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Meghan Markle: A Case Study In Colorism and Anti-Black Racism
Colorism allowed Meghan Markle to join the Royal Family and anti-Black racism is what ensured her demise.
Yesterday, I watched the interview with Oprah Winfrey and Meghan Markle. I was immediately taken aback by two things, the beauty of Meghan and the color of her skin. To me, it wasn’t readily apparent that she was mixed. She looked like any other White American that had a tan. Her olive-toned skin never once made me question her racial makeup until she brought up the concerns she overheard about her son Archie being too dark.
At first glance, nothing about Meghan is Afrocentric. She does not have a broader nose, fuller lips, or darker skin. Her hair looks like any other white person’s hair. This is not to say that Black people cannot come in any shapes or sizes, but by coming off as ambiguous and tapping into Eurocentric features, Meghan was able to benefit from colorism.
The privileging of light skin over dark skin is the root of colorism. It exists because of racism but is more insidious. Colorism is what encourages society to give Black people opportunities but only to those who are light. It is the reason why light-skinned actresses like Zendaya get more opportunities than their dark-skinned counterparts.
