Battling Colorism: Struggles of Selected Senior High Students in General de Jesus College With Skin Tone Bias

Abstract

Favoring lighter complexion over darker skin is a behavior known as colorism, and it can have disastrous effects on the people it affects (Grant, 2023). The researchers thoroughly investigated the challenges of the chosen General de Jesus College students in grades 11 and 12 with colorism during the academic year 2022–2023. The study aimed to learn more about the experiences and their effects on the chosen respondents. This paper also covered coping strategies, suggestions, and potential remedies for students who experience skin-tone bias. The study elaborated on the experiences of senior high school students using a phenomenology qualitative research technique. A semi-structured interview with ten (10) respondents provided essential data on the topic of this study. The researchers also conducted in-person and online interviews to grasp the respondents' perspectives further. This study has resulted in figuring out that the majority of the respondents experienced discrimination and some experienced bullying. The findings also showed that many were mentally affected because of their issues, while some were affected physically and emotionally. It has also been revealed that embracing skin tone is an effective way of dealing with the respondents' issues because of colorism. The students that took part in this study suggested using school advocacies and promoting mutual respect for everyone to eradicate the problem. The results display the need for proper acknowledgment of the issue. Not addressing this will not eradicate the problem, and will continue to be rampant.