Examining how skin tone influences Black father daughter relationships
Abstract
[EMBARGOED UNTIL 5/1/2024] Previous colorism research has primarily focused on the role mothers and othermothers, who are the extended network of women in the lives of Black girls, have on transmitting messages about colorism to their daughters. Little emphasis has been placed on examining the role of Black fathers and other influential male role models in transmitting such messages. The current study aimed to investigate (1) whether Black men, specifically Black fathers, and other fathers, transmit colorism messages to their daughters or other females in the family (sisters, nieces, mothers) and (2) the influence Black fathers and other fathers have on their daughters or other females in the family (sisters, nieces, mothers) self-esteem and ideas around desirability. Using a phenomenological approach, interviews were conducted with Black female college students (N=26). Iterative coding and thematic analysis revealed that fathers and other fathers do transmit colorism messages to their daughters or other females in the family. Moreover, the impact of these colorism messages on self-esteem and ideas around desirability are illustrated across five themes: a) No 'fun' in the sun, b) No one's first choice, c) What Black men seem to want, d) The willful ignorance of some fathers, and e) Combating negative skin tone messages from Black fathers and other fathers. Results suggest that men affirm females in the family's skin tone via conversations about beauty and desirability while simultaneously undermining those messages by their own dating preferences and the transmission of negative skin tone messages.
Degree
M.S.