A Student’s Fight Against Shadesim: Karyn Washington

 

Complexion is a lot more than clear skin, especially in multi-ethnic communities. For many years there has been a divide between what is considered beautiful. As of recently, Twitter has been a platform for individuals to represent #teamlightskin, #teambrownskin, and #teamdarkskin in statuses and in their bio. What used to be a social issue is sadly now becoming an accepted digital issue as well. To combat the negative assumptions about skin color, 19 year-old co-ed Karyn Washington created her acclaimed website and blog “For Brown Girls”, to empower girls to be confident and embrace the skin they’re in. College Lifestyles chatted with Karyn to discuss her own personal struggles with Shadeism and how she overcame it.

CL: What inspired you to start your website/blog For Brown Girls?

KW: “What inspired the creation of the blog was open dialogue between my older cousin, Amber and I about situations in our lives that made us feel less attractive because of our skin tone. From what someone would say to us directly, to messages in the media, we were bombarded on a daily basis with the idea that darker skin was unattractive. We didn’t want to accept this idea or our feelings of inadequacy anymore, so we created an outlet on Tumblr. We wanted to share our feelings and ideas, while ultimately uplifting and inspiring others to be more accepting of the skin they’re in. Since the initial launch of the blog in June, however, Amber has chosen to pursue other endeavors. I have since taken on running the blog, creating a website and building the For Brown Girls brand. I created the site and a Facebook “like” page to reach out to women and girls outside of the Tumblr world to invite them on this “journey” towards loving the skin they are in.”

CL: Have you ever experienced “Shadeism” or any type of negativity because of your complexion?

KW: “In my first “real” high school relationship we’d been together for a little bit as the time went by he became disinterested and we went our separate ways. As it turned out he’d discovered that he preferred lighter skinned girls with long hair, neither of which I had. That was the first time I realized that my complexion could make me “less desirable”. I also learned that longer straight hair was considered most attractive. I would try to wear my hair straight and down as much as I could to try and please this boy and I was only 15! More recently, I’ve been told by a guy that I wasn’t his “type”, and he even went as far as to say he usually didn’t date dark skinned girls but he’d make an exception! Lucky me!-I declined. Most of the negativity I’ve experienced personally has been involving guys and that’s taught me that although you are allowed to have a preference most times it is unjustified. They aren’t choosing one personality over another or in some cases even the most attractive! It is based simply on skin complexion and that’s just plain ignorant and a perfect example of prejudice within the African American community. Throughout my life I’ve also heard “dark” or “black” used in a derogatory way to put someone down or as a joke. I’ve been made fun of for my darker complexion when I was younger on occasion but I never really internalized it. Looking back at the incidents as I’m older and more aware I understand the implications of the teasing. The idea of being darker skinned is projected as a “burden” or a “flaw” and it really takes a toll on one’s spirit, especially the self-esteem of young women.”

CL: At College Lifestyles we started the Beauty by Confidence Campaign earlier this year to show young women that beauty comes in a variety of packages. What is your definition of beauty?

KW: “I think beauty is the person you are inside and it radiates most when you are comfortable in your skin. I think beauty shines most bright when you are positive, happy, and genuinely kind to others. It shows through your heart and radiates in your smile.”

CL: How do you juggle managing your academics, a social life, and your philanthropy efforts?

KW: “Although, I devote most of my time to maintaining “For Brown Girls”, my schoolwork and friends haven’t been put on the backburner. I make sure I complete my schoolwork and am physically as well as mentally present in class so I can do the best that I can to get closer to earning my degree. My friends are extremely supportive and we hang out, have fun and catch up when we can. My passion for what FBG is about motivates me to succeed in other areas of my life. In the same aspect my learning experiences both from school and interacting with friends allows me to gain new perspectives and add to my writing and creativity.”

CL: What activities are you involved in? (clubs, community service, etc)

KW: “Honestly, I’ve been quite consumed with this project over the past couple of months, so I haven’t been as involved with other activities as I would like. I’ve been trying to figure out the steps necessary to keep taking it to the next level and reach out to as many people I can. I plan to create a line of inspirational apparel in the immediate future. I look forward to getting involved in mentoring programs, recycling initiatives, anti-bullying initiatives & local organizations that support women entrepreneurship. Recently I re-connected with the Public Relations club (Access PR) at my school and joined Parts of Peace which is a nonprofit organization based in Baltimore to help alleviate poverty. I am also a social media intern for Zoë Damacela Apparel.”

 

 

Be sure follow “For Brown Girls here and Karyn! on Twitter

 

 

 

Amber Ferguson is an intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is sophomore at Prince George’s Community College studying English. She’s the first girl out on the dance floor, is obsessed with reality TV, and loves getting stamps on her passport when she travels to new places.