













































Research | Articles | Moran 28 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

Colorism and Its Effects on Self Perception  
Marcia B. Moran 

Department of Sociology 
 California State University, Los Angeles 

 
“Who taught you, please, who taught you to hate the texture of 
your hair? Who taught you to hate the color of your skin? To such 
extent you bleach, to get like the white man. Who taught you to 
hate the shape of your nose and the shape of your lips? Who taught 
you to hate yourself from the top of your head to the soles of your 
feet? Who taught you to hate your own kind? Who taught you to 
hate the race that you belong to so much so that you don’t want to 
be around each other? No. Before you come asking Mr. 
Muhammad does he teach hate, you should ask yourself who 
taught you to hate being what God made you.” - Malcolm X  
 
INTRODUCTION  

I was born with brown skin. Throughout my life, I have 
experienced people both inside and outside my community 
perceive me differently because of my skin tone. Within my 
community, nicknames such as “India,” “Morenita,” or “Negrita” 
were shared. I was always advised not to be in the sun for long 
periods, and I would often see lightning and bleaching lotions in 
my local markets in case we got “too” dark. Outside of my 
community, I often felt ostracized because of my skin, especially 
in my early years in school. From getting picked last for group 
projects, getting called derogatory names, and constantly getting 
confronted by others with lighter skin and by some with similar 
skin tones as me as a way of obtaining validation or compensating 
for similar issues I was enduring. When trying to find comfort in 
my favorite movies or TV shows, I did not see myself in the 
characters I enjoyed watching. Instead, I longed to become them 
because I wished my skin looked lighter like theirs so I could feel 
seen, appreciated, and respected by those around me. If I ever did 
see a character with similar or darker skin tones as me, they were 
often depicted stereotypically or unfavorably, which usually 
resulted in further comments or comparisons from others. As a 
result of these experiences, my self-esteem began to decline over 
the years, and I developed severe anxieties regarding my 



Research | Articles | Moran 29 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

appearance and, precisely, my skin tone. I went through phases of 
attempting to change my appearance to look a certain way that 
might lessen the anxiety and insecurity. Straightening my thick, 
wavy hair every morning, using makeup that was shades lighter 
than my actual skin tone, using lighting lotions on my elbows and 
shoulders, attempting to wear colored contacts, and depriving 
myself of basking in the sun that would always bring me comfort 
and reassurance. As time passed, I attempted to overcome these 
insecurities, but they soon resurfaced as I began my higher 
education journey. Despite attending a community college and 
university with students from various backgrounds, many of 
whom were first-generation college students like myself, I quickly 
realized how much the university relied on students of color to 
promote diversity to avoid assumptions of not being an inclusive 
institution and to retain high enrollment rates. In theory, this is an 
attempt to encourage change and inclusivity. In reality, campus 
life as a student of color consisted of many obstacles such as heavy 
police presence, little access to student resources, and 
microaggressions from campus administration. Those further 
from that image are seen as infiltrators or tokenized students who 
are questioned about how they were accepted into the institution 
or if they have the potential to obtain a higher education. In many 
cases like mine, you were asked both of those things. Constantly.  

I’ve come to understand that all these years, I was 
experiencing acts of colorism. Colorism is a subcategory of social 
concepts such as race, racism, and colonization (Dixon and Telles 
2017). These concepts brought decades of violence and 
oppression amongst Indigenous and enslaved peoples, which 
ultimately, developed a complex form of social stratification based 
on one’s proximity to those with Euro-centric features, 
specifically, lighter skin tones. This was established to ensure 
those within that proximity remain on top of the social ladder and 
reinforce oppressive concepts they uphold at macro and micro 
levels amongst people of color. It is crucial to recognize that 
colorism goes beyond influencing the individual’s perceptions of 
those with darker skin tones and how they may internalize these 
perceptions. Colorism is embedded in various facets of social 
institutions that contribute to many systemic inequities, 
particularly in areas such as popular media, education, 



Research | Articles | Moran 30 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

employment, and the criminal justice system.  
In this article, I discuss the relationship between colorism 

and the self-perception of people of color. Through an extensive 
literature review of interdisciplinary scholarship and semi-
structured interviews, findings suggest that colorism holds a 
strong societal influence that can affect the self-perception of 
people of color in harmful and distorted forms that often intersect 
with other identity factors. Distorted self-perceptions can foster a 
range of negative views of oneself as well as receiving harmful 
attitudes and stigma from those inside and outside their 
community while simultaneously enduring larger systemic 
oppressions. Analysis of interviews with participants who 
identified as people of color reveals different perspectives of 
colorism, shows how media and popular culture influence colorist 
ideals, and calls for more awareness of the effects of colorism. 

 
LITERATURE REVIEW  
Concepts of Colorism  

To fully understand the goals and effects of colorism, it is 
essential to distinguish it from related social constructs such as 
race and racism and understand how these constructs work 
simultaneously to sustain the preference for lighter skin tones 
within societies. Race is a social construct that categorizes people 
into groups based on physical appearance, such as skin color, hair 
texture, and facial features. These categories are often associated 
with specific geographic regions or populations. Race is not a 
biological or genetic distinction but a product of social and 
historical factors. Consequently, racism is a belief system 
constructed to uphold the ideology of race by asserting the 
superiority of one racial group over others. This creates 
discriminatory behaviors, policies, and practices based on these 
beliefs and can be implemented at individual, institutional, and 
systemic levels that eventually lead to the development of 
colorism, which helps maintain racialized power and inequality. 
Although racism and colorism create structures of stratification 
(Keister and Southgate 2022), concepts of race vary within other 
regions–and what is considered a distinct race–can differ based on 
historical and cultural contexts. In the West, non-white persons 
tend to be ranked depending on their skin tone to justify if they 



Research | Articles | Moran 31 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

have the right to certain privileges or constant disadvantages.  
Dixon and Telles (2017:406) state that in the U.S., 

colonialism permitted one’s proximity to whiteness in terms of 
ideology, culture, ancestry, and phenotype to determine who has 
access to social and economic privileges and opportunities. 
Slavery was a phenomenon justified by a colonial system that 
claimed whiteness to be superior, and anything other than it was 
deemed immoral and inferior. According to Mathews and Johnson 
(2015), skin tone plays a vital role in history and how it influences 
race relations in America. The legacy of slavery continues to have 
detrimental effects, and its harmful ideals are embedded in African 
American and Afro-Latine communities. Specifically, it hindered 
mental health, beauty standards, social and economic status, and 
the way relationships are formed within communities, especially 
for Black women. Inhumane levels of sexual abuse, 
advancements, and forced relations made by white slave owners 
with Black women led to generations of people with lighter skin 
tones known as “mulattos” who were often granted certain 
privileges due to their lighter complexions (Mathews and Johnson 
2015:252), such as working in the homes of slave owners, being 
able to obtain an education, and possessing certain rights and 
materials. These privileges created the notion that having a lighter 
complexion made one desirable, seen as pure, attractive, gentle, 
and worthy of privilege, while people with darker complexions 
remained at a constant disadvantage as they were stereotyped as 
primitive, unintelligent, violent, and overall, less than.  

This influence is embedded throughout American society 
in the form of colorism; its legacy is still seen throughout various 
social issues that impact minority groups, from employment, 
education, media representation, health care, gentrification, 
immigration, police brutality, and incarceration rates. Dixon and 
Telles (2017) show how views on skin tone in other regions hold 
an emphasis on ideals that trace back to concepts of colorism that 
are more than racial categories as seen within the U.S. These 
different views nonetheless create a globalized preference for 
lighter skin tones, making it a status symbol in many societies. 
East Asia is an example of another region’s skin color preference, 
where whiteness is heavily associated with status and positive 
aesthetics. These preferences began with those with higher 



Research | Articles | Moran 32 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

nobility flaunting their fair complexions from being indoors while 
lower-class people worked in the sun for long hours in which their 
tanned skin reflected their status. This led to fair skin as a high-
status indicator (2017:412) and lighter-skinned women being seen 
as more feminine and pure.  

The association with lighter skin and positive attributes 
led to the skin-bleaching industry, a globalized phenomenon in 
recent decades that further encourages lightening one’s skin. Due 
to globalization and better access to media outlets, it is widely 
accepted and accessible for those seeking a lighter complexion 
with the commodification of skin bleaching (2017:411). There has 
become a multi-billion-dollar industry that preys on those seeking 
ways to lighten their skin through makeup, soaps, lotions, and 
even cosmetic procedures. The need for one to lighten their skin 
is rooted in the desire to assimilate to the social norms of those in 
power and to appear by their standards of beauty, which are 
constantly promoted and advertised in popular media. These 
standards and norms center proximity to whiteness and ideologies 
of white supremacy (2017:412) since consumers of the skin-
bleaching industry primarily consist of women from colonized 
regions, and the majority of them have relatively darker skin 
tones.  

Latin America shares historical similarities with the U.S. 
(2017:409), given that European colonizers invaded and forced 
their ideologies on Indigenous communities within the Americas. 
This was accomplished through the implementation of veritable 
caste systems; or skin tone hierarchies that put Black and 
indigenous peoples at the bottom and white colonizers and their 
mixed counterparts at the top with more power and privilege 
(Telles and Dixon 2017). However, most of Latin America did not 
have direct or defined concepts of race, unlike the U.S. Along with 
Black, Indigenous, and white people reproducing within their 
different racial categories, it blurred racial boundaries. It 
promoted those to mix with others (2017:409) as a way to 
“embrace their race mixture (mestizaje) as a way to distinguish 
themselves from the United States and other explicitly racist 
societies and proclaim they were united and color-blind societies.” 
Although most of Latin America claims not to hold racist 
ideologies within their regions (2017:409), colorism is central to 



Research | Articles | Moran 33 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

distinguishing people based on their skin tone and varies within 
national and class contexts.  

 
EFFECTS ON SELF-PERCEPTION  

Jenneil Charles (2021) investigates how colorism affects 
Afro-Latinx persons within Latin America, specifically Brazil, 
Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Charles uses Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) 
social-ecological model as a framework to conduct their literature 
review and explore how colorism affects Afro-Latinx persons in 
various aspects of life, such as their family, professional, and 
academic lives and how they are perceived within their 
communities. As mentioned earlier, the concepts of colorism vary 
within different regions. Within Latin America, specific historical 
periods contribute to how colorism is implemented in society 
today. From the European conquest and colonization to the 
postcolonial era, post-emancipation era, and post-independence 
era, all these historical periods, along with the development of 
racial bias, have created the mechanism of colorism but in a region 
that is one of the most ethnically diverse in the world due to the 
inter-mixing of various groups of people. This mixing led to the 
“browning” of Latin America, consisting of the majority skin tone 
within most regions. This created a norm of people having pride 
in their diverse ethnicities. However, Charles (2021:9) states that 
due to this racial fluidity, racial identification is usually attributed 
to phenotype versus the individual’s actual ethnic and racial 
heritage within Latin America. 

Charles’ findings (2021:17) show that societal factors or 
“macrosystem factors” such as laws, cultural beliefs, and societal 
values, along with historical periods, allowed for colorism to be 
embedded within Latin American society and deeply ingrained 
within its peoples’ mindsets. Surveys conducted on Afro-Latinx 
individuals show low levels of educational attainment that can 
affect their occupational choices, as well as their socioeconomic 
status, and finally, colorism can impact how those with darker 
complexions are raised and thought to navigate within their 
societies. Through a protective measure called “racial 
socialization,” (2021:28) people of color teach each other how to 
deal with encounters with racism and other forms of 
discrimination, such as colorism; however, those who are not 



Research | Articles | Moran 34 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

trained in these protective measures have higher chances of 
enduring poor mental health issues as well as have less attachment 
with their community.  

Researchers have also studied how skin tone 
discrimination impacts the psychological well-being of African 
American women (Wilson, Massey, Smith, and Soloman 2021:1). 
By explaining the interconnected set of propositions that 
contribute to the occurrence of colorism and where these theories 
originate from, as well as reviewing the findings of previous 
research studies, researchers (2021:2) hypothesize that aspects of 
colorism may or may not affect the self of esteem and self-
perception of African American women. Analysis of 25 interviews 
with non-white women between the ages of 18-50 found low 
scores regarding self-esteem. Several participants expressed 
negative experiences with colorism and claimed the need to 
address the issue. When asked about their personal experiences 
with colorism, one person stated, “I think colorism affects brown 
and dark skin women the most because we’ve been trained for 
many years to think that darker skin is not beautiful.” Another 
added, “I think colorism affects African/black American women 
the most. We quickly judge each other instead of lifting each other 
up.” Most participants agreed that media outlets lack 
representation of darker skin tones, which reinforces colorism. 
Wilson et al. (2015:5) also found similar themes between skin tone 
bias within social settings such as school and work.  

Kiang, Espino-Pérez, and Stein (2020) address how skin 
tone bias relates to racial prejudice and how Latinx youth and 
other minority groups are more likely to experience this form of 
discrimination. The authors extensively study how the effects of 
colorism continue to impact Latinx youth while adjusting to US 
society in times where xenophobia and racism are more prevalent 
due to high immigration rates within the US. These experiences 
may result in adverse outcomes regarding the development of 
Latinx youth that are directly associated with skin tone 
discrimination (2020:2047). After creating a questionnaire for a 
sample of 175 adolescents, results showed high depressive issues 
and participants showing little importance in their academic 
studies. Researchers describe it as “foreigner objectification,” 
(2020:2055) which coincides with lower self-esteem levels.  



Research | Articles | Moran 35 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

METHODS  
Qualitative interviews are well-suited for exploring 

subjective experiences and gathering in-depth insights into the 
impact of colorism on self-perception. Semi-structured interviews 
with open-ended questions allowed participants to share their 
perspectives and personal experiences. The target population for 
this research was individuals who self-identified as people of 
color. The sampling strategy involved purposeful sampling, 
aiming to select individuals who could provide diverse 
perspectives on colorism and self-perception. Although only five 
interviews were conducted, the participant demographics 
comprised three women, one man, and one non-binary individual. 
Two participants identified as Latina/x, two participants identified 
as bi-racial with one being Asian and Black and the other 
Indigenous and White while the fifth participant preferred not to 
state their race. All five participants were asked several in-depth 
questions to capture various experiences and opinions regarding 
colorism within the population of interest.  

Data was collected through face-to-face or virtual 
interviews, depending on the availability and preferences of the 
participants. The interviews were audio-recorded (with consent) 
to ensure accurate documentation of participants’ responses. The 
data analysis process involved several steps. The audio recordings 
of the interviews were transcribed and then subjected to thematic 
analysis, where common themes, patterns, and codes were 
identified. The codes that emerged during the coding process 
included “colorist experiences,” “beauty standards,” “social 
interactions,” “media influence,” and “intersectionality.” 

In terms of strengths and limitations, the qualitative 
interview method allowed for nuanced insights into participants’ 
experiences with colorism and self-perception. It provided an 
opportunity to explore personal narratives and emotions. 
However, the findings are subjective and specific to the 
participants interviewed, limiting the generalizability of the 
results. Additionally, relying on self-reporting may introduce 
multiple biases. Compared to other methods, qualitative 
interviews offer a deep understanding of individuals’ experiences 
and perspectives, providing rich qualitative data. In contrast, other 
methods such as surveys may provide broader quantitative data 



Research | Articles | Moran 36 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

but may need more depth and contextual understanding than what 
qualitative interviews offer. 

My positionality as a researcher, including my 
background, experiences, and biases, could have influenced the 
research process and interpretation of data. However, my 
reflexivity and self-awareness of positionality were crucial in 
acknowledging and managing potential biases. This helped ensure 
that participants’ voices were prioritized and their experiences 
were represented authentically in the analysis and reporting of the 
findings.  

Lastly, ethical considerations were paramount throughout 
the research process. Informed consent was obtained from all 
participants, ensuring they understood their participation’s 
purpose, risks, and benefits. Confidentiality and anonymity were 
maintained by using pseudonyms and securely storing the data. 
Participants were informed of their rights to withdraw from the 
study at any time without consequences. Pseudonyms are used 
throughout this text.  

 
FINDINGS  
Personal Experiences and Self-Perception  

Many of the participants shared personal experiences of 
encountering colorism, whether by people in their families or by 
others inside and outside of their community. Participants 
highlighted instances where they were subjected to biases and 
negative associations with their skin color or those who were 
deemed darker. One example of these instances is a participant 
recalling a family member comparing them to their sibling:  

They would always compliment my sister for 
being so fair-skinned but proceed to tell me “if 
you weren’t in the sun too much, maybe you’ll 
look just as pretty as your sister” and that only 
made me feel worse about my looks.  

This participant along with the other four expressed to some 
degree that specific comments, remarks, and experiences 
regarding their skin tone had distorted how they perceived 
themselves, with participants reporting feelings of self-doubt and 
lowered self-esteem because of colorist attitudes and standards. 
Another participant recalled their experience,  



Research | Articles | Moran 37 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

Compared to my family members, I have the 
darkest skin. I got it from my dad, who’s 
Indigenous, but I grew up around a family who 
was lighter-skinned, which was hard. I would get 
called names like India a lot, which wasn’t seen 
as a good thing. It made me hate my skin over 
time. I think I barely started to love myself again 
only a few years ago, so it’s been a journey. 
Although many of the participants expressed colorist 

remarks from family members and those within their community, 
they also recalled instances where those outside their community 
expressed colorist views as well. One interviewee shared how 
their white teacher would project stereotypes onto them 
frequently:  

I had this teacher and she said that if we didn’t do 
well in that class we would end up like a vendor, 
illegally selling oranges and flowers. She would 
only say this to kids who were Latino and in front 
of the whole class and it would lead the other kids 
to call me names like “Beaner vendor” And it was 
all because of the nasty remarks that she just had 
to say. 

Racial stereotypes such as associating Latinos with “unskilled” 
labor along with other racialized stereotypes allow for colorist 
attitudes to continue amongst people of color until it is normalized 
and seen as harmless to comment, even amongst students such as 
the participant at the time.  

With participants experiencing negative emotions from 
the comments and associations from others, they also expressed 
feeling an immense pressure to change their appearance to 
conform to beauty standards and avoid further ridicule. One 
participant recalled multiple encounters with their Filipino 
grandmother, who would encourage them to use skin-bleaching 
products: “Sometimes they’ll suggest to me, ‘Oh, do you want 
stuff for your skin? It’ll brighten and help your skin.’ Even though 
it wouldn’t necessarily treat my skin issues, it just bleaches my 
skin; it didn’t make me feel better about myself either.” The 
instance of an individual feeling pressured to use bleaching 
products reflects the ingrained association of whiteness with 



Research | Articles | Moran 38 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

goodness that many people of color continue to uphold for 
generations despite the negative effects it can inflict on those with 
darker skin tones. Another participant mentioned,  

Those comments about my skin affected me and 
led me to feel ugly and self-conscious over time. 
I remember when I was in middle school, I was 
told that I was too dark to be pretty. After that, I 
wore hoodies every day to avoid getting darker in 
the sun, and I would try to straighten my hair 
because I have curly hair…I remember feeling 
like I was brought down upon because I looked a 
certain way, And it made me feel like I “looked 
too Latina,” and it made me feel like really 
disgusted with myself and even with my culture.  

Although the participant mentioned wanting to change their hair 
along with avoiding the sun, it is common for people of color to 
feel additional pressure to adjust other aspects of their physical 
appearance such as hair texture, facial structure, and even body 
type to further conform to beauty standards. This further 
demonstrates how colorism is considered a subcategory of racism, 
which categorizes people into groups based on physical 
appearance. In sum, all five participants expressed at different 
levels that colorism has contributed to how they perceive 
themselves in often negative forms that can lead to feeling 
pressured to change their appearance. Many shared that it is still 
an ongoing process to overcome these emotions. 

 
Intersectionality with Other Identities  

Interviews highlighted the intersectional nature of 
colorism, which consisted of analyzing the social and political 
aspects that contribute to a person’s identity and can determine 
one’s inequalities and privileges such as gender, socioeconomic 
status, and culture. Participants noted that the impact of colorism 
can vary across different ethnic groups and communities and is 
emphasized when combined with other forms of discrimination, 
leading to additional insecurities and inequalities. One participant 
mentions that one’s socioeconomic status can merge with colorism: 

I think [colorism] can intersect because when it 
comes down to the way people are treated in this 



Research | Articles | Moran 39 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

country, it’s usually governed by money... It’s not 
an accident that people with the lowest socio-
economic status have darker skin complexions. It 
doesn’t matter if you are of low income; they’ll 
still try to go buy bleaching whitening creams.  

This participant emphasizes that in their experience, they notice 
women often face the most pressures to abide by beauty standards, 
thus making them susceptible to skin tone insecurities and 
becoming the biggest consumers of bleaching products. It is also 
important to note what the participant stated regarding those who 
fall below the poverty line tend to be people of color. This 
statement reflects how people of color have historically endured 
not only poverty but also environmental racism, systematic 
racism, imperialism, colonialism, and countless acts of violence 
and genocide that often go unrecognized to continue these cruel 
acts amongst communities of color in the name of white 
supremacy. 

Another participant discussed the intersectionality 
between colorism and a person’s sexual and gender identity. They 
expressed their experiences as a non-binary individual that 
although queerness is slowly being represented and becoming 
acceptable in many societies, queer people of color continue to 
struggle with being represented along with facing continuous acts 
of discrimination, stigmas, and violence. “You already get looked 
at differently if you’re brown or black or are just not white 
presenting, but if you’re also queer, you also deal with things like 
homophobia and transphobia.” They proceed by mentioning,  

You don’t really see that much queer or trans 
representation from people of color in the media; 
it usually focuses on white, cis-gendered forms of 
queerness. That can make you feel like an outcast 
within outcasts or like you still need to hide your 
identity even though you see more representation.  

Having a non-binary participant highlight the intersections of 
being a person of color and identifying with the LGBTQ+ 
community was an informative and insightful experience given 
that the unique experiences of those within this community are 
often disregarded and erased. Analyzing the multifaceted aspects 
that create the unique identities of people of color demonstrates 



Research | Articles | Moran 40 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

the importance of including intersectionality in research regarding 
colorism. Intersectionality is a crucial sociological framework that 
allows one to form an understanding of what contributes to the 
forms of oppression one may endure while simultaneously 
observing the levels of privileges one may obtain from one’s 
identity. 

 
Media and Widespread Cultural Influence  

Participants recognized the role of media and popular 
culture in emphasizing colorist attitudes and beauty standards. 
They pointed out examples where the press portrayed lighter skin 
tones as the epitome of beauty, reinforcing societal biases. When 
discussing the music industry, a participant gave one example:  

I noticed that even though mostly Black artists 
pioneered a lot of music genres, it is usually 
stolen or copied by other artists like Elvis. And if 
an artist of color does get fame or recognition, 
they are or are encouraged to have a lighter 
complexion. Artists with lighter skin usually 
skyrocket into fame when they come out with 
hits. But then you have just as equally talented 
Black artists with darker complexions; they don’t 
get the same praise or fame. 

Artists of color often have talent undermined while 
simultaneously having their creative ideas stolen and rebranded 
by white artists to be more palatable to societal norms that 
essentially abide by standards of white supremacy. Such as the 
example they gave of Elvis Presley, who sought out the talent of 
Black artists who pioneered the rock and roll genre and essentially 
imitated their work to gain fame and wealth while becoming the 
face of the genre he appropriated like many artists to come.  

When discussing other forms of popular media, 
participants would recall many instances where “I remember 
wanting to look a certain way other than how I looked because all 
I saw in magazines and TV were skinny white women. I wanted 
to be like Hannah Montana and be able to switch up my 
appearance.” Another participant also recalled, “In Hispanic or 
Latino Media, like soap operas, the protagonists were always 
white-passing Latinos. But characters who look like me? They 



Research | Articles | Moran 41 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

were always servants, farmers, or villains. Anyone with dark skin 
like mine was always shown negatively.” One participant 
emphasized the need for better representation and diversity to 
challenge colorism and promote a more inclusive perception of 
beauty: 

When you start bringing on actors or actresses of 
color and stuff and putting them in these 
positions, these beautified positions…I think that 
is going to help combat colorism because people 
will start to see that they’re represented and that 
having a darker complexion is okay. 

An example a different participant gave was when they discussed 
the impact of the remake of The Little Mermaid (2023) on 
children. They state,  

I think it’s great because you have representation 
for children of color who don’t see themselves in 
media; they see themselves in this person, and 
then they don’t have to think of the notion of “oh, 
I wish I can be them or I don’t see myself in 
Disney princesses” you know?  

A second participant also mentioned the impact of the remake of 
the Disney film; they stated,  

We saw a lot of people mad about Ariel being a 
Black woman. But I’m sure a lot of little Black 
girls finally saw themselves in this new version 
of Ariel, and it challenged the status quo. It 
allowed girlies to be seen. 
 

Call for Education and Awareness  
The various themes that emerged from interviewing these 

five participants emphasized the need for education and awareness 
to address colorism effectively to eliminate colorist ideals within 
communities of color. Although participants expressed that the 
representation of different skin tones is important, it does not fully 
combat colorist ideologies that continue to affect people of color. 
They highlighted the importance of teaching about colorism and 
its impact from an early age, both within families and educational 
institutions. They also expressed the importance of creating 
platforms for open discussions and promoting positive role 



Research | Articles | Moran 42 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

models of different skin tones to challenge colorist norms.  
In an article written by Marilyn Grell-Brisk (2022:242), 

the debate arises surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement 
becoming a phenomenon that allows for discussion and actions 
against acts of police brutality and the systems of racial capitalism 
to reject the systems and concepts that promote anti-Blackness 
which negatively affects African American communities and other 
communities of color. To be able to define important definitions 
such as anti-Blackness allows us to adequately address the social 
systems that directly promote racist concepts onto social 
institutions and norms that directly affect those in Black 
communities. To support this compelling argument, Grell-Brisk 
(2022:244) created an analytical framework to discuss levels of 
world systems that produce three forms of inequality within 
societies: world system analysis, anti-Blackness, and coloniality. 
As the author (2022:252) further implies,  

The structural location of antiblackness informs 
the disposability that is levied against black 
people across the globe. This coloniality 
embedded within the world-system structures 
means that disposability is at the structural level 
too, thinking in terms of disposability provides a 
way to organize and resist antiblackness across 
borders and through new logics of solidarity. 

Forms of resistance towards oppressive racial ideologies are 
necessary to counter this coloniality and may offer insight into the 
societal structures that are rooted in racist ideologies and cause 
different levels of inequality, such as police brutality, which the 
Black Lives Matter movement highlights. These movements can 
be a starting point for many to hold meaningful discussions 
surrounding the roots of these oppressive systems including 
aspects of colorism such as anti-Blackness, which can begin 
restorative transformations. 
 
DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION  

Although the five participants do not encompass the 
experiences of all people of color, their specific findings 
demonstrate how detrimental the effects of colorism can be on a 
person of color’s self-perception including how it intersects with 



Research | Articles | Moran 43 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

other factors of one’s identity, and how colorist views hold 
widespread influence around various cultures. The key findings of 
this research provide compelling evidence that colorism can 
significantly impact self-perception among people of color, 
revealing the pervasive influence of colorist attitudes and 
standards on beauty. This influence can lead to distorted self-
perception, and lowered self-esteem, ultimately affecting social 
interactions, access to opportunities, and higher levels of 
discrimination within people of color and in their communities. 
The intersectionality of colorism with other aspects of identity 
further adds to its impact, highlighting the need for further 
education, awareness, and media representation to challenge 
colorist norms and promote inclusive environments that celebrate 
the diversity of skin tones and foster self-acceptance. In addition 
to psychological consequences, colorism can manifest in systemic 
inequalities, perpetuating disparities in areas such as education, 
popular media, employment, incarceration rates, and healthcare 
among people of color. These structural imbalances create a cycle 
of disadvantage, where individuals facing colorist biases endure 
not only internal struggles but also external challenges that limit 
their opportunities and overall well-being. Consequently, 
addressing colorism requires a multifaceted approach that 
prioritizes the voices of those impacted, while combining 
individual empowerment with broader societal changes to 
dismantle this internal form of oppression among people of color. 

By examining previous literature and personal 
experiences, beauty standards, social interactions, and the 
intersectionality of colorism, this study reveals the urgent need for 
reform. Future research can expand our understanding of the 
longitudinal effects of colorism, its cross-cultural variations, and 
the efficacy of interventions. Addressing colorism requires broad 
societal changes, including exploring educational programs’ 
effectiveness at challenging colorism, promoting self-acceptance, 
community-driven initiatives, and giving those facing this issue 
first-hand a platform to challenge oppressive norms and foster 
inclusivity. By taking these steps, we can strive toward a society 
that values and celebrates the diverse beauty of every individual.  

To conclude, I want to share a poem I found during my 
extensive literature review. Although this research resurfaced 



Research | Articles | Moran 44 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

many negative and painful emotions that so many others like 
myself have endured, I’ve discovered to reclaim my power 
through this research and wish to share this knowledge with others 
so that they too can reclaim their power. I want to emphasize what 
great resilience and beauty we each carry that is skin deep, that 
our ancestors passed down to us for generations. Know that you 
have legacies behind you to help navigate the world with your 
unique presence, and never forget that it is no one’s right to 
diminish that power you hold that is skin deep.  

 
Ode to Dark (Skinned) Girls by Robin M. Boylorn (2012) 
She waited Patiently  
And in silence  
Never admitting Out loud  
That she secretly wanted to be  
Light skinned  
Brown but in a lighter shade  
She would say it out loud  
But in whispered tones  
“Make me white-like  
Damn near transparent  
So that these people can see through me  
Instead of just past me…  
Make me Beautiful!”  
Like the color of the earth I already was  
But this skin  
This house to my soul  
Is only almost pretty, they say  
And if I weren’t so dark  
I might be worth 
Lovingwantingfuckingstayingbeing  
But instead I am just tolerated  
In the dark or in secret  
Or worn on your shoulder  
Like an unnecessary accessory  
Creating your celebrity  
Because  
I Am Darker Than You  
Teach me how to love myself  
The color of fire  
In the middle of its escape  
Skin and eyes round  



Research | Articles | Moran 45 
 

CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

And regal at once  
You are beautiful  
The color of coffee with no cream  
Dark like the bittersweet chocolate of my dreams Caramel-coated 
coquette, Honey dipped and full of vigor Full lipped and full bodied  
Full  
Dark-skinned and exquisite  
Majestic even  
With my brown-black self! 
 

REFERENCES 
Boylorn, Robin M. 2012. Dark-Skinned Love Stories. International Review of Qualitative 

Research, 5(3):299-309 http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/irqr.2012.5.3.299 
Bronfenbrenner, U. 1977. Toward and experimental ecology of human development. 

American Psychologist, 32:513–531. 
Dixon, Angela R., and Edward E. Telles. 2017. “Annual Review of Sociology Skin Color 

and Colorism: Global Research, Concepts, and Measurement.” DOI: 
10.1146/annurev-soc-060116.  

Du Bois, W.E. B. 1989 [1903]. The Souls of Black Folk. New York: Penguin  
Grell-Brisk, Marilyn. 2022. “Critical World-Systems Analysis Thoughts on Organizing 

Against Antiblackness Across Global-Local Boundaries.” Journal of World-
Systems Research 28(2):242–66. DOI: 10.5195/JWSR.2022.1103.  

Keister, Lisa A. and Darby E. Southgate. 2022. Inequality: A Contemporary Approach to 
Race, Class, and Gender. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University 
Press.  

Kiang, Lisa, Kathy Espino-Pérez, and Gabriela L. Stein. 2020. “Discrimination, Skin Color 
Satisfaction, and Adjustment among Latinx American Youth.” Journal of Youth 
and Adolescence 49(10):2047–59. DOI: 10.1007/s10964-020-01244-8.  

Lavi Wilson, Shanika, Shaquila O’Shay Massey, De’Onna Smith, and Christopher 
Solomon. 2021. “The Effects of Colorism on Self Perception and Self-Esteem.” 
Psychology and Mental Health Care 5(2):01–07. DOI: 10.31579/2637-
8892/120.  

Pyke, Karen D. 2010. “What Is Internalized Racial Oppression and Why Don’t We Study 
It? Acknowledging Racism’s Hidden Injuries.” Sociological Perspectives 
53(4):551–72. DOI: 10.1525/sop.2010.53.4.551.  

X, Malcolm. 1962. Who Taught You to Hate? [Speech audio recording]. Alexander Street.  
https://search.alexanderstreet.com/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_
work%7C2785586/malcolm-x-who-taught-you-hate-speech-excerpt 
 

Marcia B. Moran (She/Her/Ella) is a CSULA alumnus who transferred in 
from Los Angeles Valley College with an Associate in Arts degree in 
Sociology. Marcia graduated with a Bachelor’s in Sociology in December 
2023 with a focus on inequalities and diversity. She received consecutive 
Dean’s List awards from the College of Natural and Social Sciences during 
her undergrad. Marcia’s research was originally a final project for a 
qualitative research course in which she was asked to publish her work with 
the CSF. She would like to thank the CSF student board and professors who 
helped her along the way and dedicated her work to her family, her partner, 
and friends who have supported her through this academic endeavor. 


	Colorism and Its Effects on Self Perception - Marcia B. Moran



