Zendaya: ‘I don’t face the same struggles as a woman with darker skin’
Zendaya Coleman is on the cover of the June issue of Cosmopolitan, and not only is she rocking the cover but she is rocking the truth about colorism.
In her interview, she spoke out about the bias that works in her favor because of her lighter skin:
“I feel a responsibility to be a voice for the beautiful shades my people come in. Unfortunately, I have a bit of a privilege compared to my darker sisters and brothers… Like people question, Would you listen to Zendaya if she wasn’t the same skin color? And that’s an honest question. Can I honestly say that I’ve had to face the same racism and struggles as a woman with darker skin? No, I cannot. I have not walked in her shoes and that is unfair of me to say. But I’m completely behind that woman. I want to be a part of the movement and growth. And if I get put in a position because of the color of my skin where people will listen to me, then I should use that privilege the right way.”
Mad props to Zendaya for recognizing, at age 19, what is going on in the world. Keep being amazing, Zendaya!
See Also: Zendaya vents her ‘frustration’ over white women appropriating braids from black women
