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Shadeism: Digging Deeper
(2015)
  • Nayani Thiyagarajah
  • Joanne L. Rondilla, Arizona State University
Video
Description
SHADEISM: DIGGING DEEPER (2015) explores the issue of shadeism, the discrimination between lighter-skinned and darker-skinned members of the same community. This issue around skin tone, of certain shades being considered better than others, was never missing from conversation while growing up for Director Nayani Thiyagarajah. She was able to feel its presence in conversations among family and friends, but she did not have the language to name it. And so, it became easier to ignore its presence, suppress its signs, and normalize its existence. But in 2009, a conversation with her niece Maanu forced Nayani to face the fact that we cannot continue to ignore this issue. Silence will not save anyone from suffering. Alongside her friends and family, Nayani begins to recover and re-imagine what beauty means for women globally. This film looks at where shadeism comes from, how it directly affects women, and explores how we can move forward together.
Keywords
  • shadeism,
  • colorism,
  • colourism,
  • shadeism colourism
Publication Date
2015
Comments
Dr. Joanne Rondilla was interviewed in this film.
Citation Information
Nayani Thiyagarajah and Joanne L. Rondilla. "Shadeism: Digging Deeper" (2015)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/joanne-rondilla/47/