The Misadventures of Light-Skinned Lexi: A Story About Colorist Microaggressions

August 8, 2017 / Nico Dacumos

Too often in communities of color, instead of creating solidarity, our differences serve to further divide us and sustain colorism, or the idea and practice that gives lighter-skinned people more privilege and fairer treatment.

Because whiteness is placed on a pedestal across communities and cultures, it should come as no surprise that those who can get closest to this ideal are met with more privileges. This doesn’t invalidate struggles of light-skinned people of color, it only means that those of us who hold more privilege also bear a responsibility to be better allies to the rest of our community.

One great way to start doing this is by speaking out when we see other Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) slipping up — even if it’s something seemingly harmless, like a well-meaning compliment.

Below, Nico Dacumos and Christine Deneweth explore this idea in The Misadventures of Light-Skinned Lexi.

With Love,
Your Everyday Feminism Editors

P.S. For more background info on light-skinned and white-passing privilege, check out this article.

Click for the Transcript

Panel 1

Text: The Misadventures of Light-Skinned Lexi – Nico Dacumos, Christine Deneweth

Panel 2

Lexi talking to Jaz while driving a red car. Lexi has brown and blonde hair and a long sleeved purple shirt. Jaz has long light purple hair with one side buzzed, glasses and a navy blue shirt.

Lexi: Thanks for letting me stay with you until next semester starts.

Jaz: You’re welcome Lexi

Panel 3

Lexi talking and driving.

Lexi: I figured as a thank you I’d show you around my home town and you can meet some of my old friends.

Panel 4

Lexi parks her car in a park parking lot. It’s a beautiful sunny day outside.

Panel 5

Lexi walks towards her friend on the sidewalk. Her friend has braided hair and is wearing a purple shirt and navy shorts.

Panel 6

Lexi: Hey Catherine, I’d like you to meet Jaz!

Catherine: Hey

Panel 7

Lexi talking, looking smug.

Lexi: I love Jaz! They’re basically a darker me!

Panel 8

Both Jaz and Catherine looking a Lexi in shock and disgust.

Panel 9

Lexi shrugging and talking.

Lexi: What?

Panel 10

A yellow moon.

Text: Later that night.

Panel 11

Lexi sitting on her bed in her pajamas typing on her laptop.

Panel 12

Social media post by Lexi.

Text: What’s wrong with saying someone is like a darker me?

Panel 13

A friend’s reply to Lexi’s social media post.

Text: What you said perpetuates colorist and “others” dark skinned POC.

Panel 14

Lexi’s response to friend’s comment.

Text: But I meant is as a compliment!

Panel 15

Friend’s response to Lexi’s response.

Text: By labeling that as a compliment you play into the “white standard of beauty.” The “lighter” the “prettier” which is messed up!

Panel 16

Friend’s response to Lexi’s response.

Text: You need to apologize to whomever you said that to.They need to know that you value the beauty of everything about them. Celebrate! Don’t differentiate!

Panel 17

Lexi closing her laptop

Panel 18

Lexi knocking on Jaz’s door and talking.

Lexi: Hey Jaz?

Panel 19

Lexi talking to Jaz through the door.

Lexi: I’m really sorry for what I said today, I was wrong.

Panel 20

Jaz opening the door and talking sternly to Lexi.

Jaz: Look, I forgive you this time but if you do it again, we can’t be friends.

Panel 21

Close up of Lexi talking Jaz’s hand.

Lexi: You mean too much to me, I’ll be better for your sake.

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Nico Dacumos is an Everyday Feminism Reporting Fellow. Nico is a lower-middle class and college-educated child of a Manila-born Ilocano and a Central California Chicana. He currently writes, teaches high school, runs a decolonial food pop-up, builds spiritual community, loves, co-parents, and instigates non-binary transgender faggotry in Oakland, CA.

M. Slade is a Contributing Comic Artist for Everyday Feminism. They are a cartoonist and illustrator based in Westchester County, NY. Currently, they are the main illustrator for Doodlebook.org, a site that explores science concepts through comics. In their spare time, they can be found going to protests or overanalyzing video games and cartoons. You can check out their website here or their Tumblr here. Check out their comics here.