Gender101@Bowdoin

MAACD Campaign: What is Colorism?

maacd:

The M.A.A.C.D (Makeup Artists Against Complexion Discrimination) is an up and coming non-profit organization whose main goal is to bring awareness to the issue of complexion discrimination (also known as colorism). This is an issue that effects women of many different ethnicities yet it remains a taboo and virtually undiscussed subject. It strives in an environment of silence and exists, very subtly, even in our wonderful world of beauty.

M.A.A.C.D LESSON #1:

What is colorism? 

“Definition: Colorism is a practice of discrimination by which those with lighter skin are treated more favorably than those with darker skin. In the African-American community, this traditionally played out via the paper bag test. Those lighter than the standard paper lunch bag were allowed entry into fraternities, sororities and other realms of black upper class life, while dark-skinned blacks were excluded. The Spike Lee film “School Daze” is an exploration of colorism.

Examples: Colorism mirrors white supremacy in that those with lighter skin are awarded privileges their dark-skinned counterparts aren’t—strictly based on skin color.”       

Qouted definition from:

http://racerelations.about.com/od/understandingrac1/g/definitionofcolorism.htm