SKIN DEEP: Last Sunday, we were alerted to a trend among some employers who, in requesting trainees from one of our vocational agencies, want girls of light colour — the brownings. The Minister of Labour and the Leader of the Opposition have exploded with rage. Mrs Simpson Miller wants a boycott of places of business where black faces are absent.

Mr Charles is ready to “bun fire” (figuratively, of course) for those employers who would be so barefaced as to want to push us into Apartheid. He is ready to throw the book at them, if he ever finds out who they are. Don’t hold your breath… Who is going to admit it?

Monday night… all eyes were turned to the Miss Universe finals. Imagine the surprise when the crown went to a young woman of unmistakably dark complexion. Leila Lopes, who could not pass as a browning here, or anywhere, walked off with the coveted crown. The knock-dead, gorgeous 25- year-old, wearing the sash of Miss Angola, when asked what in her physical appearance she would change, gave the world something to think about. “I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty.” No bleaching. Story done.

Back home, since the Sunday article on the yearning for browning, we haven’t heard much response beyond that of the two political representatives. We have to continue hoping that the truth, like oil, will rise to the top. The skin colour story remains the same, unfortunately. It brings acute embarrassment to some. It outrages others, while there are those heads firmly buried in the sand who refuse to believe anything like that could happen here in this day and age. While we have yet to get official confirmation of the crass prejudice, we know from long experience that bad old habits die hard. The common way to cover up this terrible secret, which refuses to die, is the excuse that people must be free to make their own choices… In other words, employers should be free to hire whom they want, colour or no colour. As to the employees, “They don’t have to take the job if they don’t want to.” Civil rights are not part of our vocabulary, and in any case, we have no prejudice here, okay?

Only recently I was answering questions from some young people who wanted verification that there was a time when in this country banks would not hire black tellers, allegedly because the banking public did not have faith in them because supposedly they could not count money. Chinese workers were much preferred for this task because they came from a culture which had such skills.

Even if people who could verify the story have passed on, there still are enough remaining who remember those days, with pain and embarrassment, when skin colour determined social standing. To recall it today is to stir up trouble, and being divisive, so it is easier to remain in self-denial. There have been substantial changes in the society, but that doesn’t mean the bad stuff is not happening still.

We try to joke out the browning business, but if last Sunday’s story can be proved, then the crass and insensitive should be advised that there is no place for that. We don’t need bigotry and intolerance added to what we already have to bear.

Next year, we will mark the 50th anniversary of this nation. Planning of festivities are already under way. We hope there will be time allotted for serious contemplation on what lessons we have learned. We glibly recite the motto “Out of many, One people”, but some are beginning to doubt if it is really so. Some of our people continue to feel excluded. Many feel compelled to reinvent themselves. More money, than ever before, is expended on importation of wigs, weaves and other hair extensions, as if we

want to be disguised, to give the illusion that we’re some new exotic race, possessed of luxurious tresses.

Then one day we woke up and decided that skin bleaching is the way to go. Man, woman and pickney want to be pale; never mind the health implications. When confronted, the standard defence is “It is my face, my body. I can do what I want with it.” We are quite happy changing skin like lizards.

“FAIR SKIN AND GOOD HAIR” have always haunted us. In the past, people spoke of “picky-head gal”. Now that we can buy straight hair by the yard, the metre, whatever, we don’t use the “picky head” curse any more. Black skin, not properly groomed, used to earn the insult of “ashes pampy”. Thick lips and broad noses used to be denigrated quite openly. Anyone would tell you those days are gone, so what’s happening now? Are we going to sit back and let such gains as we had be eroded now. What is the colour of progress?

In times past, the editor of the Gleaner, Theodore Sealy, challenged our sensitivities with a Ten-Types One Beauty contest. His concept was that from the darkest to the lightest skin tone, each group had its own distinctive beauty. Not everyone approved of the idea or saw Dr Sealy’s point. Some felt it was a new kind of discrimination. Others saw the contest as a breakthrough against the stereotypes. The Jamaican woman was encouraged to see herself as she was, a winner in her own right.

The experiment was short-lived. We were sure we had the prejudice thing beat. Then came the afro-revolution. Women lost jobs or didn’t get any because of their natural hairstyle. We seem to have forgotten that children were even barred from school for afro hair and locks. Eventually, that phase passed. Believe it or not, we seem to be heading back where we started. Recent Police Force Orders frown on braided hair and any form of locks. Some institutions want none of that in their business either. Straighten, weave, piece-en, do anything but that African business. Why? “It doesn’t look professional.” What about an abundance of long, synthetic curls? “No problem”. After all, this is Jamaica, we do things differently.

WELL ASKED: When asked about her view on racism, seeing that she is one of very few women of dark skin to wear the Miss Universe crown, Leila Lopes retorted, “Any racist needs to seek help. It’s not normal in the 21st century to think in that way.” The woman is not only beautiful, she is bright.

CONGRATS to Danielle Crosskill who has now taken on the Miss Jamaica World crown. Congratulations, too, for Simon, the father who proud so till him could buss (like burst). He’ll have to come back down to earth sooner or later – or will he? Mi seh, di man boasie so till… and him was well boasie before that. TVJ studio cyaan hold him now. (Don’t tell him, but we feel that he has earned bragging rights).

gloudonb@yahoo.com