skinned

Racism is often debated, discussed and analyzed in politics, the classroom and the workplace. But as a scholar of the politics of skin color, I see colorism as a form of prejudice that’s poorly understood and gets very little attention. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines colorism as “prejudice or discrimination especially within a racial or ethnic group favoring people with lighter skin over those with darker skin.” Western media outlets routinely assume that colorism refers to the preference for lighter skin in communities of color. Yet this assumption betrays a Western bias. Yes, in places like the U.S., darker-skinned people can experience various aspects of discrimination. But in some African communities, the U.S. and other parts of the world, light skin may also lead to prejud...

Since the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020 and the subsequent mass mobilizations for police defunding and abolition, the defund movement has continued to organize. Has this work had an impact in Canada? Have there been successful challenges to reducing Canadian police budgets? The answer is complicated and depends on how you define success. Raised awareness Some argue the mobilization and movement-building that has transpired — people brought together in campaigns for police abolition that reimagine community safety — is a huge success in and of itself. Abolition has entered the public consciousness like never before. Dozens of books have been published by academics, lawyers and activists, building on the work of Black feminists in the United States and Canada who have long ar...

Tag: skinned

Being Light-Skinned Can Lead To ‘Reverse Colorism’ In Many Parts Of The World

Police Fight Against Defunding, Thin-Skinned Blue Line Showing Their True Colours