First off, colorism itself is not a myth. To move forward, we have to acknowledge its existence. Denying colorism outright ignores the complex dynamics and true harm it can cause.
Another myth is that colorism goes both ways. This isn’t true. Colorism comes from the ideology that dark-skinned people are inferior to light-skinned people. Society reflects this by valuing lighter skin tones.
A third myth is that light-skin privilege doesn’t exist. The reality is that someone with lighter skin is more likely to have privileges that darker-skinned people wouldn’t. However, light-skinned people can use their privilege to advocate for darker-skinned people.
Lastly, many people believe that simply talking about colorism is divisive. Colorism itself is a major cause of division and discrimination in our community. Keeping quiet and remaining complicit with this systemic issue will only perpetuate it. By talking about colorism, we can be the generation to end it.
Colorism doesn’t have to remain a divisive issue. At the end of the day, we are all Black. While it is important to understand the privileges and discrimination created by colorism, it's all the more important for us all to stand united as we march to liberation.