Colorism, hair discrimination & self-image

A study using national survey data from 2001–2003 found that skin tone was still linked with Black Americans’ education, household income and job status.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says color discrimination can happen between people of different races, or between people of the same race.

Hearing it from family or friends can hurt in a special way, because these are the people we expect to feel safest with.

Researchers note that colorism exists around the world and is spread in part through media images. It helps sustain huge skin-bleaching and cosmetic surgery industries.

In a 2021 Pew survey, 62% of U.S. Hispanic adults said darker skin hurts Latinos’ chances of getting ahead. Afro-Latino people may face colorism from more than one direction.

Comments about a baby’s skin getting darker, comparing siblings, or warnings to avoid the sun can teach children that darker skin is less valued. These messages are often passed down without anyone meaning harm.

Researchers have found that colorism affects the marriage and dating market, with lighter skin often treated as more desirable.

Comments like “You’re pretty for a dark-skinned girl” are meant as compliments but carry a hurtful message.

Media images help spread colorism around the world. Filters and editing apps that lighten skin can quietly reinforce the same ideas.

Lighter-skinned people of color may be seen as less “authentic” members of their community. Researchers note this as another side of colorism.

A study of African American and Caribbean Black adults found that those with the very lightest skin reported worse mental health on some measures. Colorism can harm people across every shade.

In a study of Black adults in Nashville, those who saw themselves as dark-skinned reported a lower sense of mattering to others. The researchers linked this to colorism-related stress.

The same Nashville study found that Black adults who saw themselves as dark-skinned had signs of faster cellular aging. Researchers see this as a possible way colorism-related stress affects health.

A study following African American girls from grade 5 to grade 12 found that darker-skinned girls had lower self-esteem in middle school. By the end of high school, their self-esteem had risen to match lighter-skinned girls.

Support, pride and positive messages can help young people grow into confidence.

Research by the CROWN Coalition found that 41% of Black women who changed their hair for an interview went from curly to straight. Many people describe this as tiring, costly and a strain on their sense of self.

Black women with coily or textured hair were twice as likely to face microaggressions at work (2023 study). Uninvited touching and comments can leave people feeling like an object.

Hair bias isn’t only a women’s issue. Boys and men with locs, braids or twists can face unfair dress codes too. The CROWN Act’s protections are about hair texture and protective styles, for everyone.

As of 2026, the CROWN Coalition counts 30 states with a CROWN Act. Some cities and counties have their own rules too. Protections differ from place to place, so check your state’s civil rights agency.

A federal CROWN Act was reintroduced in Congress in 2025 and has not become law. Separately, the EEOC says employers’ hairstyle rules must be neutral and must respect racial differences in hair texture.

• Ask for the rule in writing
• Keep copies of dress-code or grooming policies
• Note dates, what was said and who was there
• Talk with HR, a union rep or a legal aid group

The EEOC handles complaints about workplace discrimination, and filing deadlines apply.

In the 2021 CROWN study, 66% of Black children in mostly white schools said they had faced race-based hair discrimination. Many state CROWN Acts cover schools as well as workplaces.

Mercury can be absorbed through the skin. The FDA warns it can cause kidney damage and nerve problems such as tremors, numbness, headaches and tiredness.

The FDA says there are no FDA-approved or legally marketed over-the-counter skin-lightening products.

The Minnesota Department of Health notes that mercury from these products can reach others in the home through towels, bedding and the air. Pregnant people, babies and young children face the greatest risk.

Don’t throw these products in the trash or down the drain. Take them to a household hazardous waste site.

If you have concerns about spots or skin conditions, talk with your clinical provider. If you have used a product you are unsure about, tell them, so they can check for health effects.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests responding warmly when a child asks about skin tone, for example by celebrating how different and wonderful we all are. You can even compare arms to show the many shades in your family.

• Avoid comparing siblings’ skin or hair
• Don’t warn kids to stay out of the sun to stay light
• Gently correct relatives who make colorist comments
• Praise children for who they are, not their shade

Experiencing colorism from one’s own community has been linked with lower self-esteem in teens.

Use kind words about your child’s hair while you care for it, and let older children choose their own styles. Ninety percent of Black children in the 2021 CROWN study said their hair is beautiful.

Ask open questions like “How did that make you feel?” Let your child know it wasn’t their fault, then talk with the school and check whether your state’s CROWN Act covers schools.

Follow creators, artists and role models across many shades and hair textures. Turn off filters that lighten your skin or change your features.

When you catch a harsh thought about your skin or hair, ask where you first heard it. Then try a kinder sentence, like “My skin carries my family’s story.”

Choosing routines that feel good, not ones meant to change your shade or texture, can shift how you relate to your body over time.

Natural hair meet-ups, cultural groups, salons and barbershops that celebrate textured hair, and faith or community groups can offer a sense of pride and belonging.

• “Please don’t compare the kids’ skin. They’re both beautiful.”
• “I love my hair like this.”
• “That comment hurt. I know you didn’t mean it that way.”

Many elders grew up hearing these ideas too. Change can take repeated, patient conversations.

If a friend or partner makes colorist jokes or comments, you can say how it lands. Healthy relationships make room for that kind of honesty.

• Celebrate dark skin and textured hair out loud
• Don’t touch someone’s hair without asking
• Push back on colorist jokes, even when no one darker-skinned is in the room
• Support fair hair and dress policies at work and school

Lighter-skinned people can use the advantages colorism gives them to speak up for others.