Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University African-American Studies Theses Department of African-American Studies Spring 5-10-2014 Manifestations of Colorism in Interpersonal Relationship Preferences of Black Men Julie Corso Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/aas_theses Recommended Citation Corso, Julie, "Manifestations of Colorism in Interpersonal Relationship Preferences of Black Men." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2014. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/aas_theses/24 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of African-American Studies at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in African-American Studies Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MANIFESTATIONS OF COLORISM IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP PREFERENCES OF BLACK MEN by JULIE CORSO Under the Direction of Dr. Makungu Akinyela ABSTRACT The exclusionary nature of colorism and how it affects personal awareness of self- identity behooves us to explore the socio-psychological interplay of life choices and racial socialization. This exploratory research is positioned within the context of black males’ relationship preferences and sought comprehension of how and why their perceptions inform their choices and inclination for lighter skin tones. The manifestations of colorism in these men’s experiences influence their interactions with women and how they perceive themselves. Findings of this phenomenological study informed the researcher of various dynamics that shape interactions of race, gender and colorism and utilized Black Feminist Thought as an epistemological framework. Purposeful sampling was used for recruitment and narrative interview methods highlighted perspectives and experiences of twenty, Atlanta black males, aged 21 and older for an overall essence of their phenomenon. Hopefully, this work will prompt analytical conversations to extend research of colorism within similar group dynamics. INDEX WORDS: Colorism, Black males, Relationship preferences, Socialization, Self-concept, Racial identity MANIFESTATIONS OF COLORISM IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP PREFERENCES OF BLACK MEN by JULIE CORSO A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the College of Arts and Sciences Georgia State University 2014 Copyright by Julie Anne Corso 2014 MANIFESTATIONS OF COLORISM IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP PREFERENCES OF BLACK MEN by JULIE CORSO Committee Chair: Makungu Akinyela Committee: Cora Presley Cassandra White Electronic Version Approved: Office of Graduate Studies College of Arts and Sciences Georgia State University May 2014 iv DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my two, miraculous sons. Without their existence and life experi- ences, this idea for research would never come to fruition; as it would not have been realized, the significance of colorism’s impact on identity and the quality of life. It is owed to their struggles with skin tone as much as it is to their triumphs over discrimination. To my family (and my church family), who have given me their unequivocal support throughout, in all things, for which my mere expression of thanks simply does not suffice. All of you have been instrumental in instilling confidence and strengthening my determination. It is your good support system that kept me sane and level-headed. To the men who made this research possible; without your voices, your stories, your ex- periences, this thesis research would have no meaning or validity. I graciously thank you for ac- cepting and trusting me while sharing your life choices, history and emotions. Your strength and courage for speaking up and out on an uncomfortable issue is most commendable! To all of the women who have experienced sorrow and doubt as it pertains to the hue of your complexions, may you always know that beauty is NOT simply skin deep. Beauty is who you are through to your very soul. Perhaps this supplemental research will be the beginning of a long-needed healing from skin tone discrimination and become the onset of the end of the valori- zation of whiteness. In challenging the politics of skin color, I hope this work will be a starting point for critical dialogue that will lead to change in action as well as consciousness. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Completing this initial work would have been all the more daunting had it not been for my untiring thesis committee members: Dr. Makungu Akinyela, Dr. Cora Presley and Dr. Cas- sandra White. The trio tolerated my talking about all of my excitements, problems and realiza- tions in all stages of my research. To Dr. Akinyela, I am most appreciative that you have no fear in taking on a challenge and accepted me (‘the problem child’) with all of my passion and flaws. Your faith in my pro- duction of work and character allowed me to get through the hardest of times. You bettered my scholarly development by asking the ‘hard’ questions and our discussions have been life- changing. Always being available (even when you did not have time) fostered trust in perspec- tive and respect for my inquisitive nature. I know that your honesty was always in my best inter- est. I finally ‘jumped off of the fence,’ thank you for believing in me! To Dr. Presley, you have been an invaluable mentor on both an academic and personal level for which I am extremely grateful. Your constructive advice paired with tireless encour- agement allowed me to realize what you were doing for my future, academic career. Your me- ticulous attention to detail inspires my desire to be part of an academic family. Most important- ly, seeing me for who I am, rather than what I am not was foundational to my perseverance. It was your guidance that allowed me to stay the course and never lose sight of the goal. To Dr. White, I attribute this level of my graduate career to your conscious reminders of how to integrate my anthropological skills with African-centered methodology, to always be re- flective and for providing me with the fundamentals of research in my undergraduate years. I am indebted to you for teaching me how to take interview and field notes, how to be a participant observer, learning the intricacies of (self) coding and how not to be an outsider. Your lessons vi combined with the methodologies employed in my current department helped to bridge the gap between being an ethnocentric investigator and a respectful, scholarly researcher. To Dr. Sarita Davis, I have a special thank you for impressing upon me to find my voice and place amidst the research. You helped me to bring out the ‘truth’ in the reasons for my re- search, as well as to see that I do not exist apart from my participants. It is because of our last meeting when the clarity arrived regarding that ‘extra’ layer of analysis after my data had been presented and analyzed. Introspection makes all the difference! To the staff in the African American Studies Department, thank you for tolerating all of my copier needs, hasty requests and morning moods. Our conversations were a much needed escape from the daily, academic grind. To Tiffany Bullock and Ms. Futrell, you should be given honorary psychology degrees for all the advice you give and all of the issues we bring to you for resolutions. Lastly, if not for the pioneering work of Dr. Yaba Blay, this research would not have been relevant. Thank you for having the passion to force the hard conversations out into the open about colorism. Your poignant statement regarding men’s participation in the cycle of in- traracial discrimination authenticated my scholarly inquiry. Your indirect influence over my re- search interest has served as a guide to help me examine all forces at play with respect to color- ism. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. v LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ xii PROLOGUE ...................................................................................................................... 1 1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Background to the Problem ............................................................................... 9 1.2 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................. 10 1.3 Significance of the Study................................................................................... 11 1.4 Nature of the Study ........................................................................................... 14 1.5 Research Questions ........................................................................................... 16 1.6 Theoretical Framework .................................................................................... 16 1.6.1 Reflexivity & Ethics ...................................................................................... 21 1.7 Definition of Terms ........................................................................................... 24 1.8 Assumptions ....................................................................................................... 24 1.9 Scope, Limitations, and Delimitations