Colourism debate: Do black women ’stereotype’ black men ?

Homi Bhabha, the academic, asserted in his book ‘Location of Culture’ that stereotypes are linked to fetishism. I completely get this point. I think we can link this within our own black communities.

Many black women do categorise black men in terms of skin-tone. I know I have been guilty of this too. When I was in first year, I was always championing the dark-skinned boy’s corner because of what I thought was discrimination towards him. My current significant other is light-skinned and it is strange because I did not necessarily think I was going to end up with a light-skinned man. Not because I did not find them attractive because I do but I think because by championing for dark-skinned men, I was trying to fight the stereotype of colourism, ie, that light is better. Of course, I have now realised how naive I was and that I was being colourist myself. I love dark and light skinned men but I know I am not the only black women who has been guilty of colourism.