logo
episode-header-image
Apr 19
23m 48s

BBC OS Conversations: Colourism

Bbc World Service
About this episode

The issue of colourism was highlighted in a recent BBC news report about a Nigerian woman who bleached the skin of her six young children leaving them with discoloured skin, burns and scars. It is a form of racism where light skin is more highly valued than dark skin amongst people of the same ethnic group. In our conversations, we hear from women who share experiences of colourism in India including Chandana who has faced colourism from an early age. We also bring together two black women who work in the fashion and beauty industry, where appearance is everything. Beauty journalist, Ateh, shares her experiences of colourism with Nyakim, a Sudanese-American model known as Queen of the Dark after her naturally dark skin tone.

Up next
Today
Ark of the dry lands
Researchers in Morocco are developing dry-land agriculture at ICARDA (the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas). It is home to a gene bank, in which around 150,000 different seed-types are kept in perfectly calibrated cold vaults, and duplicated to prot ... Show More
26m 29s
Yesterday
Bonus. World of Secrets: The Killing Call
Sidhu Moose Wala explodes onto the Canadian music scene. His sound is a fusion of two worlds - hip-hop with the poetic language of rural Punjab, where he is from. After years of struggle he is making it. But with the spotlight comes a dark side. As his fame grows, so do the threa ... Show More
35m 54s
Jul 8
Re-homing France’s immigrant workers
France’s last foyers – housing for immigrant workers – are set for demolition. But some current residents are worried about what they’ll lose. Hundreds of “foyers” - housing units especially for immigrant workers – were built after World War II. The economy was booming and France ... Show More
27m 11s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
Women's hidden role in the history of healing
Despite their pivotal roles in advancing healthcare, women’s contributions to medicine have often been overshadowed or erased by male-dominated narratives. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks with two women dedicated to reclaiming this lost history and highlighting the vital work that w ... Show More
26m 28s
Mar 2025
Clip "How Growing up in Italy as a Black Woman Shaped her Identity" from Episode 8
This clip is from Episode 8: "Growing Up Black in Italy - Stefania Okereke's Journey from Childhood in Cremona to Producing a Show with Amazon Prime that Taught her the Italian Food Fun Facts she Shares" Find the full episode here: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube In the full episo ... Show More
7m 40s
Nov 2022
Noor Tagouri (Journalist)
This week, Isha is joined by fellow journalist Noor Tagouri. From her childhood obsession with Oprah to launching her journalism career when she was only 15 years old, Noor has demonstrated a tireless commitment to storytelling. Isha and Noor delve into how she uses her years of ... Show More
44m 13s
Apr 18
Meloni meets Trump, Eczema, Girl choristers, Singledom
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni - the first woman to occupy that role - has faced one of her biggest international tests yet. She is the first European leader to go to Washington to meet President Trump since his recent announcement of new tariffs on the EU. So how did Melo ... Show More
57m 31s
Aug 2020
An honest conversation about race and fashion: Pass the Mic to Henrietta Gallina & Robin Givhan
In the final of three parts, Fashion: No Filter passes the mic to our guest editor Henrietta Gallina as we explore the role of mainstream media in the current climate. In light of the rallying cry for the fashion industry to put an end to ongoing systemic racism, Henrietta, Camil ... Show More
1h 17m
Jun 2021
Queens corner with Ash: Living Mixed Raced featuring Grace
In this episode Ash speaks with Grace about life as a biracial women. Grace tells us what inspired her to set up her social media platform supporting people from a mixed heritage background, and the two share their challenges and experiences growing up and living mixed race. To f ... Show More
39m 13s
Dec 2024
The Social Mirror
Beauty and health may seem in opposition – but in many ways, they are two sides of the same coin. In this episode we’ll hear from Dutch photographer and kickboxer Ilse Twigt on how her relationship with her body changed after fighting cancer. We’ll also hear from Dr. Nina Jablons ... Show More
36m 5s
Oct 2024
34. Violet Charlesworth - Fake Heiress
In this episode of Lady Swindlers, Lucy Worsley meets Violet Charlesworth, an heiress with a taste for the high life. From her family home in North Wales, Violet drives the length and breadth of the country in her expensive motorcars, accompanied by pedigree pooches and dripping ... Show More
27m 46s
Aug 2024
Book Forum: The Color Black - Enslavement and Erasure in Iran
In this new Book Forum episode, we’re joined by Beeta Baghoolizadeh to discuss her book "The Color Black: Enslavement and Erasure in Iran." Baghoolizadeh challenges the prevailing narratives about Iran's history, uncovering the complex and often overlooked story of Black people i ... Show More
50m 5s