We're talking colorism with actor Lance Gross and actress Deynce Lawton today. Let's discuss inside...
Yesterday, actor Lance Gross posted an innocent picture of his newborn son Lennon, but it quickly turned into a colorism debate in the comments section of his Instagram account, spinning off his own words about his baby's complexion.
Lennon is literally less than a month old and he's already tangled up in some social media colorism drama. His dad shared the picture above with the caption, "LL Kool G my little man’s color is comin’ in nicely! I’m hyped!"
It's also not the first time he's mentioned skin complexion in reference to himself or his family.
It didn't take long for folks to scold him for perpetuating colorism and many users asked if he was so concerned with his son having "color," why didn't he make a woman with a darker skin complexion his wife and mother of his kids. So, he made another post to respond to the backlash in his previous post.
“Two things I am proud of is the ability to smile through any situation and the rich melanin and layers my body,” he wrote. “For my daughter or son to share that blessing makes me overjoyed. Miss me with the self-hate cause those assumptions are invalid. I love me more than anyone else."
He also made it clear that his wife, Rebecca Jefferson, is actually African-American. It indeed sparked an eons-long debate about whether brown-skin black men, and the black community in general, often put lightskin, biracial, "exotical" (as the rappers OFTEN rap about) features on a pedastal. Lance is often praised for his chocolately brown sex appeal, but many black women of the same hue aren't praised for the same or are overlooked in many ways because of it.
There's been plenty of debates around people of color who choose partners who are just (insert race here) enough to be able to say they have a black partner, but the person also has many of the european or exotic features they love as well. And some folks seem to think Lance might fall under this category.
Rebecca's mother is reportedly white, and her father is black Sci-Fi actor icon Herbert Jefferson, Jr. There were several comments that alluded Lance prefers light-skinned women based on the appearance of his wife. He said he chose love, not "skin tone."
“Colorism exists, yes, but y’all not about to label every dark skin Black man who is in a relationship with someone lighter complexion under that bus. I chose love not skin tone,” he explained.
Valid point, especially since he recognized colorism does, in fact, exist. Some often act as if it is some foreign concept that never, ever occurs.
Several folks on Twitter have their own opinions (from both sides) about Lance and his colorism talk:
lol @lancegross is such a colorstruck dumb self-hating kneegrow. This is the dumbest caption ever. If you wanted to have a child with your full ACTUAL dark skinT complexion then you wouldn't have procreated with an extra light skinT MIXED race woman. @ChrissiesWaypic.twitter.com/UbizigWqm2
— Sara (@Saaaa_hot) August 2, 2018
I LOVE Lance Gross. He is sweet, humble and gorgeous. But he is not fooling anybody with this dissertation on how he loves himself and glad his kids have color.
— Peaches_n_Herbs (@HerbsPeaches) August 2, 2018
For the lance gross situation y’all stay complaining y’all at least she black y’all dtm if she was white y’all would complain but the woman is black and yalllll still complaining cuz she light gtfo y’all hoes annoying
— KB (@MeaLorene) August 2, 2018
Y’all really in Lance Gross mentions over him being happy about his son’s dark skin complexion aka him supporting the notion that dark skin is lit aka him amping his son all because his wife is mixed and light skin. Y’all different and weird. pic.twitter.com/RxlTcWTCOL
— Maxamillion (@RegalBasil) August 2, 2018
In 2015, Lance and Rebecca tied the knotin Beverly Hills after dating for years. They first welcomed their daughter Berkeley Brynn Gross in 2014 and they just welcomed their son Lennon Lorin Gross last month right after Lance's birthday.
Are people making a big deal out of nothing or do they make valid points?
Speaking of colorism...here's a twist...
Biracial actress Denyce Lawton, who's African-American and Korean is sick and tired of colorism, specifically, people of color who bash biracial women. The actress posted a meesage on social media asking black men and women to stop "shaming" biracial women. She wants the same energy folks have claiming biracial men ARE black for her and her counterparts.
In her post, she wrote, "COLORISM Must STOP! Dear Fellow Black Women & Men, please stop color shaming biracial women. Where's the same energy when you claim & praise the Barack Obama's of the world? So only biracial black men are considered REAL BLACK people? Why not biracial or lighter women? Why? Knock it off! Your hatred looks like self hate!"
So, people haven't caped ENOUGH for biracial women? Bi-racial people are in fact, black. No one with sense debates that. But is that what colorism is actually about?
We all have struggles, and it's important to note colorism has always been a tool to use against people - of any race - of darker complexions.
Sound off below.
Photos: Lance's IG/Denyce's IG
