Hello Tyra,

Boy!! what a sensitive subject among many people of color, and is so deeply rooted; from dark to light and every beautiful shade in-between.

I’m sure many of who watched today’s show are able to relate in some way. Whether they have dealt with, or are currently dealing with what they may feel, or seem as if were like an “injustice” regarding their skin tone.

When it comes to comparing skin tones to foods, I have a twin who would be considered “butter pecan”, and an older sister who would be of a “dark chocolate” complexion; my tone is somewhere in the middle.

Though different races and shades that mixed throughout my family, I don’t look at them as being any different, or better than me because of their features; I just continue to love them as they are.

My grandmother, and great grandmother on my father’s side of the family were very light, and skin shades meant a great deal to them.

For my great-grandmother It was to the point where she went as far as to call my older sister a “tar baby” when she was a baby.

Though they thought the way they did, I chose not to agree with them, or become bitter over their personal misconceptions of what they perceived as beauty. I still loved them regardless because they were family.

I knew who I was then, as I do now, and as long as I continue to see myself the way my Heavenly Father sees me, then that is what counts for me.

Have we forgotten the words of "Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s "I Have a Dream" speech, where he talked about NOT being judged by the color of our skin, but by the "CONTENT OF OUR CHARACTER"?

We should not exclude ourselves, and be just as accountable; that way, one can hope that more problems could be avoided, rather than created.

Why is it that we can look upon nature, and see its' colors trough out, and talk about its’ beauty and uniqueness, but when we look at ourselves, we, who are made in the image and likeness of God… cannot see the beauty or uniqueness in that?

If color does not matter to God the Creator, then why should it matter to us?

Prejudice… what a hateful, disgusting, ignorant, and warped frame of mind for anyone to have; especially among ourselves.

Tyra,

I watched ure show today on light skinned and dark skinned women. I can relate because im east indian and its similar in our culture for lighter woman to be picked first for marraige and stuff over darker browns. i myself disagree, i don t think either is better and believe it or not, i ve seen woman who r darker that are way prettier than some of the lighter women out there. viseversa. i'm not mixed or anything, but im a light skinned brown girl, (east indian)and i have a son thats darker than me, whose mixed with black, and he is the most beautiful boy in the world. I believe everyone should be treated equal, no matter wut colour they are..thats unfortunate that the world doesn t work that way.

This show was an eye opener .... for the simple fact that as a young fair skinned black women, there are people out here in he world that are more concerned with color than the things that really matter. I've never understood the reasons behind the way others act but one thing that I was taught a a little girl, no matter what a person does to you, you can't allow them to change the way that you act.It's just truly a shame that WE as BLACK people can't come together and do things with some substance ...like talking about all the good things that black folks have done and being PROUD of where you come from, not singling certain complexions out because either you or the other person are or where picked on as a child .... because at the end of the day WE are all people that have to live here on this one earth and we should get along with each other and come together for the greater good and do something worth actually talking about ....

First of all, I would like to commend you on this as a topic, considering the fact that it's pretty prevalent, but strangely accepted within the community in general that we do treat each other differently based on skin color and throw "shade" according to shade.

It's funny that it's something that friends of mine and I joke about from time to time, but even behind the jokes there's always a little truth and even a little pain attached.

That all being said, i'll go you one more: in the gay community (I am a proud member, by the way) it's prevalent, and even within my family in general, it's very prevalent.

As a child you don't realize that you are being disfavored for any reason or favored for no reason because it's not the way children think, but sometimes looking back you are clearly seeing what your experience has been.

I realized that in my extended family, there was that favoritism associated with the light skinned babies and the ear watching I never understood until today. My family is Creole and from Louisiana originally, so the spectrum is wide for shade and hair texture and everything else, but I never realized how different I was as a medium toned, by my definition, person and yet I know that my particular look is based on my ethically mixed background.

I never felt the need to quantify or qualify my "blackness" until moving to the south (Atlanta)from California and really being surrounded by as much diversity within the African-American community.

I find it funny that there is so much division and distinction based on shades and half shades and hair textures and all these other nonsensical qualities, but i see how powerful they have become as benchmarks for how people address and define each other even within our Black community.

As a gay man, it seems so out of line to marginalize even further within an already marginalized community one another based on how light your skin is, how kinky your hair is, or how "black" or "thug" you are, yet it happens every day.

Now, there's an offshoot topic for you to maybe look into. Gay, Black, and racism/classism within the gay black community. It's there and it's not particularly pretty.

Thanks again for bringing insight to something that nobody else seems to have the courage to discuss openly.

Tyra, I want to say, "Thank you & God bless you". I am the brown skinned, brown eyed Mother of a 10 year old little girl who is light skinned with red hair & hazel eyes. She was home today because she had an appointment with a therapist to address issues, which include how other girls treat her. My daughter gets into fights with the other girls all of the time but was attacked from behind by a girl 3 weeks ago. The attacker's Mother came to my home to express how appalled she is that her daughter seems so angry toward & had scratched the face of "the light skinned girl". That comment let me know why the attacker is so angry. She is dark & so is her Mother. Obviously neither of them thinks that they are beautiful. This saddens me. Since I am neither very dark nor very light, I have been accepted & ostracized by both sides, at times. As we watched your show, she was able to see a different perspective on the situation. I’ve been trying to explain this to her since Pre-K, when the problem started. It is heartbreaking that we are still struggling with these issues & that people are still suffering. The worst part is that this is a Black on Black offense. I know people’s comments be may be negative but you please continue on this path with apparently God put you on!

my mother is dark and my father is light brown. they had me and my sister she's light and i'm dark. my dad's side of the family even tells her your so pretty and light skinned and look at me and say you are aight. i also have a brother with a differt father and he is the say color as we have different fathers but we look more alike. when my sister gets made at me she tells me your an ugly black monkey. if you say it in anger that's how you feel right? i once had a guy tell me you better have a nice body and personality because you are so black. i'm dark but not that dark. i hate going places with my sister because people make me feel less than her and it really hurts.

Hello Tyra, I just watched today show and I was amazed how deep this issue is. I have a sister who's light-skinned and I am caramel-skinned, we've never had a issue with other but friends saying "Is she your cousin?" I'm glad that you threw the paper bag away as a symbol of our suffering as Black people. Also Tyra you've picked up those bag and recycled them you know trees got cut down for those bags. But I still love all you do and keep on pushing the envolope because you become one of my idols, (even thought I 23).

Hello Tyra,
I am a dark-skinned, Angolan-canadian woman and very proud to be. One of the things that has bothered me for so long is how little pride I find so many black Canadians have in their colour. I constantly meet black men that say things like "I don't date black girls". I constantly get comments from black men saying things like "you're gorgeous...for a black girl" Why cant I just be gorgeous, period? I here more racist comments about dark skin from black people than I do from other people, specifically black men. It's tough for us out here in Canada(Alberta), where you don't even get love from black men on a regular. You know it's a sad, sad world when your own men are dissing you ignorantly. Atleast Black Americans have a little more pride than these lost black Canadian men.

Thank you for doing this show. I wanted to comment on two things. One panelist, Sawarna it's a pretty name. In India it means 'same color' but not popular. If you spell this swarna in some places in India, this means gold!
I wish you could do a show like this about Indians especially if you could do this in India it would be amazing! (People in India may prefer lighter skinned for marriage, etc. People use fairness cream in India, it's a big business.)

THANKS FOR HAVING THIS SHOW!
I am Hispanic, Irish and Italian aka Light skinned. My man is a very sexy dark chocolate brother. I dont know how many times darker women have clared at me or said something to me about taking "their" men! He always gets accused by dark women of being color blind. We get it bad but i feel like that is just the way it will always be because i feel darker women will alwayd look at me as another light girl taking there men

First of all I am not a black woman. But being apart of a family who has black people in it, I can see what other white people don't. But thing is that our skin color does not represent who we are. It does not show our attitude or personality, its only our outward appearance. Women and men are beautiful whether they are dark/light skinned or white. The point is that you cannot help what color you are when your born. You have to be PROUD and not let the stereotypes form who you are. Each and every day I still have encounters with people who have grudges from years ago about race and slavery. The thing is that not all white people are like that. Being a white woman in a relationship with a black man is very controversial. People say things about it everyday. But what it really comes down to is NOT the skin color its the connection and love you experience with that person. And being able to say "yeah you know what we don't come from the same background but I love you because who you are not because what you look like or where you come from!" Many people just need to get over that mental wall of only seeing one shade of skin color being attractive. Because truly and honestly every skin color is beautiful and unique!! And I respect Tyra for talking about issues in which many people are scared or intimidated to bring to our attention.

I just watched the show and wanted to tell you...THANK YOU! What we as a society fail to realize is that we are all human and everybody has an issue. There are bigger issues in the world. Hunger, world peace and woman's rights. Beauty queen speech, (I know/LOL) but it is true. We are all beautiful! If everyone makes an effort, this is an issue that we can overcome.

Audrey,
the reason people still go back to slavery is because it still exhists. Just because the shackles are off of our hands and feet mean nothing they were just strategically placed on our minds! This is why black people are like they are. We have been programmed with the bug of racism white suppremicy so that we hate one antoher. That is why the African's have been taken out of their natural rolls and made to want to fit into the image of the European! Sweety know the history and you wouldn't ask the question. Slavery is still alive!

Hello Tyra,
I live in BC, Canada. I was watching your show this morning, and wow. I am a fourteen year-old "white" girl and even I know that it is wrong to discriminate against someone's skin tone. How is it that I know that everyone is beautiful in their own way and some grown people don't? Good and bad people come in every size, shape, AND colour.

There was that one lady with her son, Tamara, i think her name was...and she thought she was BETTER than someone because her skin was lighter. People honestly need to be judged by their ethics and how they act in the world and in their lives. Telling someone that they are ugly, unworthy, or gross because of skin is just wrong! The world is so frustrating!

Greetings,

Saw the "Skin-Color" show...I am a very light-skinned product of two African-American parents. At least once a week someone asks me "what I'm mixed with". Do to a thin hair texture, I do wear a long weave.

I have to explain that I am Black but the possibility of my ancestors being of European decent is great.

I ended a relationship with a guy I was dating because he would not accept that I was not "mixed" with something. He said to me, "What's wrong with being mixed with something, that's a complement." I've had people call me "white girl." When guys I date make comments like that it makes me wonder of that is what they want a white woman of mixed woman. Like me being black is not enough, which creates other issues.

I am proud to be a BEAUTIFUL BLACK WOMAN, who jus happens to have light skin. But comments that I get at times has made me consider going to a tanning bed. This is upsetting because I pride myself on my self-esteem and not caring what others think about me.

I do have a younger sister, we have the same other and father and she is like 3 shades darker and I find myself envying her skin.

The dynamic of this light-skin vs. dark-skin issue is frustrating to me.

I just watched your show.I am a former light skinned woman born to a dark skinned woman.My mom feels that she is a tar baby just cuz she's dark. And she makes comments that i am high yellow. (oh this color would look better on you, everything looks better on you). I wasnt aware that i wasn't light skinned until i contacted someone i went to college with through myspace. we had a conversation and he made the comment that i used to be light skinned and i look dark skinned now.i am not the high yellow baby i used to be but i'm not dark.after that comment was made i felt sad for a brief second.the comment pierced me..not because i have a problem with my complexion but the way he said it;like there was something wrong with my complexion.but i must say..now that i am not light skinned i have more friends, i guess i'm more approachable now. (It's baffling but people get to know me now). Thanks for doing the show...AND THANK YOU for letting the ignorant lady know that she is the slave master's dream. Please invite her back when she gets a wake up call.

Love your show and try to watch as much as possible...have actually taken a day off each week and only work 4 days just to do that. Anyways I wanted to comment on the color of peoples skin and all I have to say about it all is WHAT THE HECK DOES IT MATTER WHAT COLOR SKIN ANYONE HAS? This society is way too far gone about all this and I say its time everyone grows up and enjoys the life they have and to live life for themselves, cuz its much to short to keep stressin and fussin over sh.. like that! I wish people would get off the B.S. and just get along....cuz we are not here for long! BE PROUD OF WHO, WHAT COLOR, WHAT SIZE, WHATEVER YOU ARE AND ENJOY LIFE TO ITS FULLEST!!
P.S. I happen to be a white woman and have friends from all races, colors, creeds and we all have no problems!! Thank you for being the person you are Tyra and proud because I know your show should make people start seeing the light someday!!

I just watched the show and wanted to tell you...THANK YOU! What we as a society fail to realize is that we are all human and everybody has an issue. There are bigger issue in the world. Hunger, world peace and woman's rights. Beauty queen speak, I know but it is true. We are all beautiful! If everyone makes an effort, this is an issue that we can overcome.

Tyra:

I am a white women of 58 years and ever since I was a child my mother never had a negative comment about anyone's race, culture or anything else. She always looked at the person for how they treated her and not what others thought of them. I have always kept that in mind all of my life and taught my kids the same way. I don't see light, dark, white, asian, latino skin color, I see the person themselves,especially their eyes that are a mirror of their soul. I get so tired of hearing the same comments over and over again, why not just judge the person on how they treat you and not by what they look like?

yes it does play a significant roles lighter skin get better jobs and they get what they want.

As far as the dating goes i agree with one of your people on the panel i am brown skin( chocolate lol) and i have always dated light skin and even white. I have been always been approached by light men all my life. I am in engaed to a light skin man now. Not bc i think my kids are going to be light it is bc i love him and it is not about his color.

OK since nobody has mentioned it I'm gonna go ahead and "throw" it out there. Why, why, why, why did you condone the wasting of all that paper at the end of the show. It totally destroyed your point in my opinion. Now of all times, when the earth is in turmoil and you do the most American thing possible and waste a ton of perfectly good paper bags. Some people just have no sense.

All I have to say is THANK YOU Tyra for doing this show. I read both of the mentioned articles in Ebony magazine and was moved to tears. I was even more emotional as I watched this show because I myself am a dark-skin woman with a light-skin sister. Growing up people would always tell my sister that she was beautiful and would look to me and say "Oh Wow! You're beautiful FOR a dark-skin girl" OR "I've never seen a pretty little chocolate THING like you before!" So as I watched the two sisters share their stories I became extremely emotional because I understood what they were saying. The majority of my family is light skin and they also showed favoritism towards my light skin sister. Some even mistreated me.. openly mistreated me, called me derogative names, all because I was was darker. It became so bad that at one point I contemplated suicide. So, during my freshman year of college I confronted them on this and asked them why they always treated her better than me and some of them didn't want to admit it but most did. And they explained to me that they sometimes didn't know how to treat me because I was the only dark-skin one in my family. It was extremely emotional but very necessary. So, to those people who say we need to stop airing out our dirty laundry or that skin color is no longer a factor is in DENIAL. I applaud Tyra for having the "balls" to even approach this topic because it was and still is a major problem within our community.

All Shades of Black is Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is so disheartening to see that we, as African American men and women have not matured or grown beyond a slave mentality. To separate or disengage ourselves from one another is not what God intended or planned for any of us. When I think of the separation of race, the phrase "United We Stand, Divided We Fall" comes to mind. How can such beautiful shades of many colors God created be such a divided group of people. Instead of uplifting, encouraging, supporting, and motivating one another, we're busy tearing down each other. Society separates, but instead of allowing society to do so, we need to form unity in our communities and love one another.

People are so ignorant it is sad. People need to realize that shades of black shouldn't matter. You're black, than you're black. I think it get messed up is becuz people believe that light-skin means you have long hair or what is considered "good hair" and features that are consider beautiful. And people assume that all dark-skin people have nappy hair and are all ugly with big lips and big noses and are more stupid. But we need to realize that those assumptions are not true, people need to feel good and confident about themselves regardless of how the next looks and black people need to realize that no matter your shade of color, we all are under the category of African-American or BLack. Be proud to be white, black or whatever you are, regardless of your features or color, regardless if the commercial life makes it seems like it's right or beautiful and own up to it and love it. And as far as people having their preferences and who they're attracted to, I see nothing wrong with that, "To each, his own". But when you close yourself in that box, you miss put on alot of great people of different colors, races, backgrounds, or whatever.

Tyra,

I am a 46 year old white woman. Obviously I have not experienced the topic of your show today. However, as I watched I was saddened by the fact that after all the effort to show that blacks and whites are equal that black women would fight amongst themselves over the shade of their skin. They should each be proud of who they are and how they live and stop categorizing each other based on skin tone....unite as beautiful BLACK women.