Ethnically Speaking by Larry Meeks

Dear Readers: Letters continue to arrive in great quantity regarding why teenagers would classify the lightest skin color as the No. 1 position when asked to line up according to their skin color. I promise you that the following letters are the last thoughts and reactions to this topic.

Dear Larry: I love your column, but I think you missed the boat on why people always line up lightest to darkest.

When arranging items, whether they are sweaters or crayons, I always line things up lightest to darkest because that is the way color progresses.

I think it is a natural instinct. The day starts light and ends in darkness. When you are coloring something, you start out light and put on multiple layers to make it darker.

For me, it is simply lining things up by starting with the least and ending with the most — short to tall, young to old, light (less color) to dark (most color).

I consider it a logical progression and not necessarily an indication of prejudice or the idea that we always start with the things we value most. — Rhonda

Dear Rhonda: Thank you for your excellent response. However, the teens who aligned themselves did not share your logical analysis. They felt their unconscious decisions were based upon an underlying societal racism. I believe their perception becomes their reality.

Dear Larry: I believe the most desirable skin tone varies by race, at least among women. As an extremely pale Caucasian, I envy those whose skin appears bronzed and tan.

When I married my Arab husband, I was glad that my children likely would have skin much darker than mine and would be able to enjoy outdoor sports and swimming.

One of my husband's nieces is a competitive swimmer and has gorgeously bronzed skin as a result. I think she is truly one of the most beautiful girls I ever have seen, but my husband's extended family gives her grief about her "black" skin.

They are astonished when I tell them that where I come from, women would pay exorbitant amounts of money for tanning treatments that would make their skin look like my niece's. They tell me that in their culture, women would pay exorbitant amounts of money for treatments that would attempt to make their skin as pale as mine.

We always end up having a good laugh over how ridiculous it all is. It seems that a common trait we share as women in the human race is that ideal beauty is whatever we are not. — Melody

Dear Melody: I believe the concept of beauty is defined by the dominant culture or race. Therefore, people try extraordinary things to make themselves look more like the Caucasian race.

This is why Asians have endured cosmetic surgery and/or used "eyelid glue" to change the appearance of their eyes. Other cultures desire light skin, so they shield themselves from the sun with umbrellas and other screens.

When I was growing up, my own family valued lighter skin. I, too, was subjected to jeers and taunts from family members when I stayed in the sun too long and became dark. Straight hair was called good, and kinky hair was labeled bad.

This desire to be whiter is still prevalent. However, it is declining. I long for the day when it becomes irrelevant.

To find out more about Larry G. Meeks and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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