Advertisements on television, in newspapers, in magazines, is
something wrong with our hair and skin colour?
Ever wondered why in almost ALL the advertisements both local and international or black people with natural hair are never shown? I mean are you ashamed of us? Even when companies make an attempt, they always use a light negro girl/ boy with natural hair or a brown skin girl with curly/straight hair. If they happen to throw in a black person with natural hair they are never the focus.
Are these advertisements trying to tell us something? Being 'DARK' in Trinidad is already a challenge, I mean, can you remember going primary and secondary school and being provoked about having dark skin and "Bad Hair", being told "AYE GAL YUH BLACK LIKE PITCH" " AYE GAL WHEN CURRENT GONE LIKE YOU GONE TOO" or "GONE SO! WITH YUH NAPPY HEAD, HOW YUH GEH THAT COMB"? -____________-
"Red" girls were cherish and respected because they were lighter and just because of our colour and texture of our hair we won't. I mean we're not here to "tote feelings" for the past but this is a very serious issue. Even as adults you get comments like "SHE PRETTY FOR A BLACK GIRL EH" *high pitch* WHAT?????
Kezia Campbell a group member told us about a discussion she had with a 5 year old Guyanese girl "Jenees" that was staying with her for a while.
Kezia's Story:
While strolling through videos on YouTube an animated cartoon popped up next to the video. It was a Blonde Caucasian fairy, Jenees turned and pointed to the fairy
Jenees: "She pretty, I want her hair".
Kezia: "Why you want her hair, you have nice hair
already"
Jenees: "*laughing* No
my hair HARD and i like her skin it nice and light"
Kezia: " *sat Jenees on her lap* your
hair is beautiful and your skin is smooth and dark and beautiful"
Jenees: " *under her breath* No
my skin like the devil, she skin like Jesus, i doh like my skin it dark and ugly"
 |
| Meet Jenees everyone and look at that smooth black |
Kezia, stunned at her response sat for over an hour trying to convince a 5 year old that she was beautiful.
Even if they do decide to throw in dark skinned person with natural African hair its never often for example the Women's Dove campaign and Victoria Secret Models.
Now, we're not saying that advertisements and mass media are totally to blame for the way that dark skin people negatively perceive their appearance or others but it undeniably contributes greatly.
Even Locally here's a Scotia Bank Commercial:
