(Just for context: I'm white, not USAmerican, & my country is like 96% white)
So I'm a writer, and I know that describing Black (and brown) people's skin with food-related similes is generally a no-go. But I wanna know what is fine. Is describing someone's skin with woods (eg. mahogany, walnut, chestnut, rosewood, ebony (<- this one feels. Ickyyy)) fine? Is something like "onyx" or "jet" fine (sorta like how "alabaster" is semi-common for really pale people)? Would describing someone's skin like "she had chocolate skin" be fine as long as you don’t start writing a whole homeric comparison to the exact flavour and make of chocolate, or are all colour terms relating to food off the table?
Thanks, have a great day/night! :)
💬 23 🔁 1112 ❤️ 2041 · "Defying the Default"- Skin Tones and the Presence of Black Characters · Okay, this one is going to be half lesson
Everyone doesn't agree on that topic. Some people are Firm No Food Comparisons. I am not, I just think that if the only thing you can think of is "chocolate", there's a problem with how you perceive Black people. I personally enjoy the colors of spices and woods, and there's gemstones and fabrics. There's a LOT of options!
And ebony is not a bad word if you don't use it in the sexual connotation that has been attached to it. I don't think it's fair that we give ebony a bad name, when really it's the fault of racism that did that to her. Beautiful color.














