Monday
Apr192010
Michelle Obama's Brown Skin is Acceptable?
Monday, April 19, 2010 at 01:43PM Aminah
A question was posed to black and latino 8th graders in a class on immigration and identity. The question was if they saw lighter skin and curves as an element of beauty. This is per a post in The Mission Blog of SFGate home of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Why? . . . I know it is important to make sure that children have high self-esteem and see themselves as beautiful no matter what their skin color is or no matter what their outward appearances are, but I can not grasp the relevance of this particular conversation. And an even larger question is why blog about it. Perhaps someone else can see the flip side of this classroom lesson and can school me, because I just don't get it. Posted by Bridgette.
At the end of class on Tuesday, it seemed pretty clear that many of the Latino and black eighth graders in Valerie Barth’s class on immigration and identity, saw lighter skin as an element of beauty. Curves too.
So on Tuesday when they gather again, Barth asks them to name three female black celebrities they consider beautiful.
It’s a restless class of 26 students – seven are absent – and as students call out their answers, Barth has to stop and review their Tribe Agreement posted in the library: attentive listening, no put downs, right to pass and mutual respect. They read them out and Barth reviews again what each means.
The students students calm down long enough for us to find out that the girls have opted for Alicia Keys, Oprah, Halle Berry.
The boys? Michelle Obama. There’s some back and forth on whether Michelle has two Ls or one, but despite their preferences for light skin on Tuesday, it no longer seems to matter for the First Lady.
Why? . . . I know it is important to make sure that children have high self-esteem and see themselves as beautiful no matter what their skin color is or no matter what their outward appearances are, but I can not grasp the relevance of this particular conversation. And an even larger question is why blog about it. Perhaps someone else can see the flip side of this classroom lesson and can school me, because I just don't get it. Posted by Bridgette.
Reader Comments (22)
You're right, why blog about this? This is wholly irrelevant news, you should be a little more discerning about what you post on MOW. Thanks!
How about they focus on teaching the kids about Math, Social Studies etc... Leave the racial questions to Parents to handle...I don't like when kids are asked these sort of questions...
Exactly. I just feel some kind of way about the entire lesson. That was just not the place. I'm not saying it shouldn't be discussed but I'm still @ a pure lost for the significance of that lesson.
The purpose is because society has taught us that darker skin is not beautiful, therefore children with darker skin often times have self esteem issues. That if you are lighter and have pretty hair you are much more beautiful than a darker thicker haired person. Sadly to say this is still being taught (maybe not boldly but it is still the same). Some people that are not a darker skinned don't realize that society is still teaching that.
@Tia & Bridgette you are both right this is a issue that should be addressed at home, but it should not be ignored at school either. That is not to say every teacher can touch the subject in a decent way.
School has never been a place restricted to learning about the old three Rs. It has always shaped our social consciousness, but social consciousness simply wasn't DISCUSSED that much way back when (in the 20th century) because social, and especially beauty preferences were preset -- by the majority race. There was never a question. Now, however, in this new world of change and flux and acceleration and diversity and all things global, questioning changing values in classrooms is an entirely appropriate subject since we no longer simply accept what is assumed by one "entitled" group to be true for all.
Also..."racial questions" are not restricted to specific areas of life. We all experience race everywhere -- and every day. We cannot escape it, or compartmentalize it. Not anymore. Why? The leader of the most powerful nation on the planet -- ours -- is a... duh... black man.
I think we should all just relax and embrace the reality of race, learn to accept that color is no more than a layer of tinted molecules (?), or whatever :) ... and move on...
It's not a question if this should have been blogged about or not. The question is why the class was asked about skin color and beauty.
I read all the material related to this class, and watched the videos that the kids saw, the report topics they wrote about, and the other questions they were asked.
The class is following worlssavvy.org teachings to educate kids about being a global citizen. Skin color and attitudes about skin color are part of it. One of the teachers grew up in Asia and told the kids she viewed white people as looking strange unti she saw more of them. Children in Ghana were comfortable about their dark skin and natural hair - this was a surprise for the kids in USA. It's all cultural and people can learn to view different races look different and the ideas of beauty can chang with education.
I think these were excellent lession - it took 3 lessions to cover all the material. How the kids changed as a result of the classes was not totally clear to me but it seemed to have been a very positive experience for minority kids to improve their own self image and notions about beauty around the globe. I am sure this generation of kids will be post-racial, but we may never get over people judging automatically who looks nice or ugly in the first place, regardless of race.
"World Savvy's vision for the future
is one in which all members of society are well informed about contemporary international affairs and act as responsible global citizens. We believe that change will occur if youth are educated about international affairs and are given the tools to think critically about such issues. Additionally, we believe that we must inform and empower youth to see themselves as lifelong global citizens and recognize their related rights and responsibilities."
I did not find that the kids were asked if Michelle Obama's skin color was acceptable. The boys selected her as being a beautiful woman with dark skin. The girls were much more aware of dark skinned beauties than the boys and could easily name 3 dark skinned beautiful women when asked.
I'm white and I think Michelle Obama is very beautiful, and she has a unique face. I don't even see her as being African-American, she is a woman first and foremost, she happens to have nice dark skin. As a person with dough white skin that burns in the sun I think Michelle has much better skin than I do.
There are beautiful people in each race and nation, just as there are ugly people - unfortunately ugly is a genetic flaw of having irregular facial features. There have been many studies to find out why certain faces are considered ugly while other are beautiful. It's all about the relative location, shape and size of eyes, nose, lips and other facial features of any given face.
Oprah?
I would agree with you except I have noticed that the parents of the last thirty years are woefully undesireable and thusly so are their children.
They have raised a bunch of narassitic,cheater, bullies,and drunks/ drug addicts who think it is ok to put down climb over and all out ruin to get ahead. Same goes for racial sensitivity. I grew up with a bunch of closeted biggits. if I recorded the crap I hear kidd say and the stuff that was said to me not four years ago and played it back to them they would be appalled at how racist they sound. Because parents suck lately the schools have had to step in. So take it up with the crappy parents and then the schools won't have to do the parents job.
I must admit first off I'm a lurker I love this blog, but never really reply. When I saw this I just wanted to give my two cent it might be a different point of view because I still in school (17). Ever since the 5th grade schools have had the "social issues, Inner beauty" talk about once a year. I like them because they lead into teaching kids about bullying and how to go about stopping it.
Well, I see that this came up as part of a class on immigration and identity, and whilst I still don't understand in light of this, why it was included, I have to admit that the results intrigue me.
I like what the girls' choice of ladies seems to say; their choice seems to suggest that they see beauty as encompassing talent, intelligence, worthy attainment, and overcoming adversity, alongside physical qualities. Why can't Oprah be in there?!
The boys'...well, it's fascinating to see that the First Lady may be inadvertently helping to challenge old notions of who qualifies as being seen as beautiful. I like that thought a lot...there's room enough to encompass all skin colours,shades and tones!!
Hello, there, Leea, I love when "lurkers" pop up, and have their say! You've taught me something new, so it's nice that you came in to share something with your fellow Michelle Obama Watchers.
DC Lady you about to fall out of pocket. When you start paying some hosting bills then you can start making editorial decisions. Its a legitimate post. The blog was started because of idiotic things people do and say related to the First Lady, this qualifies.
"...fascinating to see that the First Lady may be inadvertently helping to challenge old notions of who qualifies as being seen as beautiful. I like that thought a lot…there’s room enough to encompass all skin colours,shades and tones!!"
Props to Dee: well said.
Let's not kid ourselves, everywhere we turn we were told was is beauty? And nine times out of ten it was blonde, blue eyes, and size 0. Light skin blacks were more beautiful than darker skin and we all know where that started.Should they have been discussing this in school, I don't know. I'm not going to have a fit because they did. I can remember when I was in school we had wonderful teachers who talked about alot of educational things that had nothing to do with math, science,social studies, with us.
I can see the relevance of this discussion and I agree that schools have never been, nor should they ever be, restricted to just the 3 R's. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What may be pleasing to the eye to one person may not be to another and that is OK. There's a reason why we don't all look same.
The problem starts when people are denied life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness based on their looks rather than their qualifications. Unfortunately, that has been part of the story that is America and that's why discussions like these are needed, for both children and adults. Until we can have an open and honest dialogue about race in this country things will never change. Racism and intra racism, among all ethnic groups, is very real and we can't vote it away with a Black (or any other so called minority) President or any other political office.
As beautiful as I think Michelle Obama is there are many that simply find a Black First Lady unbearable and they veil their racism in the critique of her fashions or platforms, but when you read between the lines their intent is obvious. If you've ever been a victim of racism you know exactly what it looks like and a huge problem in this country is people who have historically benefited from it now want to say it's all over and it's just not their call.
Well said Aminah.
I remember the president saying that love knows no color, but I disagree with him. People are taught that white is right from the day they are born. I wish I could tell him that if it where not for his daughters being the daughter of the POTUS they would have many difficulties that other black women have. They may already face some since they attend a majority white school.
@PEPPER The President knows better, but he's a politician. In America if you speak the truth about race and racism you won't get elected. You'll get labeled and slandered, but not elected - especially in this new post racial America ;)
DOES IT MATTER?
"...fascinating to see that the First Lady may be inadvertently helping to challenge old notions of who qualifies as being seen as beautiful. I like that thought a lot…there’s room enough to encompass all skin colours,shades and tones!!"
Props to Dee: well said.
Well said Aminah.
The issue is very relative since America pays so much attention to the skin color of its residents whether they are
--- driving, eating, playing sports, standing in public places, shopping, etc.
Thanks for posting this article, Gina. Keep up the good work!