Family of Skin Bleachers

they dont even realize they how they look the beach mek dem look worst

sickening... black ppl hating their own skin... wat is the world coming to... wat is jamaica coming to

this is really disgusting to look at ,people bleaching their skins for world acceptance.man why can they just be happy with the color god blessed them with?and the result of toning doesn't even turn out as beautiful as they thought they might look. this is really dumb.

they look no different, they'll be brown no matter what they do. Im Jamaican and this is my first time knowing about this. Not every Jamaican does this. I love Melanin!!!

Is this what Michael Jackson did?

Really though, don't they realize the benefit of having beautiful dark skin? You may get darker in the sun but the dark pigment protects you from getting skin cancer. You bleach your skin and it makes your skin sensitive to the sun.

I am so happy that some one is trying to get out there the health problems that are a result of bleaching your skin. To make it clearer they need to show evidence of it instead of talking about it. I am a Jamaican and I know lots of people from all over the caribbean that do this and it's sad. The creams only work for a time. I personally do not bleach because I love my dark skin. I wish people would heed the doctor's warning and stop.

Wow, here in america everyone wants to be tan.

I have just watched this film. Its not just in Jamaica that people are doing this, it is also being done here in the United Kingdom, Africa and in India. Look at all the Bollywood stars have you seen a dark one yet? I read an article about Asian women doing it too because dark skin is frowned upon, the lighter you are the more attractive you are. As a black woman I take pride in my appearance but am not ashamed of my darker hue and top up my tan when I go on holiday! Its sad that people feel that they have to do this because of society but it is damaging to their health. It is true in Jamaica that some people are refused jobs if they are darker skinned I assume it is the same for other people too.
When you go into the shops that sell these products there are shelves full of these "peel out ya skin" gels and creams but obviously the government aren't that worried because they are still being sold.

I see this in Jamaica all the time when i visit. All i can do is be ashamed of them b/c bleaching is so stupid. But there has always been a color war w/ black ppl, b/c the lighter skinned ones are supposedly "better" it is a racial scar. I am BLACK, like really dark-skinned and jmaican boys love it, even the light-skinned ones! You have to work with wat u got and make it into sumthin, ie my black into beauty and i hope that some how their minds wil be enlightened and but odwn the bleahing cream and love themselves.

This was extremely eye-opening, thank you.

-b

we can't blame anybody but ourselves; we're the ones who put the lighter than a paper bag idea out there to every generation (past and future) ......black women straightening their hair started the same way, so i don't see this leaving. more than likely; it will start to be the norm......

i think that every person shoould be able to accept who they are and realise it dosent matter about the colour of your skin

Caucasians try and darken their skin to make themselves more attractive (tanning) in the mean time risking skin cancer and invariably overdoing it and getting sunburn - That's bad enough, but what fresh foolishness is this? Why not roll around in some toxic waste while you're at it, I heard webbed feet are this year's white! Good grief! If you've got fair skin like me then just go with it - wrinkley sun-damaged skin is unattractive! If you have dark skin then *just go with it* - Blotchy white patches of bleached skin is unattractive too! Is it so hard just to be who you are without resorting to harming yourself to try and be someone you're not?

While this was interesting to watch, it does not give the full story about the bleaching epidemic in Jamaica.

When the interviewer asked Ms Morris about why she started bleaching, Ms Morris responded "Dem jus like di style" showing that she herself didn't grasp the full reason this style took root.

Jamaica like many other Caribbean islands was a colony of England. While we gained independence in 1962 our mentally was still that of a colonial state. In the 60's - 70's there was a severe bias towards people of a mixed ethnicity (light skinned black people), they were more often than not more educated and were seen as the higher classes of Jamaican society.

Therefore having lighter skin was seen as a social advantage. It eventually evolved into men having a preference for "brownings" epitomized by a very popular song. Bleaching has now progressed to the sad state where even men are doing it.

The healing has to take place not only at the level of the individual, but also at the level of the society, while our grip on our colonial attitudes has loosened somewhat we still have a ways to go.

"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, not but ourselves can free our minds..." - Bob Marley

It isn't unusual for people to either want to darken their skin or lighten it. People get injections for fuller lips, there are tanning salons everywhere. You have people changing their gender through surgery and prescription drugs. All of that is legal. How is it that the cream that lightens the skin is deemed illegal, and the drugs and surgical practices that change a persons gender legal. How is it that tanning salons are legal even though it causes skin cancer. Darkening the skin is legal, and lightening the skin is illegal.
Maybe I am missing something?

This has been going on in cultures around the world for a while now. In Africa, this is a major issue and even in Asia, women are bombarded with skin care products that all "bleach" the skin to make it more white.

These creams are so dangerous and it just makes me sad (on a personal as well as cultural level) that women are made to feel inadequate in yet another area.

there's nothing new under the sun...in the words of Thirld World "We are the children of the rainbow.." Journey to Adis Ababa album

this startled me as a darker black person.

unfortunately, this bleaching trend is popular around the world. the injections of glutathyon or however you spell it, is extrememly popular in the philippines today. its another way of bleaching the skin, but from inside out. i believe everyone should appreciate the skin they're in. In america, everyone wants to get tan, and in other places they want to get lighter. what is up with that?

How saddening. Why can't the entire human race just love who they are? The fact that so many alter themselves just to be in style, or to be more like someone else is terrifying. Doing so obviously CAN come with consequences.

Thanks for the insight.

All we want is something we can never have.

Screwy. Next thing you know, those sisters'll be trying to flatten out their butts.

This is really sad, and when you superimpose this across the daily actions of the human race, we are all honestly pathetic creatures.

The fight between our reason and emotions is constant, and unfortunately reason loses the majority of the time.

All problems in this world can be looked at as stemming from fears.

Fears are "USUALLY" irrational emotions.

OK, just stop it. Stop wearing any kind of make-up and stop wearing any latest fashion. Just walk around naked.

Unfortunately, it's not what society wants (or I want). We are a product of superficiality. Our outward appearances give a first and lasting impression to people. Primitive thoughts go to the effect of "who will give my genes the best ability to spread further".

Yeah, we all don't want to be that shallow, but it will be a thought that we consider because we are human.

So, it's not the products that we should be looking at. It's the society.

Why can't people just love who they are?

this is crazy but there are people every were doing the same thing bleaching is a problem in india as well

I have a diagnosis for this psychiatric disorder these ‘bleachers’ are sufferig from, "house slave vs. field slave disorder" or better yet “light skin vs. dark skin disorder”. It is among one of the symptoms of “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome” (a book by Dr. Joy DeGruy) that people of an African descent suffer from. Though we are no longer slaves, we still suffer from the aftermath of the American chattel slave system which influenced us and the way we have been tread, from slavery to present day, no matter what part of the world we live.

No, I’m not a doctor nor am I a psychiatrist. I’m an intelligent black woman that has had my blinders removed sometime ago. And yes, this topic may be uncomfortable for some to discuss, and yes I AM ‘airing the dirty laundry’, but when I saw this on Current TV I knew in an instant what the problem was. It hurts me to see ‘MY PEOPLE’ treat themselves this way. I have personally witnessed unfair and preferential treatment of blacks based on how dark or light they were, from other blacks as well as other races. And in those cases the light skin black always got the better end of the deal, which I assure you is fueling the bleaching. Yes it is a form of SELF-HATRED, but this was NOT conjured up in the mother-land in some mystery brew…

The origin lies here:

These are excerpts from “The Willie Lynch Letter” a speech by a British slave owner (Willie Lynch) delivered in 1712 in the then colony of Virginia (United States). The term “lynching” is derived from his last name…

“In my bag here, I HAVE A FOOL PROOF METHOD FOR CONTROLLING YOUR BLACK SLAVES. I guarantee every one of you that, if installed correctly, IT WILL CONTROL THE SLAVES FOR AT LEAST 300 HUNDREDS YEARS….I HAVE OUTLINED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENCES AMONG THE SLAVES; AND I TAKE THESE DIFFERENCES AND MAKE THEM BIGGER. I USE FEAR, DISTRUST AND ENVY FOR CONTROL PURPOSES….Don’t forget, you must pitch the OLD black male vs. the YOUNG black male, and the YOUNG black male against the OLD black male. You must use the DARK skin slaves vs. the LIGHT skin slaves, and the LIGHT skin slaves vs. the DARK skin slave. You must use the FEMALE vs. the MALE, and the MALE vs. the FEMALE. Crossbreeding niggers mean taking so many drops of good white blood and putting them into as many nigger women as possible, varying the drops by the various tone that you want, and then letting them breed with each other until another circle of color appears as you desire. Both must be CROSSBRED to produce a variety and DIVISION of labor.”

Craziness--it crosses all cultures. Check out my quick little piece (soon to be expanded) called "Not Fair, Still Lovely" right here on Current:

http://current.com/items/76437842_not_fair_still_lovely

It is sad....are people bleaching their skin thinking that by making themselves lighter skinned (closer to white) they will be able to obtain jobs they might not otherwise obtain? Sorry for my ignorance...I do know that at times in the US lighter skinned people found it easier to get jobs etc...just wondering if that is what is behind the skin bleaching. They are beautiful as they are....but the media and fashion have us all thinking otherwise. If it is not the color of your skin, it is the shape of your body, the color of your hair.

Dat shyt is crazy ppl are being brainwashed into thinking there not good enough

This is so sad...be PROUD of the color of your skin!! I use to work in cosmetics.. i Hope that all of you beautiful people are wearing sunscreen!!!

I find it horrifying how society and the media has created this perfect image that we must all convey. Wether it's being a certain size or skin color. We have this so-called "perfect image" drilled into our brains that people do these extreme things instead of seeing that our individuality is what truly makes us beautiful.

I am a first generation American born to Nigerian parents. It is personally interesting because unfortunately bleaching has been going on on the African continent for decades, it is interesting to hear that bleaching is now becoming a popular trend in Jamaica. I guess black self-hate is a global phenomena. Very very sad.

Yes this is sad for my people. But when in history did we ever all like what we looked like. In Africa we married other tribes to change the way our kids looked. After we got to the U. S. we hated the contact with with people but we held up and hated the child our contact produced. Lighter skin hints that you are better than others.
Hating for Haters sake, We hate ourselves for not being and for being.
Like someone said earlier :: Light people want to be darker and Darker people want to be lighter.

Thank the Goddess it's not everyone.
Try and stay strong people.

I think everyone should have the freedom to do what they want to themselves.

But I think it is horrible that dark skinned people do that, they should love their colour and be proud of themselves.

It looks like everyone wants to look like the "perfect person", but if everyone looks the same wont this world be very boring?

It is quite sad and disturbing that people would put such harsh products on there skin in order to change their appearance. It is very obvious that these people have such self hatred or they would not be doing this to themselves. It is a slave mentality that whiter skin is more acceptable. I love my dark skin, I embrace my dark skin, I have never felt any limitation with it and I would not change it for anything in the world. God made us all different, we are all made in his image and he loves us equally. God has not created a superior race, he has not told us that one is better than the other because of complexion so, I will continue to love and embrace my black skin.

Why don't some enterprising young people come up with an equivalent of fake tan, but in reverse.

though, I've often wondered just how safe long term use of fake tan would be...

very interesting.I never thougt it could happen.

In fact we are never happy. We must be proud of ourselves inspite the colour we where born.

All of us are an unique beautiful person

I visited Jamaica and saw job adverts requesting light/brown skinned applicants. Until we deal with this ridiculous internal prejudice, we will not stop people from bleaching.

The black race is beautiful and it's not the shade of your skin that determines beauty, but what is actually within. There are white people who are both poor and ugly. Lol so being white is not necessarily alright.

Stand tall and proud whatever skin colour you are, a dark rich chocolate coloured skin is just as beautiful as so called cafe au lait. We need variety in this world or it would be boring, there is nothing beautiful about bleaching as it destroys your skin and destroys your health. Please my brothers and sisters stop this destructive practice.

Hey guys, due to a bug on ths site the full version is not available.

Please click here for the full storie of the JA family of bleachers;

http://www.outaroad.com/2008/09/family_of_skin_bleachers.html

Thanks Sassyvelvet

If there was a way that people could get this done in a safe way without harming themselves I say go for it...yeah they know they are black..white racism..what ever...in about I say 150 years...we will ALL Be BROWN if my plan works! .I am caribbean and I am light Brown and love my skin cause I am in the middle...every girl I have ever dated darker or lighter said fi we had kids they want them my family's complexion...and I hope so too....I like being in the middle and thats what the human race wants to do....I dont even think it is self hate...cause in the USA alot of African aMericans I know want to get lighter or date someone light or white for lighter kids...they just dont admit it....yeah white people too....or they get an asian (Indian,philipino or chinese)...thats life. I dont think it has any thing do with self hate...My girl is African and wants our kids to be my complexion..and I do too.If not oh well...thats life but if they wanted to get lighter and could do it safely...I am all for it...whatever keeps you happy. thats why I exercise eat right..and take care of my skin getting treatments. Light Brown is the bomb...I wouldn't want to be lighter..or darker, I thank GOD.

they dont even really look lighter to me. that one lady said she has been using it for ten years?!

I find this so sad...I went to Jamaica in July 2008 and was stunded by the huge population of people that are bleaching. Bleaching is nothing new, I can remember people bleaching back in the early 90's, but now men are doing it. People who bleach llok terrible...sorry I'm not trying to be rude. My cousin bleaches and wears socks and long tops and pants during the day; she was darker than me but is now lighter. I asked her if she thinks I'm ugly she told me no but won't stop. I can see why though...people there think being light skinned equals beauty. Walking downt the street with cousin opened by eyes to it...she is light skinned and men would call out "brownin, what's going on?" and I would get white dress "what's going on?" What's going on Jamaican...black is beauty in all shades. Black on Black racism has existed for years...only a smarter society will get over the colour game.

I must comment about this situation.This is not wanting to look better or to attract woman it is an addiction.These people are hurting themselves for beingborn black.Massive identity crisis, especially the young girl she can very much get a boyfriend or husband in any caribbean island she chooses.

No one can tell you that you are not beautifull because the same hands that made you made them.

How sad! All those damn white europeans influence everything. Whiteness is not equal to godliness. I am chassidic (i am descended from a WW2 holocaust survivor of Auschwitz), and get angry every time some ignorant f*ck calls me white. Don't lump me with those bigoted losers. Beauty comes in all shades, least of all "white."

(SIGH) this just makes me sad.I just watched a Pod about
The M.O.A.D.(Museum of African Diaspora) in San Francisco.Which is a museum for embracing African culture.Watching this pod on skin bleaching takes my people back.

I love my brown skin. Every white person I know wishes they had my complexion!

In this day and age i know it's difficult but please try to love yourself no matter what race, creed or color you are.

They do this in China also.

One love

Self Hate is a cottage industry
If you can't afford plastic surgery, fake boobs, pussy tightening or any of that
If you're poor black and you hate your self
Then bleach your skin

Self Hate is a MF
It's a bunch of black people I know who hate themselves this much
Sad but true

But instead of bleaching their skin they bleach their friends, minds and lovers. At least we can see the damage of bleached skin. The people I know have cancer of the soul.

It's the grass is always greener syndrome.

If my hair is straight, I want it curly.
If I'm tall, I want to be shorter.
If my eyes are brown, I want them blue
If my hair is red, I want it to be brown.

These people aren't coming to this conclusion themselves. They are being taught that whatever they are it's not quite good enough.

Make sure you are teaching your sons and daughters that they are unlike anybody else and that's just fine. They are the only one who can be them. They need to be proud of who they are. Only they can they start to live a fulfilled life.

This is truly disturbing. We were created/born beautiful with different shades and unique personalities.
This is just sad. I remember wanting to be lighter when I was young because I felt uncomfortable when I suddenly turned darker. Now I love my chocolate covered self.

I wonder; if these are the same issues effecting people who are addicted to tanning?

my skin is kinda tan..
and I admit I try and keep it as white/pail as possible.
but no extremes!!!!
SKIN BLEACHING!!?!?
that’s pretty dangerous..
even tanning is out of the question.

besides..
if your skin is dark.. keep it!!!
I don’t know if u noticed but most people of African background have less acne, wrinkles, uneven skin tones, ect...

Its pretty hard hiding who you are.

It's actually very sad... In some countries of the world, having darker skin still means that you are of lower class because you have to work outside. To look more "money" people lighten their skin (well, try to anyway).

I remember in India a few years back, there was this junk called "fair and lovely" and it came in creams, soaps, and anything they could make it into. It was just soap/cream/etc. After a while, people realized nothing was happening to their skin and it stopped being as popular.

Society as a whole will never be satisfied with who we are, unfortunately. We're lucky we live in a place where we can criticize this stuff. Well, maybe we can't... skin cancer from excess UV damage, anyone?

thats weird people bleaching. but is that any different than sun tanning. we just all need to breed and make one color. it will happen eventually.

And then people wonder why we get upset when there's this prevailing "just get over it" attitude amongst the larger American populous.

All i can say is wow!

This is popular from Africa, to India, to Japan to Africa.

Brown is beautiful.

This is really popular in Africa too...

It's also called "Fairness Lotion"

So "light" people go tanning to become darker, and "darker" people go bleaching to become lighter. We are NEVER happy with what we are/have, the GRASS IS NOT GREENER/BETTER ON THE OTHER SIDE, JUST DIFFERENT SOMETIMES.

Be as you are.

That's so sad. Be yourself people, be proud!

Self-mortification is so popular nowadays. Burn your skin to get dark, bleach it white, nip, tuck, dye, perm. Everyone aims to be the opposite of what they are.

For all the people who say being white ain't what it's cracked up to be, you're right. I've been bullied and teased my whole life about being so damn pale by "white" folks so tan they might as well be "black"

that first woman looked awful, why would they want to look like that?

yoooooo..I Love my dark skin.I love the summer so i can get darker..but i guess in those part of the world were bein dark is taboo I would probally bleach to if i live in that culture base.....

But I Love Being ABlack Man!!!

great job!

this has been going on in JA for the longest, even the musicians are doing it now. it's sad, but it's what imperialism does. this is just a lasting effect.

If you live in a society that measures your worth by the shade of your skin one can easily understand the lengths these bleachers go to alter their appearance.
Everyone wants to be accepted. Sadly the sad price being paid for such an alteration is lost on these ONCE beautiful people.

black is beautiful...y try to b something else God didnt intend u to be..?!

Black people bleachs for a whiter skin.....

White people uses artificial tan to get darker skin...

humans are so futile!

This looks like more than just vanity. It's worse. Self Hate.
and it's breeding a skin bleaching trend.

hard to think about :(

that is depressing

vanity
wow

what have we become humans?

peace-in

This is not a new phenomenon...esp not in Jamaica...
Nardo ranks had a song called dem a bleach speaking directly to the self hate eating up at the esteem of black women
Makhna, Makhna
Dem ah bleach
Dem ah bleach out dem skin
Dem ah bleach
Fe look like ah white ting
Gwan brown girl
Cause ah you run de place
Look how you nice
With you beautiful face
Ah true say you brown that is no disgrace
So tell dem girl
That ah you win de race
Gyal me honour you
She you na bleach out you skin
You na use no chemical
Fe look like white ting
Brown ah de color
Ah de Indian skin
Why some girl dem ah white up dem skin

wow. this is interesting.

I thought the image problems we have here in the US were the result of having too much money? But This video has shown that it happens all around the world.

p.s the young lady wearing the army bandanna was pretty, sad that she didn't realize it. And my theory is that negative outlooks are contagious. The only way to break the cycle is to find happiness. That girl was not happy.

Thanks for the pod. Opened my eyes for sure

For all people reading this:

If you are black, you are beautiful.

If you are white you are beautiful.

Whatever color or race you are, you are beautiful.

Don't try and change who YOU ARE and what you look like to be something different.

Be confident in who you are and love yourselves for who you are and what you look like, because you are, and we all are beautiful in this world.

Some people may want you to believe that being lighter skinned or darker skinned is more attractive, don't believe them, look in the mirror and love what you see, and others will love what they see as well.

One World, Many Peoples, One Love...

To my dark-skinned brothers and sisters,

You are soooooo beautiful as you are. Don't abuse your health, please!

Being "white" aint all its cracked up to be!

Walk into a prodominately black beauty supply store in the US and bleaching creams are falling off the shelves.
This is in India, China, N. America, S. America, Africa...loads of places as well.
If you're dark skinned, you're confronted with bleaching immediately.
If you're bleaching, you're a victim of your own society.

Q:Why create shame in having pigment?
A:Oh, yeah cash.

people should love them selves for who they are.. dont change your skin color or body ..its part of who you are and there is a story behind it. When i was young i wanted to be darker, but now i fill comfitable with my skin tone..

They should have a day of blasting Indie Arie's Brown Skin through every stereo in Jamaica!!

I luv my dark skin girls, but that beaching is just ignant, luv ur body no matter what color the exterior presents what matters is your words and actions not the color of ur skin.

It's so upsetting to see my people not cherish the beauty of who they are. It's even crazier to see that their vanity will disfigure them eventually or may be even kill them and they still use it.

All I can say is I'm proud of my own chocolate brown sexiness and very appreciative of the fairer sexes.

Great pod Sassyvelvet*

damn. couple this with a story on people who are abusing tanning salons and we have a confused world.