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Cited by 10Racial and Ethnic Identity ResearchGender, Health, and Social InequalityFeminist Theory and Gender Studies

Understanding light-skin privilege in relation to anti-black racism: colourism, racism-induced stress and poor health outcomes amongst black British women

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Spratt, Tanisha Jemma Rose·2024·Ethnic and Racial Studies
DOI 10.1080/01419870.2023.2252880
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Abstract

Light-skin privilege is a term that is often used to describe the relative advantages that racially minoritized people who are socially recognised as “light-skinned” receive when navigating predominantly white spaces compared to their peers with darker-skin. This article considers the relationship between racism-induced stress and poor health outcomes amongst Black British women who self-identify as having light-, medium-, or dark-skin to examine the extent to which light-skin privilege mitigates the negative effects that racial discrimination has on health. Drawing on interviews conducted with 20 Black British women, I complicate the understanding that light-skin privilege invariably leads to better health outcomes for Black British women with light-skin by revealing how its operation at a systemic level can coincide with individual experiences of anti-Black racism that can, in turn, lead to poor health.

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  • Qualitative work in the UK has shown that in predominantly White areas, people of mixed ethnic backgrounds and Black people with light skin may be subjected to anti-black racism and may not experience the privileges they may otherwise experience in more diverse contexts.

    “Notably, qualitative work conducted in the UK that has explored the effects of colourism and racism has shown that in predominantly White areas, people of mixed ethnic backgrounds and Black people with light skin may be subjected to anti-black racism and may not experience the privileges they may otherwise experience in more diverse contexts (Phoenix and Craddock, 2024b; Spratt, 2024).”

    From Skin shade and relationships: how colourism pits Black and mixed Black-White women against each other (2024) · cites this paper as Spratt, 2024

  • Black and mixed Black-White women with light skin were stereotyped as being superior and this harmed relations between women of different skin.

    “Some participants described how Black and mixed Black-White women with light skin were stereotyped as being superior and argued that this harmed relations between women of different skin, a finding that resonates with Spratt’s (2024) study.”

    From Skin shade and relationships: how colourism pits Black and mixed Black-White women against each other (2024) · cites this paper as Spratt’s (2024)

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1 of the 41 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

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  1. Garner, S. 2007. Whiteness: An Introduction . New York: Routledge.

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Authors
Spratt, T. J. R.
Affiliations
King's College London (GB)
Corresponding author
Spratt, Tanisha Jemma Rose
ORCID
Spratt, Tanisha Jemma Rose
Venue
Ethnic and Racial Studies
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2023-09-13
Volume
47
Issue
10
Pages
1941-1963
ISSN
  • 0141-9870 (ISSN-L)
  • 1466-4356
DOI
10.1080/01419870.2023.2252880
OpenAlex
W4386713580
Cited by
10
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2
FWCI
4.32
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Ethnic and Racial Studies (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
University of Greenwich HEIF FLAS
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Gender, Health, and Social Inequality
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Feminist Theory and Gender Studies
Keywords
anti-Black racism, colorism, health outcomes, Black British women, skin tone, racial discrimination, systemic racism, intersectionality

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