A Girl Like Me
During the first days of YouthLAB, we watched A Girl Like Me. The question posed to YouthLAB participants in Barbados was, “Why do you think so many of the black children preferred the white doll? And if this test was done in Barbados, do you think the results would be the same? For YouthLAB Chicago participants we ask if they think children in their communities would also produce the same results. See what they have to say by clicking on the comments below.
Click on the comments button below to read our posts.
July 18th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
On the first day we meet the whole team in Barbados and we watch a movie called †a girl like me †which make us thinks of various things about the topic the short film was dealing with. We were also asked to questions:
* Why do you think so many black children piked the white doll?
In my opinion it was because the children had been exposed and in some aspect brain wash by the power of the media, that had been mostly monopolize by the white population.
*Do you think if this was done in Barbados the result would be the same?
From my point of view, there is a big chance that the result wold be equal to a 50-50 % ( yes-no) because now the power of the media is being more equaly balance, so more children would chose the black doll.
July 18th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
First day in Youth Lab we watched a short video entitled “A Girl Like Me”. and then further made our own insight on the video.
firstly we were asked to answer as to why the children in the video prefer the white doll over the black one , and i think it was because of the mainly white population.
Then it was asked, that if the same task was performed in Barbados if the results were to be the same?
In my point of view, the culture in the Caribbean is deeply rooted in their African history. And because of this the younger generations are more influenced by the songs performed uplifting the black culture.
So in my conclusion, would be that more young person would choose the black doll instead of the white one, because at such an early age they are taught to embrace their black history and be proud of their black skin.
July 18th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
This was a interesting video.Also i think that so many black people chose the white doll than the black doll because they are more familiar of seeing white doll than a black doll i don’t know if it has something to do with the way how it looks or how the colour of of the dolls are.The fact of this problem is that black people rather the white doll because if the watch a movie or see a advertisement with dolls most of the time you see a white doll rather than “BLACK” doll and i think the ratio from black to white dolls the whites have more dolls.Some black children chose the black doll mabye because it’s the same colour as them the rest mabye chose because they saw someone with one so they wanted one too.So i really think that white dolls are more popular.
YES!! and no i think and still have a feeling that the issue would go on in Barbados because of the the stores and places people can purchase dolls some have black and some have white and i think of the skin colour certain children would choose the black doll because they would think that black are they own colour and some would think because of the whites have more colour and fashion that it would be fun to play with but somehow and a part of my mind thinks that the same same problem would occur here in Barbados because of the familarity of dollsin a ratio.
July 18th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
I think the testimonies of the young women reflect the truth of their experiences in their surroundings and societies.
the strength of stereotyping and conditioning in Black American societies is shown even in the responses of the young girls when they were given the option to chose which doll they preferred. It just goes to show how even at a young age, girls can internalise the perceived standards of beauty of the society they are growing up in and are so easily moulded by what society dictates. What is scary is how drastic the results were in that the percentage of children chosing the white doll was sooo much higher and the verbal response of one young girl in particular was so coldly to the point. To me its also interesting that there was (what appeared to be) a young boy who chose the white doll as well. that just goes to show how the other sex builds from a young age an opinion of what is better and what is more beautiful in the other sex. there could therefore be a connection to the attitudes of black men to black women. theres actually been a alot of discussion about this issue in the hihop arena relating to the women portrayed and an referred to in rap music and videos.
In Barbados I think that socialisation and stereotyping do have similar effects but im not sure that the extent to which black culture is supressed is equal. im not as familiar with African -American culture as with Barbadian but i believe that though there is an underlying and deeply rooted negative perception of black ethnicity, there is currently a surge Black consciousness which is related to the significant impact of the Rastafari religion and faiths derived from the fusion of slavery-related faiths and Christian denominations. Caribbean culture is known to be a medley of ethnicities: East Indian, Black, Asian, White etc. there is increasing Caribbean themed media such as the Tempo channel for example which shows Caribbean music and celebrities. the young people therefore experience a different reality and a different cultural experience to African Americans and its therefore possible that would make a difference if the doll test was carried out in Barbados.
July 18th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
The power in this film is in the truth with which these young women are speaking, no dressing up, no make up, just sit down in the comfort of your home and speak your views on something people don’t talk about out loud. It shows you how black children are being raised to think that anything that is black is not good or that its inferior, indeed telling them that they are not good, that they are inferior.
July 18th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
When I first heard the name of this short film, my first thought was “they made a video about rhianna’s new albulm?!” lol. Of course I was wrong and what I saw instead was a very well edited piece of social commentary on how young black children (with particular focus on girls) viewed themselves and how they thought they measured up to the standard of beauty held by the wider society.
Of particular interest to me in this video was the study where children around kindergarden age of different races were given a choice between a black doll and a white doll; the result being that many chose the white doll saying that the black doll was ugly. I did Psychology at University and we had looked at this study and we too had pondered on the question posed by Mindy which was “if done in the Caribbean, would this study have yielded the same results?”
I live in sunny Barbados and I honestly couldnt give a definite answer. I think the media is responsible for the many insecurities that we, not just as black people but anyone, habour. This is especially true for young children whose minds are more malleable. They believe and imitate everything they see on television and the media is filled with lots of long straight haired light skinned people, most of the models, the icons of beauty fit this description. Therefore it is no surprise when those who do not fit this description experience a decline in self esteem. Here is Barbados we are not exempt from this media influence. In fact Rhianna, our superstar, has light skin and straight long (well it was) hair. Also, many adult women here wear weave and starighten their hair to achieve this look, so it is no surprise that young children have a skewed impression of what beauty is.
July 18th, 2007 at 12:12 pm
The children chose the white dolls over the black doll because of how their see them selves,which is caused by the dehumanization of the enslave peoples who were brought from the land now called Africa. In Barbados i think that it would be as bad as in places where there is more white CONTROL.Why? Our government and population is generally black.
July 18th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Interesting video. I’m glad that they took the time to show some of the sad realities as far as poor self image that some black people have of themselves, and how society still perceive natural black skin and hair as something to be ashamed of, instead of beautiful. It made me sad to see the experiment with the 5 and 6 year old African Americans preferring the white doll over the black doll. It could be culturally induced, e.g. in t.v ads, to cartoons, that show white to be ‘better’.
In Barbados, a predominant black country, this experiment might work , because the mindset of how everything white is ok , or if someone has clearer skin than the next, they would be socially accepted more so than someone with kinky hair and darker skin. It does not happen openly, but it’s very subtle.
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:47 am
First of all, this is a very honest and truthful short film. I think more children prefer the white dolls over the black dolls because of influences from the media, so my group agreed with David, but it was more to it. In the film the girl said that her mother said that if she left her head natural she would look like she was African, I had got that on alot of occassions because of my decision to go natural, and I believe it’s because of the way a person grows up, society’s expectations and ideals of beauty has such a deep impact on the people living in that society. So this idea that light skinned, skinny, and long beautiful hair is the ideal, it leaves alot of young girls seeking to attain this unrealistic level of perfection. So I think that these things still have an affect in America and those results from the movie would be the same. I think that Africans/African Americans need to take back their roots/heritage and learn to love their kinks and different shades of brown. You’re beautiful. I just wish alot of girls my age would know that.
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:48 am
Comment by Lori & Andres^^
July 23rd, 2007 at 12:20 pm
I don’t think it’s a sociological issue but perhaps psychological. This experiment shines new light on the issue of skin color through the unique, simple, and non-bias perspective of a child. The results of this experiment don’t inspire me to jump up and point a finger at the ideas of today’s society, but rather provoke my curiosity about the origins of racism in general. I am faced then with the concept of nature vs. nurture. Do the children reject the colored doll because of their personal experience of people who they think look similar, or is it a matter of shear color association leading to such opinions?
-Erik
Marisol thinks children are well aware of their race but there are children who accept themselves how they are.
Spencer thinks that it is almost impossible to tell whether the childern are truely basing their opinions of the dolls on race because of the several influcenes within their lives and it could be that the childern are basing their opinions on emotions that they associate with the two colors.
July 23rd, 2007 at 12:52 pm
I think that Spencer brings up an interesting point by saying that the reason for the children choosing the dolls the dolls the way they did was because of the natural reaction of associating darkness with bad things and lightness with good things, a lot of which stem from religion and the Bible. These kids most likely grew up in a religious background and were taught at a very young age about the white angels in flowing white gowns fighting some evil anti-christ from the black darkness of hell.
July 24th, 2007 at 9:17 am
Melissa Cortnee Kevin: We feel that the attitudes about the dolls are due in part to that there aren’t many positive mainstream role models for African American children. And when you look at actress Halle Berry and singer Beyonce they are pretty light skinned and have straigt hair and extensions.
We think they picked the white doll becuase they were most framiliar with the doll: doll companies may advertise white dolls more due in part to a larger market for that doll. The black doll did not actually reflect a realistic look of an African American, it had the same features as the white doll, just a different complexion.
Even when you look at minority barbie dolls, they have the same features, the same hair, just differnt complexion and hair color. Even in the Disney movies, there is no black princess, but even the middle eastern princess from aladdin has pretty much the exact same features as european disney princesses.
When the kids said that the black doll was bad, this could be that they see less of it, and are associating that its not popular. Also, some black women who are conveyed in media most of the time arent portrayed positivley. “Like, lil’ Kim went to the awards with half her tittie out.” said Cortnee.