The Browning Complex I - I call It Discrimination!

During my regular blogroll, I have come across quiet a few posts from my fellow Caribbean bloggers in other countries, who relate their experiences with racism. I must admit that those cases are extreme when I consider the social interactions in Jamaica. However, a form of racism, if I may use such a harsh word, exists in the Jamaican culture.

The thing is I have a fair complexion or what is locally known as "Browning" in Jamaica. The blessing and the curse. I must admit that this complexion does have it's advantages as the likkle high colour and pretty hair somehow makes you a bit more appealing to quiet a few girls and for some it gives that a boost up the corporate ladder. However, there is a price to pay for being a Browning.

"Brown man!"
One of the tortures I had to endure while growing up and still am enduring is constantly being called Brown man or Browning. Some have even gone as far as calling me Mr. Chin...note I am of Irish and Black decent, not Asian! I find it extremely annoying when I'm referred to as Brown man or Browning. It feels as if I'm being singled out for the colour of my skin. If you don't know my name, I'm ok with "young man" or "Yow my yute" or refer to be by the colour of my clothes. That's how a person of dark complexion calls to another dark person in Jamaica, why do I have to be referred to by the colour of my skin? I don't walk around calling to people as "Black man", "Black woman" or "Blackning"!

Yuh Rich
The one that really pisses me of the assumption that because I'm light skinned I have money. I call it the "Brown People Have Money Syndrome". I will abbreviate it and call it BMS for the rest of this article (venting). It is a very common misconception among many Jamaicans, in other words many Jamaicans suffer from BMS. I face this almost every day, when I go about my own business in public.

I remember this incident some time ago. I just started working and I didn't have my car as yet, so I had to take public transportation to visit my mom back in Portland. I was on this mini bus, and if you have ever traveled on a mini bus (Mostly 15 seat, Toyota Hiace or the larger 20+ seat, Coaster) in Jamaica, yuh know it packer dan a sardine tin! There was this big fat woman beside me, taking up two persons seat, and squeezing the life out of me. As if that wasn't bad enough I had to drive through "The Junction" in St. Mary. The Junction is the most winding and treacherous road in Jamaica. Corners inside of corners, semi-loose rocks on one side of the road and precipices on the other side of the road. As the bus rocked to my side this fat woman attempted to crush me to death. So in an attempt to save my life, I used my elbow to gentle ease her up. She didn't like it and proceeded to cuss me out. "People like yuh nuh fi travel pon bus...” and the statement that took the cake, "...all if mi did brown like yuh mi woulda have mi own car...” How the hell the colour of my skin will magically allow me to have a car? I have to for a living just like any other Jamaican!

I find that in Jamaica there is a price for dark skinned people and a price for light skinned people. If I decide to buy something from some of the higglers who sell on the side of the road, I have to pay Brown Skin Tax (BST). Just because of the colour of my skin, some of these higglers think that I am rich. A few months ago I was searching for a dog tag (the chains soldiers wear), and asked the price and this man wanted to sell me a $300 dog tag for $600, "a wah tek dah fool yah", I said to myself and walked off. Just a few days ago, a dumb ass self-proclaimed repairman claimed to have repaired my girlfriend’s fridge and because I was there, he wanted to charge $2000 fro diagnosing the problem (which he did not!) after telling her that it was $800. When she objected he proceeds to turn to me and say, "Brown skinned man like yuh a big monetary man, yuh must can tek care a di fee." What di rass! Here we go again, another case of BMS.

Maybe racism is too much of a strong word, or call me overly sensitive, but I do face a form of discrimination here in Jamaica, due to the colour of my skin.