colorism

noun

col·or·ism ˈkə-lə-ˌri-zəm

-lər-ˌi-zəm

variants or British colourism

: prejudice or discrimination especially within a racial or ethnic group favoring people with lighter skin over those with darker skin

Under this system of colorism—the system which prevailed in my childhood in Jamaica, and which has carried over to the present—rarely will dark and light people co-mingle. Rarely will they achieve between themselves an intimacy informed with identity.—

Michelle Cliff

What writer Alice Walker defined as colorism, the preferential or prejudicial treatment of same-race people based on skin color, continues to this day. And as she once wrote, unless we exorcise it "we cannot as a people progress. For colorism, like colonialism, sexism and racism, impedes us."—

Itabari Njeri

Examples of colorism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The film offers a unique perspective on Haiti’s ongoing security challenges by drawing from its vexing reality: political and police corruption, foreign election interference, colorism, homophobia and the cynicism of those who are vying for political power. —

Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2025 However, the series faced controversy over its handling of colorism and classism. —

Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 16 Jan. 2025 Social media reacted with mixed commentary about the sensitive topic of colorism. —

Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 22 Jan. 2025 Luther speaks to colorism and fatphobia making a great singer less of a priority for his record label throughout the ’70s, though, portraying a world prior to MTV in which image didn’t just affect how music got filed but also the artist’s pool of opportunities. —

Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for colorism