Page 40 - Urban Kapital Magazine Autumn 21

CONTINUED
THROW YOUR SHADE

ADE X OF NUBIAN SKIN

LEFT IMAGE (STOCK PHOTO) RIGHT: BEAUTIFUL BLACK WOMAN BY RICHARD YAW

Kamohelo Maphike: There isn’t much In some cases, people end up South Africa and how has it
colourism in my family as everyone bleaching their skin to be able to fit affected the employment process?
is pretty much the same shade/tone. a certain look.
My sister however, is mixed race Wakhile Zimu: I currently work for
(coloured in South Africa) therefore Ayanda Gumede: I think that above an organization that is diverse in
the treatment towards her is a bit dif- everything else, appearance is what culture and its people. I have not at
ferent. This is attributed to by the fact it is about. From a young age, girls this point been in a position where
that she possesses a lighter tone and are taught that lighter skinned colourism has come into play. The
“good hair” – the coily curly hair, of- women are prettier than their dark- biggest issue in corporate South
ten referred to as 3C hair. She is often er peers. So, with that mentality in- Africa is gender inequality, where
treated like a princess in the sense stilled in their minds at a young age there is still a great gap in terms of
that she does not do chores and won’t the need to change their appear- women occupying senior positions
even visit the township. ance is somewhat validated. I also and those in the same positions as
feel that social media plays a huge their male counterparts still get
3. What would you say is the role in further perpetuating the in- paid less for the. However, there
main reason behind colourism and the accurate standards of beauty set by is a lot of colourism in the enter-
great lengths many POC go through society. tainment industry, the average
to change the colour of their skin and ‘employable’ woman is the light
overall appearance? Kamohelo Maphike: I am somewhat skinned, petite with long hair wom-
between the dark and light shades an and they are often described to
Wakhile Zimu: Popular culture has in- so I wouldn’t say I have experienced be more appealing to the eye.
fluenced colourism as well as the lan- colourism in its worst form. But I
guages we use. The narrative that has can say that a lot of people are influ- Ayanda Gumede: In big companies,
been perpetuated is that a woman has enced by social media and the com- the majority of panellists during
to have a certain look. We see this in parisons between shades in their job interviews is white people.
advertisements and on social media families and lives. This somewhat impacts on how
MAGAZINE // 40 certain shade and shape, you cannot 4. How has colourism shaped the candidate is viewed in terms of
platforms; the idea that if you are a

their skin tone as opposed to what
your outlook on corporate
exist in certain spaces or fit in.
they bring to the table,
Continued...Kia Fullerton