From Skin Lightening to Skin Bleaching–A growing fad amongst Jamaican Youth?

I know that skin lightening is not a new phenomenon in a world such as ours, which is driven by beauty. As a Jamaican female I was always exposed to skin lightening products–as a matter of fact a large number of Jamaicans can recall the Nadinola jars on our moms’ dresser tops or in the bathrooms.

It was not too long ago when I was a child–the 1980s has really flown by–when the Nadinola jar reigned supreme. Now is 2008–my daughter Taitu is 5 years–and it is evident that its gotta be more than Nadinola and Ponds. The ‘lighteners’ have turned ‘bleachers,’ this phenomenon, which was private and unnamed during my childhood is now very popular and public.

The bleachers are ‘white’ in color, they are no longer purely female–They are male and female: young people and full grown adults/ parents. The teacher was once a role model, now she too engages in skin lightening. None is exempt from the Skin Lightening Addiction, which is not recognized by any of the addiction response agencies.

The Chiney (Chinese) shops, located in every nook and cranny of the communities used by the poor, are said to be the main distributors of the forbidden products that are craved after by males and females in the Jamaican society. The products are so widely available, despite Government sanctions, that our in-school and out-of-school youth, especially of the inner-city, are characterized by pale faces, dark necks, and torsos.

I remember, in 2004, approaching a student of mine about the issue–stimulated by the strong urging of her class peers. She told me that her mother and aunt who lived with her lightened their skin, the products were readily available at home (just like the Nadinola was in the 1980s), and that her mother approved of her doing it. The young lady could not see any ills in skin lightening, only benefits, such as being more popular, and being seen as more attractive. This experience was eye opener for me, which propelled me to address the issue through video advocacy. Though my film is far from completion, I believe this one is a good precursor.

I believe, and it is my experience that skin lightening products are sought after for the following reasons:

1. Beauty- Jamaicans perceive a beautiful person to be a light skinned person. If you should listen to songs emanating out of our Dancehall, you will find the praise of the ‘browning’ (the woman of lighter hue)
2. Success- there is also a strong belief in Jamaican society that success, progress, and growth is associated with light color, and hence an infamous Jamaican saying, “nutten black nuh good,”
   
3. Fad- the American market is very influential in Jamaica. We watch their TV stations and suck in all sorts of things from their culture, which in turn influences our taste. If African Americans can lighten theirs, why can’t we? Hence the super strong skin lightening cream called the Michael Jackson is also available
4. Cool- some people think it kinda looks cool, especially if it is not overdone, thus enhancing their beauty or color in much the same way as make-up does
5. Skin Conditions- others argue that it cleans off spots, blotches, and bumps
6. Inferiority Complex- historians and social scientists identify it as remnant of our colonial past, where blacks were made to feel inferior and their features, including color were ridiculed
7. Denial of Opportunities- More than 90 percent of Jamaicans are of African decent, and they are the ones who are disproportionately affected by the denial of economic and social rights and justice
8. Confidence- there is a certain confidence that a light skinned Jamaican comes with–owing to experiences of privileging at different levels in the private and public spheres of society
9. Societal Acceptance- marginalized groups like the Jamaican poor and youth crave attention and acceptance from their peers, which they get when they lighten their skin.

This is the first Jamaican video that I got my hands on since expressing an interest in the issue in Summer 2007, when I was trained at the Video Advocacy Institute, Concordia University. I have since that time made attempts to commence my research in order to produce a 15 minutes video for public education amongst in-school students. I commenced the proposal but have not completed it. I completed the secondary research, but did not follow-up with a report. I found significant useful resources, I created useful resources, such as: a Questionnaire and Informed Consent Policy, which I am sure by now, you will realise need to be updated and made consistent to reflect changes in the situation and new information gained.

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