I seem to have touched a nerve with you, Freddy. While you do have every right to dislike my post, becoming insulting is uncalled for. I've always liked your posts in the past & hope to clarify any misunderstanding. As for allegations of ignorance and stupidity & living in the 16 th century; I merely noticed something different and wrote about my experience. As for having 'worked on my self-esteem issue', 3 weeks is a short time for such a radical makeover!
People's self-esteem cannot be altered by cosmetic changed. Many get repeated plastic surgeries thinking that if only this or that were different, they'd feel better about themselves. It is called Dysmorphic disorder and it is quite prevalent. The only ways to rectify a self-esteem issue is by resolving past issues andd developing self-esteem. This usually involves months or even years of therapy. There are beautiful people with low self-esteem and unattractive people with high self-esteem. It crosses all ethnic/social boundaries.
As a child growing up with a much darker skin from hours in the sun, I recall the parents of many of my Indian friends admonishing them for playing in the sun & 'ruining their skin'. Go onto You Tube & see the ads for Fair and Lovely. It is the best selling cream in all Asia. View the coersive and patently elitist 'tone' of their ads and what they imply about being dark in India and a few of the other Asian countries represented. I think that what you are responding to that 'sucks' is the unspoken racism beneath the surface of our modern society that we like to believe we've outevolved. Think again! It is still there. Ask yourself whether Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Ciara, Aishwarya & Halle Berry would be recognized as beauty queens if they had decidedly dark skin. How different would their opportunities have been even with the same talents? THIS, I agree with you, SUCKS.
As for lightening my skin due to low self-esteem, I would wonder whether you believe the same about the thousands of whites regularly visiting tanning salons, using tanning creams or laying out in the sun to darken their skin. With whiteness, comes the presumption of the right to make choices. When a white woman perms her straight hair into curls & gets a tan, she is merely having fun trying a new look as is her prerogative. If a black woman straightens her hair and lightens her skin, are you the sort who accuses her of having all sorts of issues? I insist on exercising my right to make choices.
I have stated that I have no intention of trying to 'turn white' or pass myself off as any other background other than the one I have. After noticing this difference in treatment, I spoke to a friend I'll call Geeta. After some initial discomfort with the subject, she confided that her parents 'freaked' (her word) when her sister brought home a nice Indian date who was darker skinned than she was. Geeta is the colour I was 3 weeks ago. Whether or not you or I like it, people DO treat others differently when
-they appear affluent/successful
-they exhibit traits considered beautiful in a given culture
In America, that may mean being a tall, slim busty blonde. Having ultra-white skin is not considered beautiful but a beach-gold tan is a popular look. In another culture, it may mean having very long hair, large eyes a 'double fold' eyelid (the most popular surgery in China and Japan), or having lighter rather than darker skin.
As for 'accommodating poor darker people' (your words), I have to wonder whether I would become a contributor to the increased challenges they do face (whether you want to believe so or not) or whether I'd make an effort to contribute towards awareness of inequalities and treating people respectfully. I choose the latter.
Many people with disabilities say that they are 'invisible people'. That people unwittingly do not look at them, make eye contact or speak to them. They are often capable but are the last to be hired & the first to be dismissed. When dark skinned people express similar experiences, although dark skin is not a pathology but a normal genetic human variation, it becomes, socially, disabling. This is what I hope to assist in dismantling.