You’re right in that it is racism as well, and rooted in it. Though it is different in kind, and anyone who hasn’t experienced it personally should be careful not to redefine it out of existence. So just like all robbery is theft, being robbed is an instance of theft that can feel very different from other kinds of theft.
Colorism, […] “prejudicial or preferential treatment of same-race people based solely on their color.” It is not racism although there is a clear relationship.
Imagine if a white person would need to choose between a black candidate and a white candidate for a job, and they choose the white candidate saying “well obviously I’m going to choose someone my own race” - what kind of mental gymnastics are you or Alice there gonna do to explain how that’s colorism, not racism?
That is racism. Colorism is far more common in Asia than in the west. When two Han Chinese people apply for the job and they hire the lighter skinned person you can’t call it racist as they are literally both the same race. So it instead falls under colorism. In the end of the day, as long as you recognize that both are bad it doesn’t really matter what you call it, except that it makes it easier to communicate with others.
You’re right in that it is racism as well, and rooted in it. Though it is different in kind, and anyone who hasn’t experienced it personally should be careful not to redefine it out of existence. So just like all robbery is theft, being robbed is an instance of theft that can feel very different from other kinds of theft.
Actually I’ll just let Alice Walker do the talking:
Imagine if a white person would need to choose between a black candidate and a white candidate for a job, and they choose the white candidate saying “well obviously I’m going to choose someone my own race” - what kind of mental gymnastics are you or Alice there gonna do to explain how that’s colorism, not racism?
That is racism. Colorism is far more common in Asia than in the west. When two Han Chinese people apply for the job and they hire the lighter skinned person you can’t call it racist as they are literally both the same race. So it instead falls under colorism. In the end of the day, as long as you recognize that both are bad it doesn’t really matter what you call it, except that it makes it easier to communicate with others.
both