https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 25 Oct 2026 01:38:41 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887720 Thu, 27 Jun 2013 07:54:12 +0000 MsMamaBear 887720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsjazz: The dolls thing bothered me too. Maybe because she went fro mthe darkest doll to the lightest one, never one of them in between.</p> <p>I'm lightskinned and I didn't have to deal with THAT kind of stuff, and my daughter is too, not as light as me ( more Beyoncé color), but I'm sure she'll still deal with stuff. I was bothered by those girls throwing Nair in the lighter girls hair. It's not all good to be light skinned. I was called white girl among other things, may not be as severe, but not one likes being called names.</p> <p>You are lucky your family isn't like that. One side of my family is and ohh, they are SO annoying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887709 Thu, 27 Jun 2013 07:46:07 +0000 MrsSCB 887709@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Yeah poor guy can be outside for two minutes and he starts to turn red. The blisters do suck, ouch! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887700 Thu, 27 Jun 2013 07:41:45 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 887700@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: So kind of your hubby to want to look out for gus future babies. I blister when I burn. That is painful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887669 Thu, 27 Jun 2013 07:26:39 +0000 MrsSCB 887669@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't seen the documentary but I really want to! I hope they repeat it. The idea of trying to lighten skin makes me sad, though. All skin tones are beautiful! I heard the documentary re-enacts the doll study and gets the same results. It's funny because my DH is very, very pale, and he said that when he was a little kid, before he even really understood "race," he wanted to marry someone with dark skin so his kids wouldn't get sunburned as easily as he does, ha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887593 Thu, 27 Jun 2013 06:41:47 +0000 Dandelion 887593@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've vaguely heard the concept of lighter people being prettier, but I never knew people were trying to lighten their skin. I wish people would be feel comfortable being themselves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887587 Thu, 27 Jun 2013 06:36:13 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 887587@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsjazz: While not a new topic, the doc reminds me to lavish praise on the kids in my life because they are bombarded with self-hating messages. The doll experiment is always heartbreaking. I wonder what my kids will choose. TBH I probably would have had a lighter skin preference as a child. I don't know if that's because the lighter skin would have reflected my own immediate family or a real bias. Now, I would need some background info on each doll like where they went to school or what they do on the weekend. Lol</p> <p>I did not like the negative characterizations associated with dark skinned people - untrustworthy and mean. This cannot possibly be true. I know this is not true. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887508 Thu, 27 Jun 2013 01:37:28 +0000 TheSwissWifeStyle 887508@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't heard about this documentary. But I know in many Asian cultures, lighter skin is desirable. When I went to the Philippines, I saw ads for lightening creams everywhere. And when I was in Hawaii, most Asian tourists I saw would be completely covered up, and carrying around umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun. </p> <p>And in contrast, many white people, (myself included) wish they were darker! Personally, I feel slimmer, and healthier looking with a tan. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887448 Wed, 26 Jun 2013 23:34:33 +0000 mrsjazz 887448@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I watched it. I felt like it wasn't anything new or surprising, but I think it's for people who aren't necessarily in the know, I'm happy it was on OWN. It did make me sad, as most things do post-baby, for my LO. In terms of color within the Black spectrum I am neither dark nor light (although I wouldn't pass the paper bag test), somewhere in between. My DH is darker than I am and my LO is somewhere in the middle of us. I don't want her to be like that little girl who says the dark girl is the ugly and dumb one and the white girl is the pretty and smart one.</p> <p>My sister lived in a mostly Caribbean/West Indian neighborhood and went to the store to buy regular hand lotion and ALL of the lotions in the store were for bleaching skin. O_o</p> <p>I've never had any issue with my skin color but I want to ask my sister if she has. She is the darkest in the family. Our family members come in all shades and no one was ever made to feel bad because they were darker, I'm so happy I was raised like that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887346 Wed, 26 Jun 2013 21:41:19 +0000 daniellemybelle 887346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have it DVR'd and look forward to watching it, though I am sure it will break my heart. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887333 Wed, 26 Jun 2013 21:32:07 +0000 TemperanceBrennan 887333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is interesting. I remember when I was living in China and I learned (from what students told me) that many people can tell what region you are from by your skin color and a lighter skin color is preferred. It blew me away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887296 Wed, 26 Jun 2013 21:03:37 +0000 Espion 887296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I will have to watch this. I've been living on HB and Netflix since E debuted, lol! </p> <p>I think there are parts of the Indian culture that also do this. I had NO idea they would even consider altering skin tone for a picture/magazine. It seems unthinkable to me, but history is damning. I will have to see it though. I wonder what it might have to say about other native populations as well. </p> <p>I'm almost glad I have a boy...I wouldn't even know where to begin with the mixed messages for girls. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887293 Wed, 26 Jun 2013 21:02:34 +0000 MsMamaBear 887293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I watched it, but wasn't at all surprised. I mostly came in and out of it. It's interesting how many cultures have this type of thing going on as well. Dark is not as good as light. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887279 Wed, 26 Jun 2013 20:54:47 +0000 Raindrop 887279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow I had no idea. I will look into this. Thanks for sharing. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887267 Wed, 26 Jun 2013 20:49:31 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 887267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Espion: oh no, this did not start with Beyonce. She is mentioned in the doc though when there was controversy about her skin being lightened in pictures. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887262 Wed, 26 Jun 2013 20:46:34 +0000 Espion 887262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't seen it yet, but I have heard of it. I was a little shocked (and naïve) at the premise. I've always admired the women and men I know with strikingly deep ebony skin. I really had no idea that it could be viewed in such a negative manner. A Beyonce effect? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dark-girls-documentary#post-887223 Wed, 26 Jun 2013 20:27:59 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 887223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What did you think of this OWN documentary?</p> <p>We have talked quite a bit about racism on HB, but this documentary is about colorism. One of my grade school classmates' older sister was interviewed for the documentary. Two things really stuck out to me. 1) the skin lightening industry is big business around the world. The creams aren't safe and they don't work anyway. 2) colorism seems to be a bigger problem outside the US. I have never been warned by family to marry light or white to help the race, but several non-American black folks have! One of the experts basically said there simply has not been enough time between Colonialism and the present for non-whites to value their own skin color and beauty. </p>