In 1967, Dutch sociologist Harry Hoetink coined the term “somatic norm image” to describe why some shades of skin are favored over others. Douglas Wilder, to former President Barack Obama – have lighter skin. Some of the most prominent black politicians – from former New Orleans Mayor Ernest Morial, to former Virginia Gov. Harvard’s first black graduate was the fair-skinned W.E.B. It’s probably no coincidence that light-skinned blacks emerged as leaders in the black community: To white power brokers, they were less threatening. By early 19th century, the “ mulatto hypothesis” emerged, arguing that the “white blood” of light-skinned slaves made them smarter, more civilized and better looking. In America, these variations in complexions produced an unspoken hierarchy: Black people with lighter complexions ended up being granted some of the rights of the master class. The United States has its own complicated history with skin color, primarily because “mulatto” skin – not quite black, but not quite white – often arose out of mixed-race children conceived between slaves and slave masters. READ MORE: ‘Dark Girls’ Documentary Explores Skin Color Bias According to Japanese tradition, a woman with fair skin compensates for “seven blemishes.” In Japan, long before the first Europeans arrived, dark skin was stigmatized. In India, dark-skinned Dalits, for thousands of years, were viewed as “untouchables.” Today, they’re still stigmatized. In many Native American communities, “Red-Black Cherokees” were denied acceptance into the tribe, while those with lighter skin were welcomed.īut it is in Asia where dark skin has seen the longest and most intense level of stigma. Many Latin American countries have laws and policies in place to prevent discrimination relative to skin color. ![]() There are few places in the world where dark skin isn’t stigmatized. Though they might criticize lighter-skinned black people, many people of color – deep down – abhor dark skin. The non-reflective paint also opened up new perspectives for the designers, who were able to concentrate on silhouettes and proportions without having to consider reflections, shading and light.The article noted that while these treatments have become hugely popular in Asia, “it is also cropping up among certain communities in Britain and the United States,” with demand “slowly growing.”Īs someone who has studied and written about the issue of skin color and black identity for over 20 years, I believe the rise of glutathione treatments – in addition to the growing use of various bleaching creams – reveal a taboo that African-Americans are certainly aware of, but loathe to admit. The design elements of the BMW X6, such as the illuminated kidney grille, the dual headlights and the strikingly designed tail lights, contrast with the smooth surface of the light-absorbing paint.Īccording to designer Hussein Al Attar, this was the special lure of the Vantablack car project. ![]() Vantablack-coated lenses make faint stars and distant galaxies visible, as solar flares stand little chance against the high-tech light-absorbing material. Vantablack is processed at temperatures above 800 degrees Fahrenheit and can be applied to sensitive materials such as aluminum. The technology was originally developed for space travel (➜ Read also: A real meteorite in a car). ![]() Only with the BMW X6 did the company feel it had the right vehicle for the job, he explains. “We have previously rejected a number of approaches from various carmakers,” says Ben Jensen, inventor of the Vantablack pigment and founder of Surrey NanoSystems. Designed in collaboration with Surrey NanoSystems, the developer of Vantablack, this car is eye-catching in the truest sense of the word, thanks to its light-absorbing paint. The BMW X6’s superblack, non-reflective paint makes it unique: never before has a car been painted in Vantablack.
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