Black men’s experiences of colourism in the UK
Open accessAbstract
Colourism – skin shade prejudice – is a social justice issue for People of Colour globally. Yet, there has been no major sociological study that explores colourism in the UK. Addressing this gap, we draw on nine in-depth qualitative interviews with Black and Mixed-Race heterosexual men living in England that formed part of a larger study of colourism. Using reflexive thematic analysis through an intersectional feminist lens, we argue that colourism is gendered. We found that Black men both experience colourism and perpetuate it by teasing male peers and favouring women with light skin. Our analysis generated three themes: (1) navigating colourism as part of growing up; (2) skin shade paradoxes for Black and Mixed-Race men; and (3) colourism and desirability through the Black male gaze. This research provides a nuanced exploration of colourism from Black and Mixed-Race men’s perspectives. It underscores the significance of colourism in the UK.
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As dark skin is often associated with masculinity and virility, Black men, unlike Black women, can benefit from having darker skin in the context of societal appearance ideals and romantic relationships.
“Additionally, as dark skin is often associated with masculinity and virility, Black men, unlike Black women, can benefit from having darker skin in the context of societal appearance ideals and romantic relationships (Hill, 2002; Phoenix and Craddock, 2022).”
From Skin shade and relationships: how colourism pits Black and mixed Black-White women against each other (2024) · cites this paper as Phoenix and Craddock, 2022
Colourism is pervasive and is sustained and reproduced through powerful sociocultural influences including family, peers, and the media.
“Colourism is pervasive and it is sustained and reproduced in multiple ways through powerful sociocultural influences including family, peers, and the media (Phoenix and Craddock, 2024a; Wilder and Cain, 2011; Phoenix and Craddock, 2022).”
From Skin shade and relationships: how colourism pits Black and mixed Black-White women against each other (2024) · cites this paper as Phoenix and Craddock, 2022
Colourism can inform heterosexual men of colour's choice of romantic partners, and their descriptions of the physical attributes that make women attractive.
“Colourism can inform heterosexual men of colour’s choice of romantic partners, and their descriptions of the physical attributes that make women attractive (hooks, 2003; Phoenix and Craddock, 2022).”
From Skin shade and relationships: how colourism pits Black and mixed Black-White women against each other (2024) · cites this paper as Phoenix and Craddock, 2022
In a UK study, Black men explained that one reason why some Black men prefer women with lighter skin is due to the elevated social status they can gain from having a partner with light-skin privilege.
“Black men in Phoenix and Craddock’s (2022) UK study explained that one reason why some Black men prefer women with lighter skin is due to the elevated social status they can gain from having a partner with light-skin privilege.”
From Skin shade and relationships: how colourism pits Black and mixed Black-White women against each other (2024) · cites this paper as Phoenix and Craddock, 2022
Internalised colourism is complex and pernicious.
“The fact that both Sofia and Ekow argue that some Black men shun women with similar skin shades to their mothers, emphasises both the complexity and perniciousness of internalised colourism (Phoenix and Craddock, 2022).”
From Skin shade and relationships: how colourism pits Black and mixed Black-White women against each other (2024) · cites this paper as Phoenix and Craddock, 2022
Cites
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006) · Qualitative Research in Psychology · doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa · Cited by 194,414 · see citing works
Qualitative Quality: Eight “Big-Tent” Criteria for Excellent Qualitative Research
Tracy, S. J. (2010) · Qualitative Inquiry · doi:10.1177/1077800410383121 · Cited by 7,536 · see citing works
Understanding and Validity in Qualitative Research
Maxwell, J. (1992) · Harvard Educational Review · doi:10.17763/haer.62.3.8323320856251826 · Cited by 2,951 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Specifically related to the validity of analysis, we followed Maxwell (1992).”
The persistent problem of colorism: skin tone, status, and inequality
Hunter, M. (2007) · Sociology Compass · doi:10.1111/j.1751-9020.2007.00006.x · Cited by 763 · see citing works
Hill, M. E. (2002) · Social Psychology Quarterly · doi:10.2307/3090169 · Cited by 372 · see citing works
Hall, J. C. (2017) · Health & Social Work · doi:10.1093/hsw/hlx001 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
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Understanding colourism in the UK: development and assessment of the everyday colourism scale
Craddock, N., Phoenix, A., White, P., Gentili, C., Diedrichs, P. C., & Barlow, F. (2023) · Ethnic and Racial Studies · doi:10.1080/01419870.2022.2149275 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Self-citationPhoenix, A., & Craddock, N. (2024) · Frontiers in Sociology · doi:10.3389/fsoc.2024.1495048 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Self-citationSpratt, T. J. R. (2024) · Ethnic and Racial Studies · doi:10.1080/01419870.2023.2252880 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Colorism research over the decades
Hunter, M. (2023) · Research in Human Development · doi:10.1080/15427609.2023.2262350 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Phoenix, A., & Craddock, N.
- Affiliations
- King's College London (GB)
- University of the West of England (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Phoenix, Aisha
- Venue
- Sociology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2022-03-07
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1015-1031
- ISSN
- 0038-0385 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8684
- OpenAlex
- W4221099702
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 2
- FWCI
- 7.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Sociology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- UWE Research Repository (UWE Bristol) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Critical Race Theory in Education
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Gender, Health, and Social Inequality
- Keywords
- colorism, Black men, desirability, intersectionality, United Kingdom
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