Prejudice Based on Skin Color Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Prejudice Based on Skin Color - Dissertation Example However, after the expression of the skin color through genetics, external factors, for example, ultra-violet rays from the sun may change the skin color away from its initial genetic expression. Distance from the equator is also another external factor that affects the skin color. Even though the non-genetic factors have an effect on the skin color, it is important to note that the effect of genes overrides them all (Kontopoulou and Marketos). This is because the expression caused by the gene is irreversible as compared to that on non-genetic factors. The light skin has always been favored over the dark skin across the various human cultures throughout history. This is because light skin has always been associated with beauty, intelligence and grace while the dark skin has always been considered to be inferior, uncivilized and subordinate (Dovidio and Gaertner). This view was later entrenched in the general psyche by the unfortunate tragedies of slavery and colonialism of the dark-s kinned people by the light skinned people throughout the work in the 19th and 20th centuries. This legacy has perpetuated the view of the superiority of the light skin over the dark skin into the modern times. During slavery era, the lighter skinned black slaves were favored by their masters over their darker skinned counterparts because they were perceived to be more intelligent, co-operative and beautiful as contrasted with darker skinned slaves who were considered ugly, uncivilized and crude (Sulem et al.).