Acceptable dark skinned women and egotistical light skinned women: black women speak on colorism and colorist microaggressions within the black community on campus

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on Black undergraduate women’s perspectives and experiences with colorism and colorist microaggressions in Black communities at a Historically Predominantly White University (HPWI). Previous studies demonstrate that Black undergraduate women’s experiences are shaped by their race and gender together. Our study highlights how their skin tone, colorism, and colorist microaggressions also shape their college experiences. Twenty-five Black undergraduate women were interviewed about their experiences with discrimination on campus. The perspectives on colorism from dark and light skinned Black women show that colorist ideals are present within the campus’ Black Community and impact Black student interactions. Colorist microaggressions experienced by light-skinned Black women were rooted in objectification and fetishization; whereas the colorist microaggressions endured by dark-skinned Black women were enmeshed in anti-Black constructions of darkness with masculinity and deviance. This study demonstrates the importance of centering skin tone when exploring and analyzing Black undergraduate women’s experiences with discrimination.

KEYWORDS:

• Colorism
• colorist microaggressions
• higher education
• black women
• intersectionality

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).