Michael Jackson did not want to be white
Kobena Mercer in Welcome to the Jungle introduced the notion of ethnic androgyny to describe Michael Jackson’s paling of his skin and re-shaping his nose. Mercer explores the idea that Michael Jackson changed his skin colour not to be white, but to be a light-skinned Black man. Jackson’s whole remodelling of his hair, face and skin was to make him more lovable and marketable to a wider audience. Did Jackson believe it was easier to sell himself more successfully as ethnically androgynous than ethnically unambiguous to a global pop audience? The pop charts are not usually dominated by dark skinned Black men.
People who say he was trying to be white are missing the point entirely and have very little understanding of African descent cultures and the complex relationship to pigmentocracy in the New World. Within African American and Caribbean cultures what is often valued and considered attractive is never white skin but light skin, and hair with the African kink taken out. The so-called desire for people of colour to be white remains a white pre-occupation.
In addition Michael Jackson looked increasingly more gender androgynous as time went by. His maleness disappearing underneath wigs, red lipstick and a made up face. His eyes more wide open and doe like through surgery. He began to look like a mutant version of Diana Ross on whom it was rumoured he modelled his look. This “look” did not and does not hamper record sales. However had he been a hip hop star his career would have sank without a trace.
It has been reported that Joe Jackson, Michael’s father repeatedly told Michael he was ugly, his nose was too big. In addition Michael reported that his brothers also teased him. This form of abuse on top of the physical punishment Michael experienced must have had an effect on Michael’s psyche. So in addition to being incredible driven, he must have also been full of self loathing and doubts about his own enormous talents. It is interesting that the entire family has changed their noses through surgery.
Michael also looked and acted like an effeminate boy and and later man. I am almost certain that this was unsettling to his apparently seeming macho father and teenage brothers.
The tragedy of Michael Jackson to me represents a failure of some African Caribbean/American parents to accept a different kind of masculinity in their sons, other than the posturing posing plastic hypermasculinity now almost compulsory and ubiquitous in African descent culture.
Would Michael Jackson still be alive if he had the strength to be like Prince or Little Richard and just accept who he was – a wonderful effeminate, made-up dandy boy?
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Yes, he was effeminated and yes he wanted to be white. If not white in spirit but in looks. That explained why he kept changing his looks. I am not saying the abuse of his big nose by his dad might not have influenced his decision to change his nose but he was an adult, he was famous and he could seek pyschology help at the time he changed his nose. So, this to me was not from his childhood abuse but what he wanted to be.
I never approved of the skin change and not because he wanted to be white or not but because I didnt see it has being necessary.
Anyway, I am not judging Michael and I was asd over his death but truth be told, he wanted to be white in looks.
Do you really think he wanted to be white? All his work is so African American. His dances, phrasing in music, religion seems to me more African than European, even while his skin got lighter. He kinda looked not like a human but a ghost in my opinion. Like the masks the voodoo doctors wear for rituals.
Alot of other African American stars change their noses or get their publicity shots lightened. Do you think they want to be white too?
I just think it is interesting we focus on MJ but not the other people who make subtler changes but are changes nonetheless. is subtle change all right but big changes bad?
Interesting article re marketability and skin colour. A Lighter Shade of Sale – Movie posters lighten skin tone
You all DO realize that Mike had VITILIGO? DUH!!! That is what caused his skin color to change.! You people really need to do some research and quit tormenting the poor guy. He's gone now and our kids will NEVER know the kind of music that he did except through what WE have! Grow up!
Yes we do. But that does not stop the speculation. Also we don\’t know most of his skin was hwite. And bcos you have vitiligo does not mean you have to alter the features on your face by multiple cosmetic surgery procedures. Do you?
I love this post! I particularly love it for adding the terms ethnically androgynous and ethnically unambiguous to my vocabulary. THANK YOU!
Wow! Great piece.
A number of things – I personally do not think in this day and age one's colour is a barrier to global music success. And hip hop is now the most successful musical genre ever. When MJ was at his peak this was not the case. I think HE was convinced that in order to dominate charts globally he needed to change his image as he aged. His image changed radically from Off the Wall to Thriller. I also don't think onje has to be light to be all right. But it appears that some publicists and marketeers might think so in the POP world – not R&B, Hip Hop, Jazz etc.
Of course how people represent is personal but if they are in the public eye it has some impact no? Isn't it important that no female star of African descent has natural African hair? I find it all quite interesting to see what message is being assimilated by young African descent women? I don't think because they have long flowing straight hair that they want to be white. In none of Michael Jackson's work or public speeches did he ever give any impression he wanted to be white. I feel he wanted to be loved by everyone at whatever cost.