Please Apply Sun-block So He Doesn't Get Dark, Huh?

[Unregistered]

I have an African American dcb whose dad doesn't want him to get darker
I always sunblock every kid regardless of skin color but seriously?
Does anyone know why someone would want this?
Maybe I don't understand their culture.
Just confused

[ihop]

I know that some African American people believe that the lighter you are, the more attractive you are. Melanoma risks are low for that ethnicity so I am not sure what other reason they have.

[Little Buttons]

I honestly cannot speak from personal experience but my husband is african american. He said in his family at least the lighter you were the more beautiful you were said to be. He has 5 siblings of varying skin tones and i know they each have shared how much emphasis waa placed on that growing up and how much pain that caused. I am pleased that they have broken that cycle with their children. I am irish and very pale and our son is very pale. I know we have received some very off comments about how hopefully all our children are that lucky??? My husband nips it in the bud...but yeah i think it is very much a cultural thing. My step mother is Thai and she has shared in her culture lighter is coveted as well.

[coolconfidentme]

I know that some African American people believe that the lighter you are, the more attractive you are.

This is what I know to be true from my mixed friends.

[jenboo]

My husband is African american and has never mentioned anything about light skin...:confused:

I am soooo white I glow in the dark :: We don't have any kids yet but are always joking about how we hope they come out dark and not too light.

[Sugar Magnolia]

My African American girl does get sun burned, especially on her scalp. I also have an Asian boy whose mom is also a heavy sunblock user. Heck, this is Florida, we are all heavy sunblock users. ::

[daycarediva]

Yes, it is a cultural thing.

Same in my family, I am half Cuban, and my fair skinned cousins and I received a LOT of comments about it growing up. Funny because from my 'white' family, they raved about my 'dark' skin.

I personally like my skin tone. I'm medium complected, no need to 'go tanning' and I do NOT burn, the worst I have ever gotten is a little red on my cheeks, n August, in Mexico.

[Unregistered]

o.k.
now I understand
I just thought that people should embrace who they are but I guess I am sorta guilty of it too since I love to get a nice tan and curl my hair etc.

[KidGrind]

The color divide is not an African-American thing.

Many ethnities, culture, continents, religions suffer from the lighter the better or the fairer more beautiful (Latin, European, Asian included).

And not wanting to get darker doesn’t mean someone isn’t embracing who they are.

African Americans can sunburn and develop skin cancer.

[daycare]

I am from egypt...

I know that many cultures have this same belife about dark skin

It is a statement about how you rank in society. The darker your skin, this means that you are of lower class.

lower class are usually farmers, field workers, day laborers, and so on. Those with lighter skin are usually working professionals that sit behind a desk, not in the sun and are said to be of higher class.

I see many asian people drive with gloves and sun hats on in their cars so that they can keep that china doll white apperance, it is the most respected class.

I can also say that when you don't wear sun block, you get sun spots if the lootion is not applied evenly. All of my kids are of darker skin, my daughter is the most fair, but I apply sunblock to all of them. for this reason.

[spud912]

I'm so white I'm see through ! You know the type....you see us with shorts and you have to look away because the white skin is so white it has a purplish hue from the blood vessels underneath ::.

My dh and family are Asian and the in-laws always loved the fact that our girls are more pale. I'm glad they got a slightly more olive complexion than me though!

[daycare]

I'm so white I'm see through ! You know the type....you see us with shorts and you have to look away because the white skin is so white it has a purplish hue from the blood vessels underneath ::.

My dh and family are Asian and the in-laws always loved the fact that our girls are more pale. I'm glad they got a slightly more olive complexion than me though!

....one of my DCP used to call her son casper, I did not know what does that mean. When I found out I was cry laughing so hard.

I can't see how do you live in the AZ desert and not burn your skins

[spud912]

....one of my DCP used to call her son casper, I did not know what does that mean. When I found out I was cry laughing so hard.

I can't see how do you live in the AZ desert and not burn your skins

I don't know either! I am AWFUL about putting sunscreen on and we go out everyday (even in the summer) for about an hour. When I was young and careless, I would lay out in the sun lathered in baby oil for months attempting to get a "tan" and I wouldn't hardly get anything...still! The one time I was convinced I had a tan my dh insisted on calling me a "lobster" ::::. Apparently I was more red than brown .

[craftymissbeth]

I agree that it's a cultural thing. My family and I are Caucasian and LOVE it when we're tan. My dh and his family are Hispanic and they tease those in the family who have darker skin.

[LadyK8]

It's not cultural, it's conditioning by our society. IF the color being unattractive to him is the reasoning, tt's simply self-hatred being thrown onto his child, which I, as an African-American woman, find to be very sad.

However, he could just be trying to protect his child from sunburn and what-not.