#LightGirls tackles divisions among black women in the US

The hashtag #LightGirls trended across the US on Monday as Twitter users discussed divisions among African Americans based on skin tone.

The conversation was sparked by a documentary of the same name that aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network. “Light Girls” is a follow-up to the 2011 film “Dark Girls“, which addressed prejudice faced by dark-skinned black women. In the sequel, director Bill Duke looks at specific issues faced by light-skinned black women in the US. 

“Pain has no color, but there’s a separation socially,” Duke told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s assumed that light-skinned women have no problems or issues, but they are judged before you know who they are”.

On Twitter, #LightGirls received more than 55,000 mentions in less than 24 hours.