One final example. Mexico's colonization illustrates how a deliberate system of discrimination on the basis of color helped to create a racialized hierarchy, which today, continues to affect the socioeconomic and political systems. Spanish colonizers imposed a stratified class status system where whites were the elites and Native Mexicans the slaves. These groups intermingled creating a large population of mixed-race Mestizos that resulted in the creation of a color hierarchy. Light-complexioned persons occupy the upper rungs of the social strata. The darkest persons were relegated to the lowest levels.
Now let me rest my case with a few uncomfortable facts.
Black American women spend $7.5 billion dollars a year purchasing hair care and cosmetic products, which is 80% more than what the general market spends on these same items. Sadly, over 60% of Black American purchasing power is dedicated to hair care and personal grooming. While the strongest growth in the skin whitening industry is in Asia and the Middle East, the West is the newest driving marketing in this almost $10 billion industry. No doubt, women of color are the main influence for the emerging sales growth in this region. Sadly these trends proliferate in spite of the fact that the largest segment of impoverished children in the United States is black. Though, over 38% of black children under the age of majority live below the poverty line, Black American women still invest over half of their income in the beauty market.
As of 2010 only 28.7% of black women in America were married while 45% had never been married yet 54% of black children are being raised by single mothers. This trend has become such an epidemic in Black American culture that absenteeism among fathers has been dubbed a 'black problem'. When involved in a relationship (married or otherwise) black women are 22-35% more likely to experience domestic violence than any other race. Domestic and intimate partner violence has become so prevalent among this demographic that it is now one of the leading causes of death for black women between the ages of 15 to 35. And in case you are wondering, as of 2014 HIV/AIDS is still more prevalent among Black American women than any other population in the world.
What does this say about the condition of the psychological well-being of the Black woman? Shamefully, these trends relentlessly bellow that the black woman's mind is in a state of degeneration and if not properly nurtured it will soon be in a state of disrepair. They also indicate that Black American women are not satisfied with themselves because they are placing their value in their physical beauty and sexual prowess. This is manifest in the reality to a great number of black women throughout the world are seeking to achieve whiteness by straightening their hair or bleaching their skin. They are also trying to find validation in men by getting involved in sexual and/or abusive relationships. All of these factors and many others are indicative of self-hate.*
[*Source: www.naturalhomeschooling.com/ "The History of Self-Hate Among African-American Females]
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
