I am a white woman from a small town in BC, Canada and I have to say that I think all women are beautiful no matter what shade, color or lifestyle may be. We are all individuals and should be treated as such. I have also experianced so shade racism as well even being white. I am a very pale woman and cannot tan not matter how jard I try and other whites always tell me to try this and try that like who I am isn't good enough. It is a very sad world when we are all pitted against eachother because of skin colour and shade.

Hey everyone... I feel like I should not be here cuz im an Italian guy but anyways I did not know that skin tone bothered black people so much. Interesting that darker black people have it tougher.

Ya know among other Italians darker skin is more respected. If you are an italian with light skin you are looked at as a wonderbread Italian. Also if someone is 100% Italian they get more respect from other Italians then if you are just half. So I guess it is the complete oppisite of what most black people prefer... I will stick around to see what you guys think about this.

I just finished waitching your show and I have to say I have went through alot of what everyone else did. As a 24 year old mixed woman my mother being white and my fater being black I got told I wasnt mixed because of my skin tone I am light complected but was really never seen different by friends or family. I did get made fun of in school and teased because of my hair and skin tone but when it came down to it I could make friends with anyone of any skin tone.

I loved the show today. I wish that our people would stop hating each other (along with self hatred) on any level.
I am a expresso colored woman, that was told my entire life that "light is alright" and "any white man that would date a black was trash". I grew up with a coffee colored grandmother that was racist against dark individuals. I can remember one instance with a cream colored cousin that my grandmother praised her for being pregnant at 15, because the father was lighter than her. On the flip side I was 21 with my own home and military career, and she said" Are you going to get and abortion and have tubaligation".
It's funny how life turns out because the men that desired me most were white. Black men who shunned me for being licorice became pensive when others showed interest. I have enjoyed the company of many nationalities when I was younger.
when I met my husband it was wonderful. When he met my family though it was like a scene from "White Man's Burden". Over time they have grown to love him. I honestly dont believe they see color anymore.
I can also think back to one of the scariest moments in my life, it was after I had my son. They had him in the nursery and I went to get him, but they wouldnt let me in because they didn't see any black babies. I kept pointing and yelling "That's my baby right there!"until the head nurse came. From that moment on my son stayed in the room with me until we left the hospital. I can look back now and laugh.
I know to some readers it may seem that I am rattling on about my life, and I am. It's is also about the color and flavor that makes us people. I have been married to a peachy man for 13yrs that loves and sees me not my melatonin.
In the great lyrics of Steven Lynch:
Vanilla Ice Cream -
Have a seat and listen, please don't say a thing
The matters of the heart sometimes, the truth will ever sting
Just don't take it personally, this is no attack
But we will never last because I am white and you are...also white

I only like black girls and brown girls, the café au lait
Caramel girls, and mocha girls just blow me away
If your a nubian, I want you to-be in every fantasy
But if you're a whitey, say nighty-nighty, your just not the girl for me

Oh I hate vanilla ice cream, I like chocolate instead
I hope she likes her soul food with a little Wonder Bread
Don't call it Jungle Fever cause that just isn't right
I am not a racist, some of my best friends are white

I just prefer black girls, the brown girls, the café au lait
A caramel girls and mocha girls just blow me away. If you're a cracker, you better get blacker or else you best get out
It is no mystery, I like a sister see that's what I'm talkin about

Our wedding song will be "Ebony and Ivory", and we'll sing Christmas carols round the old Kwanzaa tree
But color is not the issue here, it's dignity, it's class
It's all about her heart, okay it's partly about that @$$
I want me some black girl, the brown girl, the café au lait
A caramel girls, and mocha girls, just blow me away
If you're a honky, you're singin the wrong key, it's the honest truth
The skin that she's dwellin in, must contain melanin, that is the Fountain of Youth.

Thomas Jefferson.

Robert DeNiro.

David Bowie.

To a certain extent...Ted Dansen.

Strom Thurmond!!! Strom Thurmond!!! yeeeahh
Life is to short for enjoy the hues of beauty!!!

I come from a family of 3 BEAUTIFUL girls!
There are 3 of us. My sisters both have the same father, he is dark skinned and my father is white! My older sister is light skin with BEAUTIFUL curly hair, my other sister is white (took my mothers genes) with blue eyes and frizzy hair, and im white as well with blue eyes and brown hair! People have a hard time understanding but YES we are all sisters, just 2 diffrent fathers! I love them so much and wouldnt change them for the world! :)

Hi Tyra,

Im a white girl from a small town in Ontario, Canada. I just watched your show and I cannot believe these types of arguments can still exist. I think all women are beutiful. Skin colour is just a tiny piece of what makes up a person. Why are there people in the world who insist on being racist? A persons a person no matter what colour, relgion or race. I long for a day when everyone can except each other as humans. Thank you for reaching out and showing people that everyone is the same no matter what colour they are. If the opinion of one person is changed than you made an incredible differece.

Thank you,

Emily.

Dear Tyra:
I really liked this show because I understand what some of the people are going through. My mom is mixed and my dad is black. All my life i have kind of been in the middle. My dad got remarried and had my little sisters. their mom is mexican so they have the light skin and the long curly hair. It used to bother me because me and my older sister were always the darker ones with the shorter hair. BUT now after seeing your show i feel a lot more confident. I know that it doesnt matter your skin tone. WE ARE ALL STILL BLACK and need to stand up together. It is hard enough dealing with racism from other races, and we dont neeed it from our own.

Hi Tyra I love ur show!
Im not black but I wanted to say that black people should stick together no matter what colour they are.. I dont think its right to judge someone on their skin tone.After all our parents chose each other and we have nothing to so with how we look like.Another thing... im white and im from Eastern Europe and ever since i was a kid i was attracted to black men.I even told my mom when I was 6yrs old that Im going to marry a black guy.I came in Canada 2 and a half years ago and I have a boyfriend now.Hes black... really black.. not the african black but the caribbean black :) and hes the best person ever.My mom had an issue 1yr and 7 months ago when I told her hes black but now she loves him like her own son and they drink wine together..so.. my point is... no matter what colour u like love doesnt`t ask and it all depends on the personality

Hi Tyra!

First I would like to say some people are so ignorant! I cannot believe we are still using the "light skin", "dark skin" sterotype! Black is BEAUTIFUL, and we as black people need to stop looking at the outside and start looking within. I am a brown skin sista, and I am proud of the way God made me. If I liked a guy and he did not like me because of the color of my skin then that is his lost not mine. As for the females that is just jealousy. We need to be happy for who we are not how dark or light our skin is. And beside there was some brown skin sistas on the show who were sitting on the wrong side so that tells me they have more issues then they think!

Dear Tyra,

I've just finished watching your show and I have to say that I'm completely appalled and disgusted by some of the things that have been said.

For one, the female who said that all light skinned women are better than dark skinned women because they don't have big noses, and nappy hair,etc...that just hurt me to hear that because I'm a very darkskinned African American with a big "bell pepper" nose and big lips and I've always had an issue with my outward appearence in society....Growing up, I have a younger sister who is much lighter than me, with a smaller nose and smaller lips and I always felt she was prettier and everybody would notice her more and give her more attention even though I'm the older sister...add that to the fact that I was contiously teased in school and called a "Black Monkey" and "Muegilla Gorilla" when I was younger because of my oversized lips and complexion, it just brought down my self esteem even lower. I've hidden the pain inside for years because I never wanted anyone to know of my pain.

I mean, let's face it...we live in a society where today, if you look at the majority of music videos, the video vixen is light skinned with light eyes and long hair..and that's what majority of black men today want; my point was proven by both of the men you happened to have on you today because the dark skinned man preferred darker women because they were "easier to approach and talk to" and the light skinned man preferred light skinned women because he likes their long hair and light skin tone. They want someone whom they can have light skinned, "pretty" babies with..someone close to the equilavency of a white woman's skin tone...but just with the behind of a black woman. Luckily, I have a black man who loves me for my skin tone, my lips, my nose, my curves, etc.

I really want to thank you for doing this show because in a way, it has helped to show me that unfortunately, everything that I went through as a child and teenager, I still will endure as an adult; the only difference is, that I won't have to put up with it.Hopefully, I will soon find the full confidence to say that yes, while I am a pretty women, that I, Natasia, am a PROUD, DARK CHOCOLATE SKINNED AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN WITH FULL LIPS AND NOSE THAT TIES INTO MY BEAUTY..AND I AM BEAUTIFUL NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE THINKS.

Thanks again Tyra.

This was one of your best episodes in my opinion. I am a woman with brown skin but my mother and my daughter are both "high-yellow". I have some insecurities with my looks but not necessarily because of my skin color. My little girl knows that she's beautiful but not because of her skin color and she always tells me how beautiful I am. So I am glad to be around all shades of African Americans. I also tend to date lighter skinned Black men and I am my current boyfriend's first Black girlfriend. I am honored in that fact but he tells me everyday that I am beautiful and I love him for that. Once again, thanks for a great show and showing different shades of beauty.

I am a light skin female and growning up i was told that i could not date dark skin men, That being light skin would get you farther in life than being a dark skin person. MY mom went as far as to marry a white man so she would have light skin children, but my mother is dark skin. My mother does not like being a dark skin women, so she put in her kids head that we should not date dark skin people. she would move in the white neighborhoods and send us to the white schools so that we would be infulenced by light skin and white people. It was still hard growing up being a light skin person, i was half breed, mut. so things were not so easy for me either. but me being a lite skin women i love dating dark skin men.

Hi Tyra,

As a black male active in educating others on the current impact of historical racism I loved your show on light skinned vs darker skinned women.

Thank you for the in site and courage to air our dirty laundry that was given to us by a past that wasn't our fault.

I'd love to order a tape/DVD of this show aired 4-24-08. Please share how to make that possible.

Dakota

WHATS UP Tyra,
After watching the show today, I didn't understand the fact that some light skined African American women had a lack of respect for their own race. I am light skin, with green eyes and I don't show such ignorance towards my own race. When I was in the 3rd grade, I wanted to be like everyone else in my class. I wanted to have darker skin with brown eyes. I felt that I didn't fit in and wanted to be known. There are some dark skined people still to this day call me WHITE, YELLOW, LIGHT BRIGHT, and more. Throughout the years, I realize that I'm beautiful just the way I am, and nobody will change that. Their are dark skined women with long fine hair and beautiful complexions. Some men prefer women light skin with long pretty hair, because it's closer to white women or want their children to share the same features. I don't discriminate, so this situation is not in my category. There are some white people out there that still hate Black African Americans even if their skin tones are light. Their are beautiful dark skined women everywhere with careers and detemination. Discrimation should never come to mind.
Tyra I want to thank you for putting this issue to viewers everywhere and I wish you the best. LADIES OF ALL RACES ARE BEAUTIFUL.

"BEAUTY IS NOT DEFINED BY COLOR, FOR IT DEFINES DETERMINATION."

Hi Tyra,
I am a light skinned woman, and I have experienced a difference in treatment from Black people only and I think it's sad. In high school lots of girls had issues with me as a light skinned girl and didn't want to befriend me because they felt I thought I was "all that" which I never have. (I had glasses and braces...hello! My self esteem was low!) I try to be nice to everyone regardless of race or skin tone. As an adult I have learned not to take it personally. I can't control what people think, feel or how they act. So I don't let some peoples ignorance affect how I react to others. All of my closest friends are dark skinned women, and they are all BEAUTIFUL! I think this is a problem that Black people have within our race. If I walk into a store and the sales rep is racist, they won't separate us as dark or light, they will just see Black. So why do we do it to ourselves? Change must start from within!!

Hi Tyra:

I just finished watching your show and want to say thank you for bringing this up on your show. You made alot of good points today, and i love the way you told that girl about her self I hate to see where she live. She really needs to find her self and find out about her history. Black is beautiful no matter what shade

Hi Tyra!

I would like to first Thank You for being a positive role model, and expanding the world of possibilities for young, Black women!!

I did not get a chance to watch the whole episode...but, I saw the last 1/2 hour and was so disappointed by the fact that Blacks in this country are so naive and ignorant about our history and the impact of slavery on our culture and mentality. I believe it is important to educate Blacks on the WILLIE LYNCH PAPERS, the white European slave owner that wrote a how-to-guide for American slave owners and taught them how to "Break a Slave". The main idea was to pit light against dark skinned, men against women, and young against old. Also, the fact that lighter slaves were allowed to live in the house with slave owners (House N***) while darker slaves were forced to stay outside (field N***).

Point is there are deeply psychological issues plaguing the Black community that have rarely been addressed with our culture or the government. These attitudes from inter-racism to education will not ever be headled until we start to have an open and honest dialogue about what had gotten us to this point and what we can do to move forward as a culture. I am often concerned with the future of the Afican-American race, as we have no true identity and lack the initiative to work collectively to start to make the necessary changes in our communities. We are still plagued largely with poverty, inequality, and injustice...and I wonder what the next 50 yrs will hold??

Tyra, I commend you for at least having a dialogue about this particular subject and although it is not just African-Americans that have these attitudes about each other, as an oppressed people we are most affected in this country, because we all must rely on each other to really start to make a difference!!

I am a light skinned female and growning up i was told that i could not date dark shinned men. That being light skin would get you farther in life than being a dark skin person. MY mom went as far as to marry a white man so she would have light skin children, but my mother is dark skin. My mother does not like being a dark skin women, so she put in her kids head that we should not date dark skin people. but me being a lite skin women i love dating dark skin men.

Tyra,
I watched your show today on color of skin. As a white male, I was raised by my parents to think that black people are inferior and uneducated. I have now moved out of my parents home and am out on my own.
As such, I have worked and socialized with people of color. My eyes have been opened to the misinformation that was taught to me by my parents. I find that I am now attracted to ladies of dark complection. I find that, contrary to what I was taught, they are as knowledgeable and educated as anyone that I have ever met.
I now have a black girlfriend that I think is one of the most beautiful girls that I know. We have a great relationship with her family and I am excepted warmly. My parents do not favor our relationship, but my opinion is they don’t have to live with her. What I have experienced, is that people, both black and white, disapprove of our relationship. As far as I am concern, they can jump in the lake!!
What will come in our future, like everyones future, is unknown at this time. People who judge others solely on the color of their skin are near sited bigots. We must judge each other by what’s inside. Our love of God as well as for each other is the key to a strong society.
Keep up the good work on shows like this one. This kind of show opens the eyes of people around the world, to show that we are all alike. Black, white, yellow, or what ever color skin you have has nothing to do with the person inside.
Keith

Hello Tyra,

To get straight to the point, I feel color discrimination in our country has gone out of control so to speak. Im a black 25 yr old young woman. Im not very dark or light but somewhere in between. In my own experience with black lighter skinned people, I see that some do seem to view themselves in a better light because of there color. I've even found myself dating guys only my color or darker because light skin men can be a bit vain about how they look. I dated a guy lighter than me and he even treated me in a less than respectful manner because he wasn't all that satisfied with my look as a whole. I wasn't thick enough, my hair wasn't long enough and my skin wasn't light as his was. It's a long story but I put up with alot of downing because he wasn't that into me for whatever reason's. And of course I have come across light skin women who put themselves on high pedestals because of what they have. And when a black person does something wrong on our new stations some light skin people are quick to deny there roots. Thats when they quickly comment "Oh Im not black, I have white or Indian in me." Why is it so important to some blacks to be something other than a Black American? How could we as blacks grow into that kind of thinking? Why cant we stick together more as a race than rip each other apart because of what our society has developed our minds to think. Its sad that it exsist. I embrace difference because I know what its like to be made fun of because of a slight difference or a big one. I think our world is in for a huge surprise if eveyone doesn't get it together!

Tyra, talking about being light skinned and dark skinned. I was the dark skinned one in the entire family. My family is Hispanic, of Mexican descend. Both my sisters and two brothers, were light skinned, my youngest sister passed for white. She had blond hair as a child, then it turned dark brown when she grew up. I was pushed aside by my entire family. My father used to call me the "N" word. My mother didn't have too much time to give me. But my little sister always sat on her lap and she did special things for her and my oldest sister, I was the middle girl. She paid for my oldest brother college. My other brother was treated with a kind of respect I never experienced. I became an alcoholic, I am poor, while they all made it.I resented my baby sister who was 2and1/2 years younger than I. I don't remember ever being held by my mom....Your show really sparked some memories...I am now 63 years old, and still suffer from these abuse. I loved my sisters but I could not stand my oldest brother. I have finally made with my brother. My sisters are both gone on to be with the Lord.

Hi Tyra!

I would like to first Thank You for being a positive role model, and expanding the world of possibilities for young, Black women!!

I did not get a chance to watch the whole episode...but, I saw the last 1/2 hour and was so disappointed by the fact that Blacks in this country are so naive and ignorant about our history and the impact of slavery on our culture and mentality. I believe it is important to educate Blacks on the WILLIE LYNCH PAPERS, the white European slave owner that wrote a how-to-guide for American slave owners and taught them how to "Break a Slave". The main idea was to pit light against dark skinned, men against women, and young against old. Also, the fact that lighter slaves were allowed to live in the house with slave owners (House N***) while darker slaves were forced to stay outside (field N***).

Point is there are deeply psychological issues plaguing the Black community that have rarely been addressed with our culture or the government. These attitudes from inter-racism to education will not ever be headled until we start to have an open and honest dialogue about what had gotten us to this point and what we can do to move forward as a culture. I am often concerned with the future of the Afican-American race, as we have no true identity and lack the initiative to work collectively to start to make the necessary changes in our communities. We are still plagued largely with poverty, inequality, and injustice...and I wonder what the next 50 yrs will hold??

Tyra, I commend you for at least having a dialogue about this particular subject and although it is not just African-Americans that have these attitudes about each other, as an oppressed people we are most affected in this country, because we all must rely on each other to really start to make a difference!!

Hi Tyra,
I Love your show, but usually I'm at work when it's on. Today thank goodness I got the chance to watch it. I have a 15 yr old daughter who is bi-racial (white and black). She is light to med complexion. We live in a small town where there are ALOT of ignorant people. I've had to do nothing but defend her as she has also. From a very young age. People have said that she was born in the mud and it stuck into her pores, she's been called the "N" word. This amazing young lady has had to work twice as hard as the "white" girls in school and sports. I remember when she first got on the volleyball team in the 7th grade the coach wouldn't work with her as much as she did the "white" girls. I was raised in a very open minded family and thank god everyday that I was. I just wish that we didn't live in such a small town. My daughter is georgous. I know i'm her mom and moms say that but everyone tells her all the time how beautiful she is and then askes if she has a bf. She doesn't and she believes it's because she's black. The black girls at school don't except her and neither do the white girls. Boy, are the white girls terrible. They get it from their parents. She's been told from the white girls that they arn't ALLOWED to be her friend and hang out with them. So she went the other path and is an amazing student and athlete. I know she is to young to be in your audience right now but that's one thing she'd like to do more then anything. She loves you and I know that by her watching your shows (americas top model also) You have really helped her inside so that she believes she can do anything. Be looking for her in about 5 yrs. I know this beautiful young lady is going to make herself known to the world.
Thank you for the chance to say this and be heard.

I think this will always be a topic in the black community. For the lady on the show today that talked about "Light skined women are better, she had the long hair, she doesnt have the big nose." I as far as the young urban teen hip hop world i believe that will always be a factor. so yes I do agree with her on that situation.
On the show you had two sister one was light and the other was dark. I believe that genetics play a role with one person light and the other dark. Not who the father is. I have a cousin one is light and the other is dark. They both have the same mother and father.
I'm more on the darker skin complection. I don't have a prefernce of color in men. The father of my child is on the light skin complection. Tyra, you stated that when a child is born they are born light. when our 1st child was born he was so light compared to me and his father, reminding you that his father is light skin. Lots of people that can around to see him when he was first born have said "he's so white he could be such & such baby...." we all joked about the situation, but it was more so, Where did he get this from, meaning which side of the family does this come from.
My brother was also born very very light skined, over time his skin tone darkened. He doesnt believe he was light skined He calls my son white boy. I had to tell him he was the same color to st one point of time.
When i would go out shopping with my mother for makeup such as foundation my mother would ask the makeup artist would she be able to wear the foundation that "I'm wearing?" They reply "no shes a little darker then you." i would tell my mother she's light skined. she would look at me like im crazy.
I think the reason we have this problem because it all dates back to slavery. I dont have a prefernce. I think every person is beautiful in there own way. The word i think should be used is I'm not attracted to that person. vs. she's/he's ugly. Everyone has someone for them wether light/dark or in between.

I would just like to say I absolutly love your show Tyra, you alway have great topics. I am 20 years and I am a brownskin woman. I feel that there is a need to talk about this situation especially in our day and time. I have plenty of lightskin friends and plenty of darkskin friends. In a sense I find that my lightskin friends do get more attention then I do, I also feel we are all black no matter the skin complexion. My sister is of the lighter nature we never talked it up until my last year in high school. Just recently I got into a disagreement with one of my male friends about skin color. He basically told me that he only liked lightskin women and of course I had to ask the question what does a lightskin woman have that I don't? He told me that they have that something that brownskin to darkskin women don't have. I asked him to explain to me what is the something and he couldn't give me the answer. So til this very day the answer remains the same "they got that something". A few years ago I was in a relationship with a mixed person he was black and spanish, now I didn't have a problem with the way we looked together but his mother did. She didn't like me because I was to dark for her and she also said she didn't want dark grandchildren. So within a few weeks of saying this her son turned on me and started cheating on me and had a baby. So once again I will say that it doesn't matter what we look like we are all black.