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‘Chocolate’ Kelly Rowland Struggled With Dark Skin

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July 26th, 2007 by Castina

Tagged as: Kelly Rowland

Kelly Rowland has revealed that like your truly and many other dark complexed Black women, she struggled with her skin tone and even wished to be lighter.

“It’s said that brown-skinned girls don’t sell magazines and that’s so sad,” Kelly says in the September issue of Essence. “I remember wishing I was more fair-skinned, but Tina Knowles, Beyoncé’s mom, would say, ‘Don’t you know how beautiful you are?’ She made me come into my brown beauty. I didn’t get it, but now I do. I am chocolate and beautiful and loving it.”




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19 Responses to “‘Chocolate’ Kelly Rowland Struggled With Dark Skin”

  1. On August 3rd 2007, lisa wrote:

    no surprise there. any dark black girl who claims to have never gone through that at an early age is a compulsive liar. good for kelly 2 have come out about this – amazin she has overcome it… if she has.. u never know.. i mean it’s a harsh reality.. and mind u its not only black people, all coloured people (indians – watch their movies – the racism is horrendous with the way they treat darker indians, italians, brazilians.. etc)

    will coloured ever overcome it? i dont know.. if we do, i certainly won’t live to see it.. and i’m 19yrs old!

  2. On November 11th 2007, Nubian Goddess wrote:

    Lisa, respectfully, please speak for yourself. Some of us never had that chain on our minds. Our concept of what is good and what is beautiful almost always begin in the home. I am dark and have always loved my skin color. The first image of beauty to me was my own mother, who is slightly darker than I am. I grew up in a house where my dad loved her, my siblings loved her and I loved her and felt happy when people said I look just like my mom. So I am sorry for the people who don’t realize that black is beautiful, but you’re wrong that every dark woman has felt this way. Not to down any other color but there is no color I would choose over my own dark color. Bleach has never and will never touch my skin. Peace.

  3. On March 25th 2008, Model wrote:

    I’m a dark skinned girl and I love it!

  4. On May 5th 2008, tati wrote:

    yeah i agree with you lisa i have never in my life wished to be lighter than i am because my skin is beautiful, when i get older i don’t have to worry about my skin aging as much. WISHING THAT YOUR SKIN COLOR IS LIGHTER IS “PATHETIC AS . “WHO DOES THAT? GET A LIFE AND GET OVER YOUR INSECURITIES

  5. On August 16th 2008, cee-cee wrote:

    I never have i always love my skin color and never wanted to be lighter because boys always came to me the way i am . In the end we all are black but i never had a boy come and say you look good for a dark skinned girl and hope they never do say it. The ONLY THING I WISH IS TOO STAY IN SHAPE AND HAVE PRETTY CLOTHES AND ILL LOOK GOOD
    COMPLEXION HAS NOTHIN TO DO WITH IT.

  6. On October 25th 2008, Ariel wrote:

    I completely agree Lisa.

    And Tina Knowles, thank you so much for helping Kelly to grow int othe great woman of God that she is today.

    I feel the same way sometimes and it used to hurt when the black guys didn’t like my skin.

    But now I know that it’s THEM and not ME.

    I never experienced colorism in my home and I want you that I saw it in the OUTSIDE WORLD like at school and it most definantly affected me.

    And far as bleach goes, there is more than one reason to bleach lol: SCARS. I had really bad patches on my cheeks for a long time and I found out through my doctor that it was because I am allergic to the sun. Go figure right? So they said just bleach it and sunscreen it until it gets normal. It always comes back after awhile because I love the sun and tanning, but I at least it’s even for awhile.

    Anyways, as I grew up, I realized that a lot of guys LOVE dark skin. Not many black guys I’ve met do unfortunately but I’m sure I’ll meet some. But some white guys have a serious fetish for dark skin…You’ve got to watch out and make sure that a guy likes you for YOU and not just your lovely dark skin…Wam bam thank you dark chocolate mam?

    Mhmm.

    Ariel

  7. On December 3rd 2008, redhonda850 wrote:

    Go figure, I am a light skinned female and I see darker girls and say that they are so beautiful, they almost always have an amazing smile skin is smooth as choclate….dont get me wrong I love the skin im in but to the darker sisters u got it babes please just believe it.

  8. On January 6th 2009, Vicky wrote:

    Kelly Rowaland is beautiful and so is Beyonce. The problem is it is a white world and most people would prefer to see a lighter shade then a dark skin. I am medium brown and I get dark in the summer and I have to admit that I get treated different when I am darker. Right now I get tons of attention because I am a lot lighter in the winter time and it is amazing the way that people acknowledge me. This is the way that it is going to be and there is nothing that anyone can do about it. Prejudice is in all racists.. If I was really dark skin I would love myself know matter what because it not suppose to be about color but unfortuanely this is how it is. Dark skin sisters keep your head up and know that you are beautiful. Look at the bright side, the people who are lighter age badly. The darker you are the better you will look in the future.

  9. On March 26th 2009, diane wrote:

    Dark skin black girls like Kelly Rowland and Oprah that want to be light skin should see a school counselor or pyschiatrist.I’m a light skin black.If a dark skin girl bleaches her skin and becomes light skin she’ll still be black.

  10. On May 18th 2009, Iman wrote:

    Diane….. you may never see this post but you evidently have no idea what is like to be a “dark” black girl/ woman in society. I will admit not “all ” dark girls are ridiculed but many damn sure are! I am a dark black female and my life has been hard. Many people “claim” I am very pretty but I have yet to feel it. Imagine everyday feeling isolated, ignored, rejected, passed over for promotion, not getting invited to parties, always feeling like the 3rd wheel when you go out with “lighter” friends, etc. That is how my life has been and it has gotten worse as Ive gotten older oddly. I am very nice, well spoken to the point ppl say i act “white”, I’m always well dressed and etc and it all seems to no avail. It hurts extremely bad when you keep experiencing the same thing over & over & over & over & over and especially within the black community! Its easier said than done to accept yourself in the midst of blatant hatred.

  11. On May 21st 2009, diane wrote:

    Iman——- get help..

  12. On May 19th 2010, Urban News - Chris Brown Dark-Skinned Rant Prompts Accusations Of Colorism wrote:

    [...] ‘Chocolate’ Kelly Rowland Struggled With Dark Skin [...]

  13. On May 20th 2010, Chris Brown Dark-Skinned Rant Prompts Accusations Of Colorism | Word Up! wrote:

    [...] ‘Chocolate’ Kelly Rowland Struggled With Dark Skin [...]

  14. On June 8th 2010, Ana wrote:

    Yup that’s wat I’m taking about. Black is beautiful. Our skin is so smooth. Light skin black ppl are beautiful also but Dark skin ppl need to realize that being lighter won’t make you any more beautiful. Black is Beautiful. Big up to Tina Knowles to give Kelly that confidence. Jamaica in the building.

  15. On September 17th 2010, Chris wrote:

    Thing is a nice brownish gold is whats good people would like complexions like Chris brown or trey songz that nice tanish look why cuz its the perfect skin tone

    thats why you have black people bleaching to get there and white people tanning to get those colours

    society looks @ it as to white no good no dark no good

  16. On October 20th 2010, Brockell wrote:

    Yes, I’m glad someone knows how to distinguish real beauty in the African American race. It hurts me so bad to hear that a woman does not know her true beauty! Thats what makes our race so beautiful. We are all so different n variety of skin color. I am a dark skinned young lady. I attend college, and every since I went to elementary, I was the darkest one in my classroom. I still am. I was teased, bullied, hurt, because I was to dark for someone to get to know me. Those same girls that teased me, and said I was to dark, they are the same peolpe who needs make up every time they walk out the house or buy hair to keep from seeing thier true self. I show myself as a beautiful black girl, no make up, or anything. I do not dress myself of anything that will make me feel fake. God made me as part of an image of him. And that to me is true beauty!

  17. On November 29th 2010, pritybrownprep wrote:

    If you really wanna know what the sexiest and most beautiful thing in the world is, it’s a confident person, with a beautifutl personality, that takes pride in themselves. I am 5’11 which is fairly tall for a girl, I have deep chocolate colored skin, I have thick thighs, a plump ass, very long legs, big boobs, long eyelashes, and silky long hair. There are inperfections on me such as the stretch marks on my belly from having kids, a few scars here and there, cellulite on my butt, thighs, and stomach, and a lil flab. There are a number of things that I could dwell on and be unhappy about. But you know what, I am first of all stunning, I have a great personality, a beautiful smile, long pretty hair and eyelashes, and unique features. Some would consider me too tall for a girl, some would consider me super model height. Some men prefer lighter skinned girls, but I can honestly say, I have gotten many compliments on my chocolate skin color. At the end of the day my goal is to be as small as I can by keeping my weight down, as sexy as I can be by dressing super cute and chic and wearing things that compliment my long legs, curves, fits neat, and represents me. I keep my fingernails and toenails neat, polished, and mani/pedi cured. And, I wear make up and Mac Lipglass, LOL, not cause I wanna appear fake, but I like to even my skin tone on my face and enhance my beauty. Believe it or not feeling beautiful, being tasteful (if you know what that is), and being yourself confidently is what makes you look better than the next girl, light skinned or dark! And that’s real.

  18. On December 16th 2010, Mr Micah G wrote:

    As a man, I find women beautiful because of the way they are different to us men. As a darkish black man I had the pressure of wanting to be lighter when growing up, partly cos of the predominantly white area I grew up in. Also my friends of colour were mixed race/biracial and they admit to me they had issues cos of the rejection from their white side. I suffered emotional abuse.

    Since the age of 16ish I started to be confident and since becoming a christian and asking Yahweh Himself about racism and getting His 100% acceptance, I know black is beautiful.

    I feel for the dark skinned women like Kelly, I have seen some stunners in my time and I love them. I feel the pain of those overlooked as I can identify with it.

    I think men (especially black men) who prefer lighter skinned women have been conditioned so, probably with strong links to slavery and colonialism and a lot of media pressure.
    God has no favourites which means He finds you as beautiful as your white, or hispanic or whatever counterparts. If the world doesn’t see it, they’re blind, but I see it and I love it. Stay strong sisters and encourage women to feel valued for their inner and external beauty.

    I love ya’ll

    A black man who is encapsulated by dark beauties hailing from the UK
    peace

  19. On April 14th 2011, Glosh wrote:

    I stay in Africa,I’m dark skinnedI dont face this problem much but many guys around me prefer light skinned girls.I ALWAYS DREAM OF GOING TO AMERICA FOR FURTHER STUDIES BUT WHENEVER I HEAR ABOUT RACISM,i GIVE UP…I don’t think I will manage studying in a place where nobody likes me….

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