Light Skinned Ebony Girlfriend

Despite movements such as Black is Beautiful, many people still feel that lighter skin is more attractive. Ngunan Adamu speaks to three women in the UK who explain why they prefer to bleach their skin. The World Health Organisation has reported that Nigeria has the highest number of women using skin-bleaching products in Africa, with 77 per cent of Nigerian women using them. Togo came in second with 59 per cent and South Africa third with 35 per cent. To fully understand the psychology behind the practice, I spoke to three women who use skin-lightening products. Although I told them that my article was not about demonising skin bleaching as a whole, they chose to remain anonymous, suggesting that the stigma around skin bleaching in the wider Black community remains strong.

One of my parents is Black and the other is white. I identify as both mixed race and as Black. My afro, my golden skin, my thick figure and my full lips combine to give me an appearance that is notably not white. I feel connected to Blackness in a way I cannot feel towards whiteness.

Star of The Greatest Showman and notable cultural spokesperson, Zendaya, has put forth an incredible invective against colourism in the movie business. The actress, who is only 21 years-old, took the opportunity to discuss with Bozoma Saint John how Hollywood in particular often does not successfully represent black women with darker skin-tones. We're vastly too beautiful and too interesting for me to be the only representation of that. Sometimes you have to create those paths.

I've always wondered why I wasn't born with the dark skin I thought I deserved to have. My mother is a beautiful shade of brown. My father, who passed away when I was a young girl, was a dark shade of chocolate. It boggles my mind that these two black people could produce someone with a honeyed yellow skin tone like mine. Skin tone that looks a little like Rachel Dolezal's.