Who taught black people to hate themselves?

Growing up, I struggled with my self-confidence because I did not fit the European standard of beauty. Sadly, the only black girls who were praised in school were mostly biracial. During my early teenage years, I hated being a "fully" black girl. It was obvious that biracial girls were the standard of beauty within the black community and therefore, I felt as if I had to look a certain way in order to be considered pretty.

I was not proud of my blackness until my sophomore year in high school. After my self-esteem boosted, everyone around me began to see my natural glow. No matter how much I struggled with my identity as a black girl, I had to realize that I had it easier than my darker skinned brothers and sisters. No, I am not a biracial girl with loose curls, but I still have privileges. In high school, I was guilty of participating in discriminatory jokes, but I did not know it was wrong. Black people have been brainwashed and most of us are still living in denial.

As I reflect on my early years, I continue to cringe at my past actions. Most black parents do not teach their children to discriminate against their own kind, but somehow black children are learning how to hate each other.

"Angel, you are a burnt biscuit!"

"Daquan, I turned off the lights and I could not see you!"

"You have good hair. My hair is so nappy!"

"Light skinned girls are winning! I do not date dark skinned girls!"

"Dark skinned girls are ratchet and ghetto."

"I only date white girls because black girls are not attractive to me."

If you have heard something similar to the statements above, you have witnessed self-hatred. If you do not see anything wrong with the quotes above, you are a part of the problem. How long will it be until black people realized that we have been bamboozled and brainwashed?