Now what I do have a problem with is her rationale for bleaching her skin.
She said:
“I don’t really think it’s important to discuss the cultural significance of skin bleaching anymore because I think that, just as African-American people, just as black people in this world, you assimilate, and there are things you accept, not just out of necessity but things become norm because they just happen all the time.”
What the hell is she talking about?
The only “cultural significance” associated with skin bleaching, is individuals who are trying to disguise their culture. In Jamaica this process of bleaching your body has become epidemic. Many natives in the Jamaica slums feel a lighter skin is their ticket out the ghetto. Five years ago, an article was published in the Jamaica Observer from the Associated Press titled: Skin bleaching a growing problem in Jamaica
In that article, Eva Lewis-Fuller, the Jamaican ministry’s director of health promotion and protection said that “Bleaching has gotten far worse and widespread in recent years,” she said. “(Bleachers) want to be accepted within their circle of society. They want to be attractive to the opposite sex. They want career opportunities. But we are saying there are side effects and risks. It can disfigure your face.”
Miss Azelia Banks is not alone when it comes to Black entertainers who have lighten their skin for various reasons. For one, We see a prejudice towards our dark skin sisters with it comes to movie roles and acting gigs in Hollywood. The entertainment business is and has always been “white-washed.” Understand that back in the day that some of our Black entertainers had to literally paint their face white. So we understand the extra struggles that these brothers and sisters have to go through. Yeah social media may roast you but some people understand why the bleaching of the skin is done. Lil Kim has done it. Mike Jackson did it. So why is Azelia coming up with this lame ass excuse as to why she did it?
She continued on by saying
“I guess people see the skin-bleaching thing as something different but I see it as another … assimilation thing. It’s a continuation of the falsification of self that comes with being a black person in America.”
Once again. What the hell is she talking about?
That “assimilation thing” she is referring to should not be associated with a group of people; especially Black folks here in America. Assimilation is an individual decision to be something you not. It literally means “to become similar to something.” In this instance she is trying to become similar to the people she see the most successful in the entertainment business; which are White people. Or maybe not. I’m not sure what her reasoning is for bleaching her skin. I do know there is a self hate that is associated with the process of trying to be something you’re not. I also know the continue “falsification of self” is the reality that being yourself is not good enough. And maybe Azelia has realized that being herself is not good enough. The social media outbursts are not big enough. The sad truth is there have been a lot of Black entertainers who have had all the talent in the world but the wrong skin color. Sometimes you have to conform or assimilate in order to see you dreams come true. Some people don’t.
Other the hand, Black people as a whole have traditionally tried to gain equality through integration. The definition of integration is “the intermixing of people or groups previously segregated.” And why would Black folks desire to go to schools and have homes around people who previously lynched them and called them niggers. Because those schools provided a better education and opportunities for their children. Those homes are in better neighborhoods, with better resources and facilities. Mostly; “we” meaning Black people, have been searching for equality by means of necessity and survival. These acceptable norms that Miss Banks speaks on, would needed to be clarified in order to be qualified to be on the list with skin bleaching. But God Bless her; I hope she obtains the success she seeks and be able to prosper with it. I just hope she keeps it real about how she got that success.
Source:
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/AP–Skin-bleaching-a-growing-problem-in-Jamaica