perceived as a no no. But essentially, it has nothing to do with the way that beauty is perceived. In places like Italy which is closer to Africa they view dark skin as very beautiful. I think that most Americans try to use that as a crutch to justify their reasons for not being viewed as beautiful. I think attractiveness is a culmination of various attributes that the person has. And it is horrible for anyone to say that someone is unattractive because they have dark skin or vice versa.

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Well that's a nice fantasy to have, but the reality is, dark skin is not as attractive as light skin (in particularly women... dark men are often seen as attractive in many cultures), to many people all over the world. The scale really does tip toward ligher skinned women.

I remember reading a fairly tale as a young girl it went something like this " mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all" hmmm now as an adult I can see this concept reigns supreme worldwide, fair, light skinned people are more appreciated everywhere, so that is the point I would like to make no one is saying that being black is unattractive, but being like is more socially acceptable, ohh vic by the way I liked the other pic better

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Originally Posted by lighterrr

i remember reading a fairly tale as a young girl it went something like this " mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all" hmmm now as an adult i can see this concept reigns supreme worldwide, fair, light skinned people are more appreciated everywhere, so that is the point i would like to make no one is saying that being black is unattractive, but being like is more socially acceptable,, ohh vic btw i liked the other pic better

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It is a German fairy tale. It actually says "mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most beautiful of them all?" . White racists intentionally translated it wrong to proof their point that light is more beautiful.

^Wow :0

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Originally Posted by Meagan91

it is a German fairy tale. It actually says "mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most beautiful of them all?" . White racists intentionally translated it wrong to proof their point that light is more beautiful.

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That's really ignorant. The term "fair" doesn't necessarily mean light. It means beautiful.

Wow,avaanstar really stirred something up from posting this topic.it's always good to know how other people think.

Well see it depends on your personal choice and where and how you grew up! JUST the way someone wants a good height, big eyes, good figure, slim and trim waist, nice dress , good husband :)... so skin lightening is a part of it as well... and that's how I perceive it . TO some people it offends but that's an individual choice... just the way you can't get angry at someone who wants to be skinny , so its like that as well...

I prefer it as I grew up being reminded of dark skin every day of my life so this is important for me... for others it might not be... but again this is very personal.

Fair to me means light and beautiful

Well a tanned uneven skin tone is not beautiful no matter how unique you are!

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Originally Posted by barry101

That's really ignorant. The term "fair" doesn't necessarily mean light. It means beautiful.

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Have you watched Snow White? I am guessing the German Fairy Tale is similar to that movie. The character in Snow White is very very pale and when the evil witch looks in the mirror and says, "Who's the fairest of them all?", It is very obvious that the message is that she wants to be the whitest which is beautiful in her mind.

To be honest I don't think people understand their skin, so they look to others who to them look so perfect but in reality its just them using their money to take real good care of what they have, when people take more care with their skin, exfoliating, brightening, good dieting, good natural products their skin flourishes and glows and they soon become the envy of other people, its all about being the best you can be getting rid of marks and imperfections, discolorations and what not till people in their own right achieve perfection, but instead everyone wants to look at the people getting the women and men and think yes that's the way to go bleached skin, then I'm in. Its all backwards, spending so much time trying to look like the people in the magazines you no longer have an indentity of your own, spending your life trying look like someone else.
Skin should be a brand that one wears to portray and reflect ones self , not that of someone else. Wrecking up your skin till it no longer looks like skin just a very damaged and worn out sheet covering your body.

I don't want to be light, I just want even skin tone.

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Originally Posted by topace

I dont want to be light, i just want even skin tone.

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That's what more people should be aiming for looking after the skin you've already got.

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Originally Posted by firmbeliever

avaan,
I was just on another forum and someone mistook me for an African American and started calling me all sorts of vile degrading names and wanted me out of the place.

He even went as far as to say I got AIDs(I dont have AIDs/HIV,but he assumed..) because of my skin color and that he would never go into a relationship with a colored woman because of fear of AIDs.

It wasnt a regular member,but this person was adamant that he will not get AIDs from anyone except colored women!!What nonesense!

I was shocked,but I realised this was why many African Americans are taking up the issue of color and discrimination because they must be facing such vile people in their daily lives.

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Firstly, he's just ignorant. If he knew anything AT ALL He'd know that AIDS was a disease started by a WHITE MALE!

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Originally Posted by topace

I dont want to be light, i just want even skin tone.

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Same here. I am an African American woman and for the past couple of years I've been suntanning like CRAZY during the summer. Lately I've noticed that my skintone has become dull and blotchy because some areas tan darker and stay dark while others fade in the winter. My face/neck has started to look dull, my hyperpigmentations have gotten darker... it's a mess. I simply want bright, even toned skin that is my natural, untanned, skin color. If I want to be darker, I'll try spray on tans.

I can't knock anyone for their preference. Some people just prefer lighter skin. I just don't agree with spending hundreds of dollars on stuff that doesn't work. I also don't agree with using chemicals like MONO to lighten, unless you have vitiligo. Some of the people on here are suffering from low self esteem and changing your skin is not the way out. Get some self love first, and the rest will follow.

I think a lot of people just want the opposite of their natural color. That might be why a lot of light people go tanning and why a lot of dark people bleach their skin. My skin is very uneven, so I want to lighten some areas of it. A lot of people think it's wrong to change the way god has made you, but if you really think about it, about everyone has changed the way god has made them. People dye their hair, and wear makeup all the time, which almost the same thing as changing your skin color in my opinion.

Please people stop hating... so what if someone wants to get a few shades lighter? Go for it people!

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Originally Posted by toofrank

Same here. I am an African American woman and for the past couple of years I've been suntanning like CRAZY during the summer. Lately I've noticed that my skintone has become dull and blotchy because some areas tan darker and stay dark while others fade in the winter. My face/neck has started to look dull, my hyperpigmentations have gotten darker...it's a mess. I simply want bright, even toned skin that is my natural, untanned, skin color. If I want to be darker, I'll try spray on tans.

I can't knock anyone for their preference. Some people just prefer lighter skin. I just don't agree with spending hundreds of dollars on stuff that doesn't work. I also don't agree with using chemicals like MONO to lighten, unless you have vitiligo. Some of the people on here are suffering from low self esteem and changing your skin is not the way out. Get some self love first, and the rest will follow.

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I will disagree with the low self esteem part... not necessarily... just like someone may want to pierce their ear or straighten their hair.. it's a personal thing. If you look in the mirror, love yourself and want to make a change here and there... then I see nothing wrong with that.

I believe people want to be "light" because for many years in North America there have been only caucasians who would appear in television, magazines, and movies because they had the money to be apart of those kinds of projects. When a person grows up and only (or mostly) sees caucasians in the media... (some people) will find some of their "beauty" appealing and then may want to emulate it.

to be honest, society has made black people have low self esteem. I mean how many dark skinned chics do you see on TV? Only about a handful. But the videos and movies are filled with light skinned chics with light eyes, oh yea and don't forget the big booties.
now, I've had a lighter complexion since forever, my brothers and sister who are darker than me were always jealous and thought I got more love from my parents which is not true. Wow, now within the last year a combo of pregnancy and sun has made me become a bit browner, nothing too serious in my mind until random people started telling me how different I look now that I'm darker. I mean, this damn lady who is a family "friend" saw me and said in front of EVERYONE how I look so UGLY now that I've gotten darker. I mean, who says that!! Even the damn guy at the gas station said that I look better with lighter skin after I showed him my id. ITS NOT FICTION THAT WE MADE IN OUR HEADS THAT LIGHTER IS BETTER, It's a REALITY THAT IS TOLD TO US EVERYDAY BY TV AND EVEN OUR OWN ENVIRONMENT. So I don't blame anyone for wanting to lighten their skin, I just think that it needs to be done safely and maybe not as extreme like michael jackson.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL MY GIRLS. AND PLEASE BE SAFE!!