Mexico’s Color Line and the Cultural Imperialism of Light-Skin Preference |
Mexico’s Color Line and the Cultural Imperialism of Light-Skin Preference
Truthout
2018-05-26
Roberto Rodriguez, Associate Professor in Mexican American Studies
University of Arizona
 A busy street in Mexico City. (Photo: Getty Images) |
The color of the people of Mexico is one of the things that had a most profound effect on my psyche when I first visited the place of my birth in 1976 at the age of 22. The people came in all colors, though primarily different shades of red-brown, owing to the nation’s Indigenous roots.
Having grown up in a white-dominant society, it was an affirmation of my own brown skin color, in sharp contrast with the artificial color of official Mexico. I was used to seeing government bureaucrats and those that graced the nation’s television screens with light skin, bleached blond hair and artificial blue or green eyes.
The truth is, more than 40 years later, the nation’s color line has seemingly not changed much at all. When I first noticed this preference for light skin in Mexico, it was present at every turn and every corner. It wasn’t just a case of difference, but also disdain. Apparently, all things that were light were “good” and all things dark were “bad.” This was especially true of television. White or light skin was preferred for virtually every role, except the ones for the subservient, demeaning and outlaw roles…
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Tags: colorism, Roberto Rodriguez, Truthout