Color Struck: To Bleach Or Not To Bleach?

Dem ah bleach, dem ah bleach out dem skin, dem ah bleach fi look like a brownin! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTWEgiOrSb8 The previous lyrics are that of Nardo Rank's song entitled "Dem A Bleach." Ranks is a Jamaican DJ singing about Jamaica's skin bleaching phenomenon, one that is not confined to the Caribbean. Many well known, African American celebrities have employed the services of dermatologists to achieve lighter skin complexions. "Skin whitening or bleaching refers to the practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to lighten skin tone or provide an even skin complexion by lessening the concentration of melanin" (Wikipedia). " Several chemicals have been shown to be effective in skin whitening, while some have proved to be toxic or have questionable safety profiles, adding to the controversy surrounding their use and impacts on many different ethnic groups" particularly, the African American community (Wikipedia).

Is it worth the negative health effects? To the scores of Black celebrities who have bleached their skin, is it worth Hollywood's acceptance? Does it garner a higher rate of pay or increased accolades? I can not reasonably answer any of these questions. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around the idea of changing one of the most important links that I have to my ancestors-my black skin. I love my black skin. It is radiant and luxurious. My black skin drapes beautifully around my curvaceous body. It protects me from the sun's harmful rays. I can confidently go to the beach without the consummate fear of sun burn. In a nut shell, I love being black. Not only am I black, but I am dark-skinned what some may characterize as swarthy. However, way you choose to articulate it, I am the definition of dark chocolate and I wouldn't have it any other way. I wish that more Jamaican and African American celebrities would adopt the same level of self-love and acceptance.

Please check out this documentary about the skin bleaching phenomenon in Jamaica
http://current.com/groups/culture/89328481_family-of-skin-bleachers.htm

Please share your thoughts and ideas around the skin bleaching phenomenon.