Everyone is Beautiful in their Skin tone

Black and white, can be a filter, or a tone, a shade of anything or something, but it can also be a tone of the skin for “some” people.

We do live in a world where people are being too judgemental and too perfectionist in their “own” way. That they have set their standards in terms of anything they met in life. Or I should say, everything has its criteria, the perfect body, the real portrayal of being a man and a woman, and a perfect example of beauty. And sometimes what's worst is that people based their criteria of good and decent person to be with physically and visually. Yes, some people are harsh when it comes to beauty or judge people without knowing first the personality behind their skin complexions.

What skin color do you have?

Are you fairly white? Pinkish white? Brown in complexion? Or one who's Black in tone?

Honestly, most of the (Filipinos) I met prefer fair and white skin tones. They find it more beautiful, sexy, and charming than any other complexion, however, sometimes they're getting out of control against the color as opposed to it.

What makes me say these thoughts?

Well, it's because I've seen and met some instances wherein the “whiter” ones were given more privileges and gained more compliments than with darker shades of skin in my family.

When I was still young, my cousins and I were always talked about by our older relatives. Comparison is always there, and one of the things they've compared us to is our skin tones. I belong to the “fair” ones, while most of my cousins have a bit darker complexion. And most of my aunts like to have me around more than my cousins. They seldom asked me to do something for them, while my cousins were always told to do this and this. I'm not happy about it, it's not something that I can be proud of. I don't want to be compared most especially to my closest cousins. I love them and skin colors have nothing to do with our bonds as a family. If only our older relatives realized their actions and words spoke against my cousins and treated us equally without comparing each other, maybe we could have a better and peaceful family.

One of my cousins talked to me about that matter before, and I honestly feel sorry for her. Those harsh words referring to her skin complexion gave her low self-esteem and gave her a lack of confidence. She spent most of her life enduring being belittled by other people, and what hurts her more is some who judges her is in our bloodline.

Your color isn't a big deal. You're beautiful.

I know I can't truly feel her sentiments because I never told with those words thrown against her, however, I want her to realize that our skin doesn't matter to live a better and happier life. That it's time for her to chin-up that no matter what other people may say with her skin, she'll remember how beautiful she is. And as time goes by, she gradually accepts her beauty and ignores people's negative opinions. She's beautiful regardless of anything she thinks makes her ugly.

Another one, this happened during high school. When my seatmate was being bullied by our unruly classmates. She's Jocelyn, a simple girl with curly hair and with a beautiful dark skin complexion. She's very innocent and seldom talks, yet, because we're seatmates, she put her trust in me and talks to me about herself more. But because of her looks, she was bullied by our male classmates.

“Aeta!”

That's what our classmates called her most of the time. It refers to indigenous people who live in scattered, isolated mountainous parts of the Philippines. And they shared the same physical attributes with Jocelyn, curly hair and with darker skin tones.

Why people are too difficult to understand?

We can't push people not to base a person's personality or say good things to people whom we think pleasant with our eyes. However, we have no right to disrespect a person who doesn't meet our standards. We ain't perfect and so they are. We do have different “tastes” when it comes to beauty or defining an ideal personality. But everyone is born attractive in their “own” way. The color of the skin isn't the only basis of being beautiful and respectable.

While being white or fair don't just receive praises always. Since humans will always say something about something or to anyone who's not in their circle of standards.

“Maganda lang yan kasi MAPUTI.”

“She's only pretty because she's white/fair.”

Yes, some people have uttered these words and had been heard with my two ears. People are cruel, they have something in their tongue against people who are not at their level.

But what do you think why some people are like this?

Maybe, it's because of insecurity. That they don't want other people to get ahead of them in terms of beauty physically. Or they're just making fun of people who they think they are above. Or they are just bored or being stressed at home and that's why they'll just pour their disappointments on someone weaker than them.

I honestly find “black women” attractive. Maybe because their beauty is easily distinguished through their tones. But, I also saw “white” women who are beautiful too, with freckles or none, despite the hair color they have. While we Filipinos are known to have a brown complexion or also called “Morena”, and beautifully remarkable too.

It's not based on who's got the fairest skin of all. It's not about who's black or who's white. It's not on how flawless or freckle less her skin and face is.

As time passes by through the years, society slowly changes. More people are now ready to acknowledge that we don't have the same hues, that each one of us has their distinctive charm regardless of our physical characteristics. Beauty has no standards, we are all beautiful. We just need to accept and acknowledge first our “own” beauty.

You don't need to change yourself “physically” to find someone to accept you. Because there's someone out there who's willing to look at you beautiful inside and out.

Any complexion deserves to be respected, no need to stereotype beauty through their skin tones. Everyone is born beautifully with their complexions. It's just a matter of acceptance and appreciation.

Written by: @eommaZel✍🏻🥀