Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris had a message for her 1.3 million Twitter followers: stop changing my skin color.
“I appreciate everything y’all make for me. I enjoy every single edit I see,” wrote the 19-year-old. “But please stop lightening my skin to make me look more white, and please stop darkening my skin to make me look more mixed. I am what I am. I’m aware of what I look like, and [I’m] finally happy with it.”
The teen’s plea sparked a number of reactions from some who expressed sympathy and others who showed indifference.
“I’m so sorry, Paris,” one person tweeted. “I have never understood why someone would want to change someone else’s skin color. It’s really upsetting that you even have to point this out.”
“Who cares,” another person wrote.
The first time the late singer’s daughter mentioned race was in January of 2017 when she told Rolling Stone that she considers herself Black. Paris said she came to that conclusion as a young girl when her father told her to be proud of her African-American roots.
In that same interview, the teen said she’s aware that some will be surprised by her proclamation, but it won’t stop her from being who she is.
“Most people that don’t know me call me white,” said Paris. “I’ve got light skin and, especially since I’ve had my hair blond, I look like I was born in Finland or something.”
Afterwards, on her talk show, Wendy Williams spoke about Paris’ interview and said regardless of how she sees herself, she’ll be looked at as white.
“I get that she considers herself Black and everything,” said Williams. “But I’m just talking about the visual because, you know .. Black is not what you call yourself, it’s what the cops see you when they got steel to your neck on the turnpike. It’s what they see. But that’s cute and good for her.”
Paris responded to the talk show host and said she can’t tell her what race to claim because she didn’t give birth to her.
https://twitter.com/ParisJackson/status/971257735756042240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fatlantablackstar.com%2F%3Fp%3D401075
Your beautiful the way you were made! Its so sad we live in a society where people have to edit things to satisfy their description of what is acceptable to fit into society or what they think society wants to see. Never change, stand strong! Your Beautiful!
— LaineeCummings (@laineecummings) March 7, 2018
This media obsession with her skin tone has been going on a long time and kudos to her for declaring “i am what i am. i’m aware of what i look like and i finally happy with it.” Why can’t media appreciate people what they do rather than just the color of their skin?
— EaglePundit 🔹 (@RealEagleBites) March 7, 2018
Who cares?
— S.G.I.T. (@someguyntexas) March 7, 2018
i’m so sorry paris. i have never understood why someone would want to change some else’s skin colour. it’s really upsetting that you even have to point this out 🙁
— Chanel Mercadante (@chanelmercadant) March 7, 2018
We all Love you for who you are. I think sometimes its not intentionally done, sometimes after a lot of editing it may or may not affect the skin tone. But sorry about it. Again we love you for being you and nothing about that will change ♥
— Paris Jackalope (@parisMJK) March 7, 2018
Shes not mixed. She is not biologically mj’s child. Her pretending shes black and to know what black people go through is an insult. I know this and am white. People are deluded to think shes his biological child.
— Heidi 👽 (@Heidi__TS) March 7, 2018
She IS Michael’s biological child and that makes her biracial. The fact that most people think she doesn’t look mixed doesn’t change the fact that she is.
— so fancy free (@michaelmyflop) March 7, 2018
Not every biracial child looks the same. She is biracial but she happened to have blue eyes. If she had curly hair and dark eyes with that same complexion, NO ONE would second guess it. pic.twitter.com/9o45iXX4Ly
— throwback threads ❄ (@vintagexpast) March 7, 2018
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