Just like everything else, perceptions of sexiness have globalized. Hollywood movies, the fashion industry, MTV and Miss World beauty contests have set universal standards for female sexual appeal. It is in this context that Arab and African men have come to measure the beauty of their women. But the pressure on women to meet men’s expectations of beauty isn’t a recent invention, and standards have changed over the years.
Over sexualizing girls is as dangerous as global warming. In the Arab world, the features of an ideal woman changed between being opulent, plump, slim or obese, according to Abdelwahab Bouhdiba in the book Sexuality in Islam. Sometimes large breasts were preferable, sometimes firm round ones. At other times, pink flesh, chubby and curved (samina, maluma), a wasp-like waist, or a bamboo-like figure (ghusn al ban, gudib khizuran) were fashionable.
Bouhdiba even cites that women in the Abbasid era had to compete with the marked homosexual features that were in vogue; something similar to what happens in fashion today. “ The Abbasids,” he says, “ even preferred a tomboy type of women, with hair cut very short and a manly stride.”
Arab men’s views for female beauty, however, for many years sought a firm well rounded behind, large breasts and translucent skin. Arab belly dancers with their plump bodies remain the fantasy of the ordinary Arab man. Fair or translucent skin was always a highly demanded feature of beauty. Even in the old days, Arab women used a bleaching agent known as Batika.
In Mauritania, an Arab-African country, women are still force-fed to become fat and meet their men’s standards of beauty.
Men of the Somali race always have long valued slender waists. It was not that long ago when Somali nomad girls used to tie a rope around their waist to prevent them from filling their stomachs when eating. But extremely skinny women were never in vogue. While fair skin was considered not bereft of beauty (Casaan qurux kama qatana), it was the marriin dhalaal, shinning brown skin that caught the imagination of poets. Fair skinned women were often used as the butt of jokes, accused of being airheads, just as are blondes in the West. Somali women have never come under great pressure to lighten their skin. Those who used whiteners were often looked down upon.
It is Islam, however, that instituted a new set of unnatural beauty standards on women through the description of Hur-al-ain (black-eyed houri). The description of Al Suyuti, one of Islam’s eminent Quranic interpreters of the houris, is telltale. “Their bodies,” he says “are so diaphanous, so transparent that one can see the bones through the flesh and the marrow through the bones, just as a drinker can see the ruby red of the wine through the clearness of crystal.”
No wonder that most Arabs today see no offense in watching ad nauseam a commercial showing a female applicant for a TV presenter job who is rejected due to her brown skin but gets the job after she lightens the tone of her skin with a brand name cream.
World folklore is rife with princesses but I bet there is not a child of any race that has imagined a princess with black skin color, or even a black prophet of any religion for that matter.
One therefore can say that although pressure on women to measure up to the existing norms of beauty is as old as history, it is the conversion of women’s sexuality into a commercial industry using global media as its vehicle that portrays women only as sex objects.
It is soap opera’s such as Sex in the City and Desperate Housewives where the unnatural looks of the models and MTV singers that make today’s standards of beauty for teenage girls around the world.
Also the pharmaceutical industry thrives on peoples’ fear of fat. They portray thinness as the epitome of sexual appeal, thus prompting young generations around the world to suffer from psychological disorders in their quest to boost their sexual appeal and remain in vogue.
Over sexualization is not limited to girls only as boys also undergo similar torture. They have to adhere to certain sexual charisma standards imposed by the fashion and music industry. The industry needs them to be thin, hairless, have a six pack, pecs and dress well.
The banning of skinny models from catwalks by Spanish fashion organizers may be a good place to start a concerted international campaign to help the young generation regain their health, their self-esteem and their natural bodies.
Maybe it is time for the United Nations to assign a panel of experts to study the health and psychological impacts of sexualizing women in cinema, fashion and the pharmaceutical industries. This is indeed an issue that is as threatening as global warming and needs to be addressed at the highest levels of power. If global warming endangers our physical existence on earth, our sexualizing of girls is to use Susan Brownmiller’s words “…the ultimate restriction on freedom of the mind.”
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Posted by Bashir Goth on March 3, 2007 1:10 PM
Posts: 2007 | From: Washington State | Registered: Oct 2006
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The author fails to mention that an Iraqi historian likened white skin to lepers. The author also only references one or two authors but leaves out the one reference that probably existed around the Abbasid time.
As far as the Quranic quote he does not quote the Ayat in the Qu'ran that mentions the following.
Posts: 8675 | From: Tukuler al~Takruri as Ardo since OCT2014 | Registered: Feb 2003
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African men need to be ashamed of themselves. How dare they put white skin over the natural dark skin of their women and themselves.
Posts: 2088 | Registered: Feb 2007
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The pool of Africa is too vast and heterogenous to be monotholic! The problem seems to be when they reach the shores of Europe or USA!
Posts: 1290 | From: usa | Registered: May 2005
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Yeah tell that to all the 2nd 3rd and 4th generation mulattos in Seirra Leone lmao!!!! Black self hatred is not only in the Americas sad to say Posts: 271 | Registered: Feb 2007
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The pool of Africa is too vast and heterogenous to be monotholic! The problem seems to be when they reach the shores of Europe or USA!
Exactly, and as the article says not all women were under pressure to lighten their skin.
quote: Fair skinned women were often used as the butt of jokes, accused of being airheads, just as are blondes in the West. Somali women have never come under great pressure to lighten their skin. Those who used whiteners were often looked down upon.
But i must say alot of somali women in the west are starting to put alot of crap on their face so to look more fair, but they just end up looking wierd.
Posts: 1420 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by vidadavida: Yeah tell that to all the 2nd 3rd and 4th generation mulattos in Seirra Leone lmao!!!! Black self hatred is not only in the Americas sad to say
What is a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th generation mulatto?
Posts: 2088 | Registered: Feb 2007
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The pool of Africa is too vast and heterogenous to be monotholic! The problem seems to be when they reach the shores of Europe or USA!
Exactly, and as the article says not all women were under pressure to lighten their skin.
quote: Fair skinned women were often used as the butt of jokes, accused of being airheads, just as are blondes in the West. Somali women have never come under great pressure to lighten their skin. Those who used whiteners were often looked down upon.
But i must say alot of somali women in the west are starting to put alot of crap on their face so to look more fair, but they just end up looking wierd.
I know for a fact that the Somali women in the U.S. bleach their skin. I see this Somali woman often and me and her say hi and bye to each other. I feel so sorry for her because the first layer of her skin looks like it has been burnt off. Her face is reddish and it looks nasty. The rest of her body is nice, dark, and smooth but her face is not. My friend made it a joke and said "she wants to look good too". I went to the beauty supply store and notice the bleaching creams so I asked do anyone buys that stuff and the clerk said "yes, the African women do". I also go to a Togolese restaurant regularly and it is filled with so much bleaching creams and soap. I had a Nigerian friend who put bleaching cream on her body. Black people don't like the way they look and black men put lighter skin women above their darker counterparts. Black men act out their hatred by pairing with non black women and Black women act out their hatred by bleaching their skin.
Posts: 2088 | Registered: Feb 2007
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The pool of Africa is too vast and heterogenous to be monotholic! The problem seems to be when they reach the shores of Europe or USA!
Africa is vast and not monotholic. However, majority of black Africans are dark and they are ashamed of it. I'm sorry an African will marry a white in their own country before they will marry their own if given the opportunity or chance. Look at all the African Soccer player wives.
Posts: 2088 | Registered: Feb 2007
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quote:But i must say alot of somali women in the west are starting to put alot of crap on their face so to look more fair, but they just end up looking wierd.
I have heard scary reports on women who bleach their skin---forget Freddy Krueger! The latest trend is to take bath on a bath tub field with bleaching agent.
Posts: 2198 | Registered: Jun 2006
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The pool of Africa is too vast and heterogenous to be monotholic! The problem seems to be when they reach the shores of Europe or USA!
Exactly, and as the article says not all women were under pressure to lighten their skin.
quote: Fair skinned women were often used as the butt of jokes, accused of being airheads, just as are blondes in the West. Somali women have never come under great pressure to lighten their skin. Those who used whiteners were often looked down upon.
But i must say alot of somali women in the west are starting to put alot of crap on their face so to look more fair, but they just end up looking wierd.
I know for a fact that the Somali women in the U.S. bleach their skin. I see this Somali woman often and me and her say hi and bye to each other. I feel so sorry for her because the first layer of her skin looks like it has been burnt off. Her face is reddish and it looks nasty. The rest of her body is nice, dark, and smooth but her face is not. My friend made it a joke and said "she wants to look good too". I went to the beauty supply store and notice the bleaching creams so I asked do anyone buys that stuff and the clerk said "yes, the African women do". I also go to a Togolese restaurant regularly and it is filled with so much bleaching creams and soap. I had a Nigerian friend who put bleaching cream on her body. Black people don't like the way they look and black men put lighter skin women above their darker counterparts. Black men act out their hatred by pairing with non black women and Black women act out their hatred by bleaching their skin.
Somali women bleaching their skin are an extreme minority and they end up looking weird. The vast majority don't bleache their skin.
here you can see a somali woman who has obviously bleached her skin, it*s easy detectable, very unnatural. Image
While here we have a somali women on the right with somehow the same shade as the one above but obviously not bleached since it looks very natural.
But anyway even thought you will find somali women bleaching their skin as your neighbour but they're an extreme minority and always end up looking like freaks, i personally would never touch a girl who have bleached her skin.
quote:Originally posted by Bettyboo: However, majority of black Africans are dark and they are ashamed of it
This is called projecting. You don't speak for the majority of Black Africans...you can only speak for yourself.
Anger and vitriol are standard means of projecting ones own self loathing.
Lol! Amen to that.
But there is truth to the desire among some in the world to fit a white Northern European standard of beauty. A lot of it has to do with the predominance of western media all over the world, which projects white beauty into the minds of the beholders. This is one reason why we need to see more images of beautiful people of color men and women, kings and queens as well as normal people more often portrayed in popular media around the world.
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Yonis, now I know for a fact you are a Somali. Did you listen to what I said. I said I know for a fact that the Somali women in the U.S. bleach their skin. I never said that it is a majority. Skin bleaching is a rare minority in every group. Majority of dark people don't bleach their skin. You didn't have to get in defense mode and prove anything to me with pictures. Stop having so much pride because it will hurt you in the end.
Posts: 2088 | Registered: Feb 2007
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You negros are a little too sensitive. First, I would have to agree that most black people don't bleach their skin. I don't care what other races are doing they are not my concern so I will not comment on that. African-American women didn't introduce hair straighteners and whitening cream to Africa. Permanent hair straightens and whitening creams were all made and marketed by whites. As far as African women bleaching their skin to get a man, has it ever crossed your mind why they feel they need to bleach their skin to get a man that is the same color as they? Maybe their men don't give them attention and their men seduce and pursue women who don't look like their women. There shouldn't be an excuse why a Nigerian woman have to lighten her skin to get a Nigerian man. It shows that African men or black men in general will put the lighter skin or the non black over their own women. As far as NYC not having the video type girls. You need glasses. They are all over. The girls in the video are nothing but average looking women made up. It is time for you to stop watching television. At least I know Africans in general are not blessed with good looks so when I go there I wouldn't be fooled. There is a reason black women wear fake hair and want to be lighter. Maybe it could be the way black men think and their choices in women. It is a shame their own women have to look like something else just to pull a man that shares the same race as her. When black men appreciate and love the black women beauty the way other races of men love their women beauty you will see the change of attitude in black women concerning hair and skin color. It is a shame that black men prefer women with long flowing hair and light skin when black women do not genetically have those attributes. If a mass of black women prefer their men with straight or wavy hair, and light grey, blue, or green eyes, and prefer them to be light skin don't act like that wouldn't bother black men because it would. It would bother them because black men genetically don't have these attributes. I can understand why black women straighten their hair. It is because their black men who has the same hair as they don't want to be seen with a nappy headed woman on their arms. What kind of woman do you prefer. A black women with short nappy hair or a woman with straight long flowing hair? Be honest. Your answer is no surprise and it is the reason black women do what they do.
Posts: 2088 | Registered: Feb 2007
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quote:Originally posted by Bettyboo: However, majority of black Africans are dark and they are ashamed of it
This is called projecting. You don't speak for the majority of Black Africans...you can only speak for yourself.
Anger and vitriol are standard means of projecting ones own self loathing.
Shut the hell up. I'm speaking for the majority of Africans. They don't like their dark skin that is why they breed their genes out with whites and non blacks. They don't want to procreate a child that will be black as them. I am not speaking for myself because I'm not dark skin. My color is "acceptable" and not deem as "ugly".
Posts: 2088 | Registered: Feb 2007
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You negros are a little too sensitive. First, I would have to agree that most black people don't bleach their skin. I don't care what other races are doing they are not my concern so I will not comment on that. African-American women didn't introduce hair straighteners and whitening cream to Africa. Permanent hair straightens and whitening creams were all made and marketed by whites. As far as African women bleaching their skin to get a man, has it ever crossed your mind why they feel they need to bleach their skin to get a man that is the same color as they? Maybe their men don't give them attention and their men seduce and pursue women who don't look like their women. There shouldn't be an excuse why a Nigerian woman have to lighten her skin to get a Nigerian man. It shows that African men or black men in general will put the lighter skin or the non black over their own women. As far as NYC not having the video type girls. You need glasses. They are all over. The girls in the video are nothing but average looking women made up. It is time for you to stop watching television. At least I know Africans in general are not blessed with good looks so when I go there I wouldn't be fooled. There is a reason black women wear fake hair and want to be lighter. Maybe it could be the way black men think and their choices in women. It is a shame their own women have to look like something else just to pull a man that shares the same race as her. When black men appreciate and love the black women beauty the way other races of men love their women beauty you will see the change of attitude in black women concerning hair and skin color. It is a shame that black men prefer women with long flowing hair and light skin when black women do not genetically have those attributes. If a mass of black women prefer their men with straight or wavy hair, and light grey, blue, or green eyes, and prefer them to be light skin don't act like that wouldn't bother black men because it would. It would bother them because black men genetically don't have these attributes. I can understand why black women straighten their hair. It is because their black men who has the same hair as they don't want to be seen with a nappy headed woman on their arms. What kind of woman do you prefer. A black women with short nappy hair or a woman with straight long flowing hair? Be honest. Your answer is no surprise and it is the reason black women do what they do.
What a load of BS, lol.
Posts: 2595 | From: Vicksburg | Registered: Feb 2006
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You negros are a little too sensitive. First, I would have to agree that most black people don't bleach their skin. I don't care what other races are doing they are not my concern so I will not comment on that. African-American women didn't introduce hair straighteners and whitening cream to Africa. Permanent hair straightens and whitening creams were all made and marketed by whites. As far as African women bleaching their skin to get a man, has it ever crossed your mind why they feel they need to bleach their skin to get a man that is the same color as they? Maybe their men don't give them attention and their men seduce and pursue women who don't look like their women. There shouldn't be an excuse why a Nigerian woman have to lighten her skin to get a Nigerian man. It shows that African men or black men in general will put the lighter skin or the non black over their own women. As far as NYC not having the video type girls. You need glasses. They are all over. The girls in the video are nothing but average looking women made up. It is time for you to stop watching television. At least I know Africans in general are not blessed with good looks so when I go there I wouldn't be fooled. There is a reason black women wear fake hair and want to be lighter. Maybe it could be the way black men think and their choices in women. It is a shame their own women have to look like something else just to pull a man that shares the same race as her. When black men appreciate and love the black women beauty the way other races of men love their women beauty you will see the change of attitude in black women concerning hair and skin color. It is a shame that black men prefer women with long flowing hair and light skin when black women do not genetically have those attributes. If a mass of black women prefer their men with straight or wavy hair, and light grey, blue, or green eyes, and prefer them to be light skin don't act like that wouldn't bother black men because it would. It would bother them because black men genetically don't have these attributes. I can understand why black women straighten their hair. It is because their black men who has the same hair as they don't want to be seen with a nappy headed woman on their arms. What kind of woman do you prefer. A black women with short nappy hair or a woman with straight long flowing hair? Be honest. Your answer is no surprise and it is the reason black women do what they do.
What a load of BS, lol.
It is not BS. It is 100% true. Laugh if you want-you know it's true and it perfectly describes the black man and black women. Now continue laughing your guilt off.
Posts: 2088 | Registered: Feb 2007
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Laughing off what? , you don't even know me. FYI, I am a light skinned black from Mississippi, my mother is a Redbone, and the sistas here prefer dark skinned men, not the other way around, apparently you don't keep up with whats going on with the sistas.
Although skin bleaching is going on its not at the level you're projecting it to be and why do you say "Africans in general are not blessed with good looks"? Seems like someone is contradicting themselves.
Posts: 2595 | From: Vicksburg | Registered: Feb 2006
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quote:Originally posted by X-Ras: Laughing off what? , you don't even know me. FYI, I am a light skinned black from Mississippi, my mother is a Redbone, and the sistas here prefer dark skinned men, not the other way around, apparently you don't keep up with whats going on with the sistas.
Although skin bleaching is going on its not at the level you're projecting it to be and why do you say "Africans in general are not blessed with good looks"? Seems like someone is contradicting themselves.
You are so full of it. You don't need to lie about your brown behind being lightskin. What they heck is a redbone anyway? Do the word "redbone" makes you feel good? Those black people in Mississippi are extremely dark and they resemble their African slaves ancestors. I never spoke of skin bleaching on some "high level". Skin bleaching is foreign to America blacks so I know that you are full of it. I never said that black women prefer light skin men. Majority of all black women prefer dark skin men and that is why they bleach their skin because dark skin men don't prefer dark women. They prefer their women light skin or non black (if they can have it their way). You didn't pay any attention to what I wrote because you are guilty of what I describe about you black men. I didn't contradict myself. Some person says something smart about the blacks in NYC (America) and I strike back that Africans are not blessed with good looks and you don't like it. You are so full of it. Swallow your pride and just omit what I said is true. By the way, you refuse to answer my question. Who do you prefer-- a woman with short nappy hair or a woman with straight long flowing hair?
Posts: 2088 | Registered: Feb 2007
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quote:Originally posted by X-Ras: Laughing off what? , you don't even know me. FYI, I am a light skinned black from Mississippi, my mother is a Redbone, and the sistas here prefer dark skinned men, not the other way around, apparently you don't keep up with whats going on with the sistas.
Although skin bleaching is going on its not at the level you're projecting it to be and why do you say "Africans in general are not blessed with good looks"? Seems like someone is contradicting themselves.
You are so full of it. You don't need to lie about your brown behind being lightskin. What they heck is a redbone anyway? Do the word "redbone" makes you feel good? Those black people in Mississippi are extremely dark and they resemble their African slaves ancestors. I never spoke of skin bleaching on some "high level". Skin bleaching is foreign to America blacks so I know that you are full of it. I never said that black women prefer light skin men. Majority of all black women prefer dark skin men and that is why they bleach their skin because dark skin men don't prefer dark women. They prefer their women light skin or non black (if they can have it their way). You didn't pay any attention to what I wrote because you are guilty of what I describe about you black men. I didn't contradict myself. Some person says something smart about the blacks in NYC (America) and I strike back that Africans are not blessed with good looks and you don't like it. You are so full of it. Swallow your pride and just omit what I said is true. By the way, you refuse to answer my question. Who do you prefer-- a woman with short nappy hair or a woman with straight long flowing hair?
What is a "Redbone"? A Redbone is simply someone of black and Native American ancestry and I am light, not high yellow, but light none the less. My preference is for caramel to brown skinned volutpuous sistas, like the one I date now and she has cornrows like I do, does that answer your question? A sista is a sista to me and thats what my preference is overall, black women, the color thing doesn't even cross my mind, maybe you have some kind of complex and not every black here is Mississippi looks African, most o us here are a medium brown with some deep brown people and some light and caramel, there's variation in skin color.
Posts: 2595 | From: Vicksburg | Registered: Feb 2006
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"Skin bleaching" has nothing to do with religion, but the product of psychological succumbing to the idea of 'dark skin' NOT being the 'ideal thing'. Yet if it were not for this adaptive trait, amongst others, the fate of humanity wouldn't be what as we know it. The fitness of these "dark skin/black Africans" to withstand the challenges put forth by their environment, is what is allowing us, in our diverse physical traits and cultures, to now speak on these issues. It was these "inferior" darkskin individuals who outlived the Neanderthals, who likely ["appealing", according to some mindsets] sported lighter skin.
BTW, is it possible to reduce the size of these 'oversized' photos that distort the screen size ideal for reading.
Posts: 5964 | Registered: Jan 2005
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But here are some questions about aesthetic values of humans worldwide.
1)Why did the Ancient Egyptian men and women shave off their natural hair to wear shoulder-length wigs? This practice was never adopted by Greeks and West Asians?
2)What are thoughts on the fact that the boldest and least embarrassed statement that "light skin" is preferable to "dark skin" comes from India. Parents have absolutely no compunction in advertising their daughters as being "fair in complexion"==when advertising for a "sucessful husband".
3) Some posters don't seem to realise that levels of pigmentation are not significant in determining distinctions between African Americans and Africans--given that the former carry approximately some 17% non-African genetic inputs.
4)If it is a fact that females are naturally lighter than males on average then obviously the average male will marry a female a bit lighter than he is. I make no value judgments here--just a neutral point.
5) The claim that African football players marry Europeans is unsubstantiated. Maybe those who grew up in Europe fall under the sway of European aesthetic values and therefore chose European mates. But the most famous African football players--from Africa all have haves of African origin.
George Weah's wife is of African origin, so too Didier Drogba, so too Nawanko Kanu, so too J.J. Okocha, etc.
I recently saw a photo of Oprah Winfrey with a group of new pupils for her school in South Africa. In the group the majority were African with at least one European and Indians. I have heard others state just how "pretty" the African girls--hair naturally worn--compared to the others.
But then maybe there is some natural dialectic at work when humans meet. On Euro websites Euro women of note who consort with men of African phenotype are cruelly slandered and dismissed as "coal burners". Case in point: model Heidi klum and even golf star, Tiger Woods' Scandinavian wife--herself a model.
And I have noted too how European men on vacation in Africa(Gambia and Senegal with inputs from Nigeria and Sierra Leone) and I am sure other parts too) just "go crazy" over African women--to the extent of showering them with gifts all sorts--cars, houses, money, land purchased for them, trips, etc. And many of these women just unscrupulously abuse the situation. I must admit though that these women--who range from dark brown to middle brown in pigmentation--are usually tallish and slim in body structure.
Posts: 5492 | Registered: Nov 2004
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quote:Originally posted by lamin: 3) Some posters don't seem to realise that levels of pigmentation are not significant in determining distinctions between African Americans and Africans--given that the former carry approximately some 17% non-African genetic inputs.
Evergreen Writes:
Not certain is the indice you posted above is a average or mean? Nor do I know what your peer-reviewed source is for this far reaching claim? Either way, Africans also have non-African genetic inputs. What is the point? Even without these non-African inputs Africans would be diverse in a phentic sense.
quote:Originally posted by lamin: 4)If it is a fact that females are naturally lighter than males on average then obviously the average male will marry a female a bit lighter than he is. I make no value judgments here--just a neutral point.
What is your evidence for this claim? Does this apply in Africa as well as around the globe?
Posts: 2007 | From: Washington State | Registered: Oct 2006
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Re "human skin color dimorphism"(females tending to be lighter than males) see the discussion of the Journal of Physical Anthropology paper "Human Skin Color Sexual Dimorphism: A Test of the Sexual Selection Hypothesis":
Re "human skin color dimorphism"(females tending to be lighter than males) see the discussion of the Journal of Physical Anthropology paper "Human Skin Color Sexual Dimorphism: A Test of the Sexual Selection Hypothesis":
The article stated that "regardless of latitude" the color dimorphism was evident. And from casual observation in Africa, females tend to be lighter than males even when very young.
To Africa,
What does it matter where the article was published? Are you afraid of Dienekes? Shouldn't you try to read everything from whatever sources? Even ones intellectual opponents sometimes make points that one should pay attention to.
And you didn't seem to note that the article was not Dienekes's views but it was merely referenced on his website.
What are you afraid of? I read the views on the most racist and anti-websites you can think of and I try to crash their party and post on them too.
Posts: 5492 | Registered: Nov 2004
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The article stated that "regardless of latitude" the color dimorphism was evident. And from casual observation in Africa, females tend to be lighter than males even when very young.
Evergreen Writes:
Do you honestly believe that there has been a statistically significant sampling of African people in this regard? Also, how does one discount Arab and European colonialism in these distinctions? Queen Ahmose-Nefertari was an abnormality in Africa?
Posts: 2007 | From: Washington State | Registered: Oct 2006
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But here are some questions about aesthetic values of humans worldwide.
1)Why did the Ancient Egyptian men and women shave off their natural hair to wear shoulder-length wigs? This practice was never adopted by Greeks and West Asians?
It certainly could not have anything to do with trying to be 'white', if they had been doing it before Europeans knew any concept of "white".
Posts: 5964 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Africa: Actually among some Somali, some Hawiye (they live in and around Mogadishu and have the biggest or second biggest tribe in Somalia) told me that they consider themselves as purer because they are darker and view people from the North (like the Darod and Issaq) as less pure...
There is no way a hawiye could consider either Darod or Issaq less pure, Somalis don't think in those circles, stop talking bull.
quote:But honestely I couldn't tell the difference between a Hawiye and a Somali from the North, because I met with many Issaq and Issa as dark as Southern Sudanese more than I met with Hawiye or Darod with the same skin tone, and they live in Djibouti and Somaliland
'Yes you are partially right, you can find somalis who are as dark as southern sudanese, but there is no way you could confuse one of us with a dinka or shiluk. Totally different people despite skin colour, you can't confuse a black Somali with a black Dinka, it's just redicoulas.
Posts: 1420 | Registered: May 2005
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^Nothing wrong with dark skin, it is an adaptive trait in black Africans and other tropically located groups. It is not a pejorative to be a black Somali, and equally, to be a Dinka. They are all equally African; neither one is superior to the other. The latter applies to all humankind.
quote:Originally posted by lamin:
To Evergreen,
The article stated that "regardless of latitude" the color dimorphism was evident. And from casual observation in Africa, females tend to be lighter than males even when very young.
Don't know about the age factor, but Frank Sweet who also characterizes it as a possible 'sexually dimorphic' trait, attributes it to 'neoteny'.
Third, paleness and lactose tolerance are both neotenous adaptations that merely delay an existing developmental change until later in the organism’s life (until past its life-span, in these cases). Skin, like hair, normally darkens at puberty (Relethford, Lees, and Bayard 1985).
And females, who have other neotenous features (associated with human sexual dimorphism) are slightly lighter-skinned on average than men (Rebato and others 1999). The point is that neotenous adaptations can be very fast indeed—as fast as one generation for some salamanders (Gould 1977, 319). [Otherwise important distinctions among neoteny, paedomorphosis, and post-displacement are irrelevant to the point being made.] - Frank Sweet.
quote:quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Africa: Actually among some Somali, some Hawiye (they live in and around Mogadishu and have the biggest or second biggest tribe in Somalia) told me that they consider themselves as purer because they are darker and view people from the North (like the Darod and Issaq) as less pure... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is no way a hawiye could consider either Darod or Issaq less pure, Somalis don't think in those circles, stop talking bull.
quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- But honestely I couldn't tell the difference between a Hawiye and a Somali from the North, because I met with many Issaq and Issa as dark as Southern Sudanese more than I met with Hawiye or Darod with the same skin tone, and they live in Djibouti and Somaliland --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Yes you are partially right, you can find somalis who are as dark as southern sudanese, but there is no way you could confuse one of us with a dinka or shiluk. Totally different people despite skin colour, you can't confuse a black Somali with a black Dinka, it's just redicoulas --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well they wouldn't tell you what they think about people from the North since you are Darod, but I met a lot of people who are Hawiye who thinks they are the purest Somali, and say that people from the North mixed with Arabs...it's not just one, two or three Hawiyes but many...when I asked them, how come you all have the same skin tone (medium brown) basically they say things changed when people from the North came, before we were darker...you can believe me or not but I don't usually lie, but why would they say that, assuming you believe me...or it's just an ethnic pride thing...I don't know, your society is very divided, maybe they just want to feel different........ By the way I know what a Somali look like even if he’s as dark as a Southern Sudanese, the facial features are different…but they still do have the same elongated body structure.
Posts: 711 | From: Africa | Registered: Oct 2006
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Yonis brother please listen to the black African Africa you know the person who's ''black'' and lived in ''Africa'' kinda like us but somehow different and purer also take note of his ''black African perspective'' you know the ''one'' where he's the ''sole'' spokes person for the black African people on Egyptsearch and therefore has the right to make blanket statements about diasporic Africans and natives, not to forget his many many imaginary friends that seem to pop up in his funny posts, he takes us on a journey acrossed the globe from France to NYC to black Africa wow
Africa your a African no your a Black African no your a African African please tell us where will you take us today also how are the Farmer/Pastoralists theories of yours holding up in the Pro Arena
quote:And from casual observation in Africa, females tend to be lighter than males even when very young.
Haven't bothered to read this thread until now, so 'xcuse the belated comment.
Melanin is a kind of protein. Protein is the base material for muscle. Synthesis of protein tends to be stimulated by testosterone.
It may be the case that male hormone stimulates melanin production.
Perhaps this is also a secondary sexual characteristic in which males tend to be darker than females for a given ethny.
Posts: 15202 | Registered: Jun 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Yonis: I read somwhere that Iran has more plastic surgeouns than california.
Damn! That can't be true ... I live in Los Angeles and I swear every where you look you see plastic surgery. You see it on the highways, stores, studios, beaches, etc ...
I hate it!!
Yet you don't here about to many African/AAmericans partaking in such ignorance. There are two female stars that I know who is AA's and that's lil Kim and Vivica Fox. Out side of that, I think they are the only A&AA's. ... lol.
Posts: 951 | From: where rules end and freedom begins | Registered: Jun 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Bettyboo: There shouldn't be an excuse why a Nigerian woman have to lighten her skin to get a Nigerian man. It shows that African men or black men in general will put the lighter skin or the non black over their own women. As far as NYC not having the video type girls. You need glasses. They are all over. The girls in the video are nothing but average looking women made up. It is time for you to stop watching television. At least I know Africans in general are not blessed with good looks so when I go there I wouldn't be fooled. There is a reason black women wear fake hair and want to be lighter. Maybe it could be the way black men think and their choices in women. It is a shame their own women have to look like something else just to pull a man that shares the same race as her. When black men appreciate and love the black women beauty the way other races of men love their women beauty you will see the change of attitude in black women concerning hair and skin color.
It shows from what you've said that you try to PROJECT your insecurities onto Africans/Black people. Clearly, it is probably YOU who is generally not blessed with good looks. You clearly have an issue about colour, perhaps, you have no colour and you loathe yourself?
FACTS:
African men may sometimes prefer lighter-skinned women (relative to the man's skin colour), but you will find that they still prefer coloured women to white women.
Africans in general are blessed with extremely good looks, that's why Black men run wild with women from all over the planet and the women love it.
Some Black women wear fake hair because they watch too much TV and are believing the hype. MOST Black men HATE fake hair, hence the reason many are going for African/Coloured women WHO DON'T have fake hair.
Sometimes the truth hurts but you just have to face to the truth, for the sake of your SANITY (and for the sake of PEACE on this planet). Remember, God LOVES you too.
Posts: 3423 | From: the jungle - when y'all stop playing games, call me. | Registered: Jul 2006
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, you don't even know me. FYI, I am a light skinned black from Mississippi, my mother is a Redbone, and the sistas here prefer dark skinned men, not the other way around, apparently you don't keep up with whats going on with the sistas.
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