Fashion » Brown You Nah Get Brown! Or Can You? : A Jamaica Gleaner Blog

Brown You Nah Get Brown! Or Can You?

Happy New Year fashionistas, let’s bring it for 2011. I am beginning this year with the controversial subject of “bleaching”.

During the festive season the “hot topic” was ‘skin bleaching‘… to paraphrase the old Head and Shoulders dandruff shampoo commercial the question on our lips was “is she or isn’t she?” or more often than I would like to admit “is he or isn’t he?”

Is it a fashion fad that wont die? Or is it about the enslavement of the mind? Is it part of dancehall culture? Or is it – you fill in the blanks —???? The list goes on….

I’m pleased that Jamaica’s Ministry of Health has declared war on this saddening and skin destroying phenomenon, that seems to affect both genders, all ages across many nations. I am assuming that we all recognise that this activity is widespread across Africa and the Caribbean but did you know this practice is prevalent in India, Korea and China?

I have spoken with a few brave souls recently, who admitted to ‘bleaching’. They cite career progression, emulating their idols (such as Kartel), and just feeling more confident, handsome and beautiful as reasons behind why they do it.

You tell me fashionistas are the reasons given rational? Is this what people have to do to progress or feel beautiful in the world today?

Anyone that has visited Jamaica is aware of the impact that dancehall culture has on Jamaican society. I find it very disappointing to hear dancehall artistes such as ‘Kartel’ singing about skin bleaching. But, now I understand he is launching his own brand/line of skin lightening products it makes sense.

I can only hope more artistes come out with an opposing view. Kudos to Kiprich’s whose song ‘Caan get Brown’ raises some interesting questions about the practice. I have linked it below for your enjoyment.

How are we going to address this growing multi billion dollar industry?

Yes, education is key, but we also need stricter regulations and tighter enforcement on the sale of bleaching agents which are proven to be detrimental to our health. Don’t ask me what to do about “cake soap” – since it is laundry soap! Any suggestions?

Naturally, there is a place for skin bleaching. For example, when dealing with hyper-pigmentation or other medical conditions. This should be an option. However, in my opinion bleaching should always be undertaken with medical supervision.

What are your thoughts on this fashionistas? Have I got it right or am I wrong?

Lets get the discussion going… I’ve posed a lot of questions…and I’ve got a lot more to say!

Talk soon

Shaz

Tags: bleach, brown, dancehall, fashion, Jamaica, kartel, kiprich, skin

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13 Responses to “Brown You Nah Get Brown! Or Can You?”

O says:

January 5, 2011 at 10:14 am

Good Morning Shaz, I follow your blog and rss feeds all the time. Love this topic because it is so controversial. I reside in NYC and you wouldn’t believe the amount of Caribbeans that bleach here. At first I thought it was a fad, a linkage to keep up with the trends back home in Jamaica but as you stated so many individuals are into it. No longer called bleaching but to tone the skin. Anyway you want to phrase the results are the same. I have found a video that talks about the issue of shadeism in the Indian, African, and Caribbean cultures, it shows that from birth we are conditioned to think the dark is bad and light is good. So I no longer think it’s just a fad but a social stigma embedded from childhood. Take a look at this link http://vimeo.com/m/#/16210769
LaLa says:

January 6, 2011 at 11:20 am

This argument is a long standing one.Now as someone that suffers from pigmenataion issues I could have taken the route of bleaching but opt not to.I appreciate that persons “bleach” for different reasons but the excuses of progression and pressure are very “lame, so to speak.What about the millions who have not done this that are even darker but still succeed in life and live very fulfilling lives.WE need to stop giving these people excuses for disrepecting what was naturally given because no matter how “white they get they will never be better than any of us on that merit alone.
BLACK says:

January 6, 2011 at 1:20 pm

BLACK PEOPLE BLEACH BECAUSE THEY WERE TAUGHT THAT BLACK IS UGLY AND TO HATE THEIR BLACK SKIN. YOU STILL HAVE BLACK MEN TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY LOVE BROWNING. MOST JAMAICANS LIKE YOU MORE IF YOU HAVE MORE OF THE SLAVE MASTERS BLOOD OR IF YOU MIXED WITH CHINESE OR INDIAN BECAUSE THEIR HATE RUNS VERY DEEP. AND THEY WILL ALWAYS TALK ABOUT HOW SOMEONE LOOKS GOOD FOR A DARK SKIN LIKE UGLY COME WITH DARK SKIN. THEY MENTALLY STILL WHITE WASH IN DEM HEAD. ALL WHEN DEM DEAD THEY WILL LIKE AND ADMIRE OTHER RACES THAN THEIRS. ONLY BLACK PEOPLE PUT OTHERS BEFORE THEIR RACE. IF A CHINESE MIXED IN WITH BLACKS THEY THINK THAT THOSE PEOPLE OR LESS THAN ONLY BLACK PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE BETTER IF THEY ARE MIXED.
wayne says:

January 7, 2011 at 2:13 am

Why worry about people who are not pleased with how God made them? Just prepare to not remember them, when they poison themselves. As usual, it’s the slave mentality we black people have and will never shed that mentality till the day we die. So let them bleach, then suffer skin cancer , diseases etc. and then die. If they self destruct why should normal people be concerned/ The world is overpopulated as it is, so they (Bleachers)won’t be missed along with gunmen, robbers crooked politicians.
gosford says:

January 7, 2011 at 12:54 pm

Some blacks surely hate themselves. False hair, eyelashes,finger and toe nails, piercing tatoo and of course THE MOTHER OF ALL, BLEACHING. WE ape everything american, then take it to the gutter.
Norma says:

January 7, 2011 at 5:07 pm

Bleaching your skin for medical reasons is acceptable. However, bleaching because you want to be lighter is rediculous and shameful. Why is it that Jamaicans feel that other race better than them. It is time we, as black people, embrace our colour and stop passing down this slave mentality to our children. You all need to read Songs of Solomon, and digest what she said about being black.
Shaz says:

January 11, 2011 at 11:17 am

Thank you for the comment and link ‘O’ I’m also flattered that you like the blog and follow my RSS feeds Thank you for your kind words. I intend to bring it large for 2011 so keep an eye on me
harold says:

January 14, 2011 at 4:02 am

these people do not know that BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL,still cant free our mind,why i love my dark skin women reason when light skin get
old the pigmentation get weak all the vains start showing eg legs these blue vein keep showing i dont like,older brown skin women look
old when aged while dark skin look stronger
because the pigmentation is lasting,these artist should stop promote these slave mentality.bleaching king (kartel)and many others should stop this practice (colour code)
are they upset with GOD an pleasing satan
BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL AND WILL ALLWAYS BE.
ONE LOVE CHUKU
Kurtis Dereu says:

May 12, 2011 at 8:14 pm

Microdermabrasion could be carried out to lower the look of superficial hyperpigmentation, photo-damage, diminish fine lines, wrinkles, and shallow acne scars. Taking away the dead skin will help in the penetration of pores and skin treatment goods by up to 50% and make-up will go on far more easily.
Denise says:

August 17, 2011 at 7:47 am

Bleaching mek dem look like duppy. Just look at Kartel, it will not lessen whatever pain or self-hatred.
Black Is Absolutely Beautiful.
CAROL says:

August 19, 2011 at 10:00 pm

WHOSE BUSINESS IS IT WHAT ONE WANT TO DO WITH THEMSELVES COME ON LOOL AT ALL THESE TOP NEWS ANCHORS MATTER OF FACT THE WHITE ONES HAV NOTHING OVER THEM GOOGLE THEM 5 TO 10 YEARS AGO U AINT GONNA GET THE SAME SKIN COLOR OPRA OR INSTANCE IN COLOR PURPLE ITS NOT THE SAME COMPLEXIOM SHE HAS NOW THE PEOPLE THE INJECTION THEY GIVE CANCER PATIENTS FOR LIGHTENING TEIR SKIN CAUSE THE MEDS MAKE THEM BLACK LOT OF PEOPLE ARE PAYING A HIGH PRICE ITS ALLEGED, THE PEOPLE THEM STRESS IF BLEACHING PUT THEM ON CLOUD 9 IF IT WOK FI DEM LEF DEM ALONE STOP WAST U TIME, KARTEL IS A BUSINESSMAN JUST WATCH HIM WE NO SEE NUTTEN YET WAIT IM TV PROGRAMME BUS
miss lady says:

September 5, 2011 at 5:59 am

you know what i truly find funny about all of this?I have lived more than 10 years in europe and you could be the lightest of the light you still will be seen be as black..my children are mixed with white and no body can understand my anger when i come to jamaica and people start with calling them white and how pretty while here they get discriminated because they have more pigmentation and curly hair with brown eyes..i have learnt to love my self more because my beauty is unique and so is my hair which i wear natural i think we were programmed into believing this stuff which is superficial and rediculous..one race and that is the humanbeing strip the skin off and we all look the same from inside its your soul from within that counts not your hair texture or your skin!
apart fashion says:

October 29, 2011 at 4:21 pm

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