All language subtitles for S05E10

♪ I'm with this ♪

♪ Complexion ♪
[ Alarm rings ]

♪ Two-step ♪
[ Alarm stops ]

♪ Complexion don't mean
a thing ♪

[ Yawns ]

♪ It's a Zulu love ♪

[ Sighs ]

♪ Oh, complexion ♪

♪ Two-step ♪

♪ It all feels the same ♪

♪ It's a Zulu love ♪

♪ Ah ♪

♪ Dark as the midnight hour or
bright as the morning sun ♪

Dre: Some days it's
like you can guess

exactly where you're going...

Coffee,
my half-Nubian queen?

Oh, well, thank you so much,
my hobo-bearded king.

Jack: Mo-ooom! Da-aaad!

Ah, here we go.

What do you think
he forgot this time?

Field trip.

And I bet you
the rest of this creamer

that he wants
one of us to chaperone.

[ Creamer splashes ]

I'll take that action.
Bet.

Okay,
so I need one of you guys

to pay for my class picture,
okay?

You can do
cash, credit, Venmo...
Damn it.

And, Mom,
you can write a check.

Dad, you cannot.

Ha!

Thank you.

And also,
we only have 42 minutes

to get to school
on time, so...

You do realize
once you get there,

you still
will be at school.
Dre.

I understand,

but I've had perfect attendance
all semester,

and if I get on time today,

I'll get
my first certificate.

'Cause I need
something positive

for them
to put in the yearbook.

All they have right now is --
Jack Johnson, tries.

Aw. Well, that's nice.
Okay, buddy.

All right, all right,
I will get you to school.

Aw, look how
cute you are.

Thank you so much
for not holding

the invisible guns
this year.

[ Sighs ] I forgot.

[ Chuckles ]
Where's Diane?

What?
Right there.

[ Gasps ]

Oh, my God.

What's wrong, babe?

Yeah, that's Diane.

Oh, my God!

And other days,

you never could've guessed
where you'd end up.

They O.J.'d my baby!

Principal Biggs?

Uh, y-yes...

Yes, I am calling
from a landline

because this is
very serious.

My daughter was not lit properly
in the class photo.

And someone decided
to print it anyway.

Yeah,
it's gonna be a fight!

All right, let me give
you a little context.

Black people come
in many shades,

from Mariah Carey
to Wesley Snipes.

Because we look different,

we get discriminated
against differently.

Like in the case of O.J.

A magazine made his skin
look darker

to make him seem
more villainous.

And sadly, it's not
just done to us.

Like with the

"Are You Darker Than
a Brown Paper Bag Test."

Sometimes we even discriminate
against each other.

It's called "colorism" --

the racist belief that
lightskin is good

and darkskin is bad.

But it's not just us.

People are color-struck
all around the world...

In Asian communities,

some people use umbrellas
and visors to avoid the sun.

In Indian communities,
some dark-skinned actors

say they have trouble starring
even in Bollywood movies.

And in the Latin community,

products that bleach your skin

are becoming increasingly
popular.

But with Black Americans,

people believe colorism
was the brainchild

of a slave owner
named Willie Lynch

who taught other slave owners

how to control us
by dividing us by color.

Turns out, the story of
Willie Lynch is a hoax.

But it felt real because of
the fact that slave owners

did divide us by color,

putting dark slaves
in the field

and light slaves in the house.

This separation caused
deep-seated tension

and resentment that continues
to this day.

The resentment is so great

that it makes us
hyper-sensitive

to issues of complexion.

Which brings us back to this...

It's gonna be a fight!

Yeah, we are coming in there
to see you this morning.

Mm-hmm, a real cat fight!

Yeah, uh-huh...

Like, immediately
after drop-off,

we are coming
to your office.

Mm-hmm, I'm talking about
hair wrapped, earrings out,

Vaseline
on your face fight!
Okay. Okay.

Uh-huh.
We will see you then.

Thank you.
Mm-hmm.

Unbelievable.

You got this, Bow.
You got this.

You can get her.

You can take her.

I'm not fighting
the principal, Dre.
Why not?

-What?
-Hey, what's going on here?

D-- I...
This.

So when is Rainbow gonna
fight the principal?

That's what I'm talking about!
What is wrong with --

Whup my ass!
What is wrong with you guys?

Diane!

[ Hushed voice ]
Honestly, Mama...

How are you doing?

Mother,
why are you touching me?

We saw your class photo.

Oh, that?
Yeah.

Eh, it's no big deal.

Yes, it is.
Dre: Yeah.

Yes, it is.

Sweetheart, it is not okay

for them to light you
like this.

They need to be more sensitive
to all complexions.

-Mm-hmm.
-Mm-hmm.

And we're gonna go and talk
to them about this.

Yes, your mother gonna
beat up the principal.
No, I'm not.

No, you're not.

But you're gonna
try your best.

I'm proud of you, baby.

You guys don't have
to do this.

Everybody takes
bad pictures.

Yeah, especially
Dad in the '90s.

♪♪

Do y'all know how hard
it is to lean on a cane?

Oh, my God.
Huh? Do you?

Okay, well, the point is
we have less than 40 minutes

to get to school on time.

Yes, and we are gonna
get you there.

And when we do,

we are going to explain
to Principal Biggs

that this
is thoughtless and hurtful.

And we are gonna demand

that she retake this photo
with proper lighting.

No...

we're gonna go in
there screaming

how racist they are

and get free pictures
for the rest of our lives.

And then I'm gonna ask
for some Kanye tickets.

-Kanye?
-I really want to see him,

but I will never ever give
that man any more of my money.

We have no idea if
this was intentional.

We can't just
walk into Valley Glen

yelling about racism.

It can't always be
peaceful, Bow.

Sometimes you need
a Ferguson.

We don't need either.

I honestly think the
photographer just messed up.

So can we please
just drop this?

This is nothing
to be ashamed of.

And I know this
is uncomfortable,

but you have to
trust us, okay?

We're gonna figure
this out...

[ Sighs ]
...together,
as a family, okay?

Whoo! Morning.

Do I have time to get a smoothie
before work?

Uh, we're gonna be late.

We got to go to the school

because Diane has had her
first issues with complexion.

Mm.

So a yes on the smoothie.

Thank you, bigotry.

Junior.

But, hey, don't worry.

If you can handle
our family's issues
with complexion,

then you can handle
anybody else's.
What issues?

[ Car tires screeching ]
If you're wondering
why this feels

like an accident
about to happen,

it's because colorism is
something Black families

really don't like
to talk about.

I just meant she'll
get used to it.

You know, since we're
all colorists.

Whoa.
I mean, especially Dad.

[ Car tires squealing,
glass shattering ]

What the hell
are you saying?

Oh, uh, my bad.

Did you guys want to be the ones
to break it to her?

[ Ruby muttering ]

Rainbow: Junior.

What are you
talking about?

Yeah,
we're not colorists.

Oh, oh, s-so that's what
we're doing here?

Oh, my bad, yeah.

This family willingly accepts
Black people of all shades.

You sound stupid.

You think we treat Diane
the same way the school does?

[ Sighs ]
No one is saying that.

Can we just forget
about all this?

Yeah, I don't think is gonna
help me get to school on time.

Look, I just meant
that sometimes

the lightskin people
in this family

get treated badly.

That's what you meant?

But you know, baby,
lightskins don't have problems.

Or course fair-skinned people
have problems.

Yeah, but it's the same way
rich people have problems.

[ Scoffs ]
What?

Oh no, I can't fit all
my money in my pocket.

Heavens, the butler is sick.

Who will apply my SPF-162
to my translucent fair skin?

[ Laughs ]
Rainbow: Setting
a very good example, Dre,

with all these jokes.

That's really good.
No, they liked it.

This is what happens every time
we talk about this.

We get jokes.

Calm down, Team Lightskin.
It's all right.

Yeah, it's just jokes.
Thank you, Mama.

That you guys constantly
do all the time.

Team Lightskin.
Or half-Nubian queen.

Or "Oh, you guys come
from Lightskinsylvania."

Don't you?
Or me looking like
Raven-Symoné with a fade.

[ Laughs ]
Guys, come on.
We're talking about jokes.

Not oppression. Jokes.

Well, if it's so
harmless, Dre,

then would you mind
if Junior and I

just start making a
couple darkskin jokes?

Come on.
Yeah, a darkskin
guy walks --

I dare you.
Mm-hmm. Guys, go up.

Finish getting ready.
You can go now.

[ Both sigh ]
Go ahead.
Get out of here.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,
wh-- what are you doing?

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
We --
We were just talking.

Oh, we're just talking?
Yes.

Well, I do not want them
learning about colorism

through a whole bunch
of ignorant jokes.

You know what?

You can act like you're hurt
if you want to, Rainbow,

but if you get to complain
about a few jokes,

I get to complain
about how lightskin

is the Black standard
of beauty.

[ Scoffs ]

Who do women
with deeper skin tones

have to look up to, huh?

Um, Lupita.

Yeah, name another one.

Nyong'o.

Okay, see? See? See?
Sit down.

Yeah, great list.

Let me help you out --
Tika Sumpter...

Mm-hmm.
...Viola Davis...

Ooh, yeah.
...and that beautiful
bald-headed lady

from "Black Panther"...
Danai Gurira?

Yeah. But Lupita's
on all the magazines

because they only choose
one darkskin woman

to celebrate
every 10 years.

I'm not saying that's okay,
because it's not.

But I did not choose to
be born with fairer skin.

Still, people act like
we created the problem.

That's why we can't tell jokes
but you can.

It's like you're saying
we're not really Black.

Look at this.

The lion
is king of the jungle,

but when he's lightskinned,
his mane is flat-ironed.

And he sings.
[ Off-key singing ]

Not to mention all of
the "Drake be like" jokes.

Okay, look here, man.

Drake jokes
are not lightskin jokes.

Of course they are.

You're saying he's soft
because he's lightskinned.

No, I'm saying he's soft

because he pees
with his pinky out.

[ Ruby and Dre laugh ]
It's like you can't
even help yourself.

Let me tell you this --

I'd gladly trade a few jokes
for lightskin privilege.

Oh, mm-hmm.

I have worked for everything
that I have.

Okay, so you're
saying white people

don't have white privilege?

Of course white people
have white privilege.

Okay, then why can't
lightskinned people

have lightskin privilege?

Because, Dre,
we're still Black.

In what community?

When I walk down
the street,

people don't see my privilege.

They see a Black woman.

A tan woman.

I'm not tan, Ruby.

Okay, guys, guys,
I'm gonna call this, okay?

Because we are
not about to solve

a few hundred years
of colorism today,

all right?
Mm.

So let's just agree
to disagree.

I agree to disagree.

Yeah, you should probably
get Jack to school, Dad.

Because clearly we are
not gonna fix you guys

in one conversation.

Fix us?

♪♪

Hey, homie?

That was crazy back there,
right?

Yeah.
That was pretty intense.

I know, man.

One silly little comment
about us being colorist

and then the ladies,
they start tripping.

Right.

You know, but...you and me,
we're cool.

Because I know
you didn't really mean

those things
you said back there.

No,
I meant what I said.

Hey, man,
I'm not a colorist.

I love lightskinned people.

Yeah, you love
lightskinned women,

but you think lightskinned dudes
are soft.

No, I just think
you're soft.
But Jack's not?

A guy who dances
and collects flowers

on the field
during his soccer game?

I did do that.

Oh, and uh... hey, Dad...
Hmm?

...I think I invented
a dance move.

Ah.

That's not soft?

That's just Jack.

That's just me.

Okay,
that's Perfect Attendance Jack.

Meet you in the garage?

Mm-hmm.

You see?

I don't treat you
any differently

because of your complexion.

[ Scoffs ]
Whatever, man.

♪♪

Okay.
Hey, hey, hey.

"Whatever" is what people say
when they're wrong.

No, "whatever"
is what people say

when they're done with
a ridiculous conversation.

Hey, hey, hey, man.
Where you going?

I'm not done agreeing
to disagree.

I thought you said
we were dropping this.

I thought you said you're
gonna take me to school.

No one's gonna care if
I'm lightskin or darkskin.

They're just gonna
care if I'm late.

Okay.
Whatever, Jack.

Ruby: Hey, hey, hey.

What's everybody
hollering about?

Are the lightskins crying
beige tears again?

God, can you just stop?

I go out in the world,

and I have to deal
with everything

that comes with being Black,

and then I come home,

and I got to deal
with your jokes.

It's like I have
no safe place to be.

You think you're the only ones
fighting two battles?

Darkskin people have been
picked on by white people

and lightskin people ever
since they brought us here.

So you're gonna blame me

for something I had nothing
to do with?

[ Groans ]
Babe, that is literally

the same thing white people
say about slavery.

Mm.
You're right.
You're right about that.

You think you're
so much better?

"I'm not a colorist because
I've got a lightskin wife"?

[ Indistinct arguing ]
Uh, hello, police?

Yeah, if I told you I had
information on a crime,

would you come take me
and my sister to school?

Hey, want them to come?

Tell them we know where
to find a missing white girl.

Oh. Yeah.

Guys, what are we
even arguing about?

Okay.
[ Indistinct muttering ]

Lightskin people
have it better.

I'm sorry.
You just do.

Next time
I get pulled over,

I'll make sure to tell
the officer that.
[ Sighs ]

You've never
been pulled over.

I've gotten some glares
from bike cops.

So maybe now
we can stop pretending

that you don't
earn more than us?

Or maybe
that you don't get something

like 12% less time
in jail?

No one's saying
that's not true,

but that's not what
this is about.

This is about looking
at damn near every movie,

magazine,
and television show

and only seeing a lighter
version of yourself.

Ooh.
Are you happy for them?

Yes.

But God forbid
you say you feel left out,

and you're called
a crab in a barrel.

The only time I see
a darkskin person on TV

is when the news says

the police have murdered
another one of us!

Thank you.

Since when did you
become darkskin?

I'm not dark-dark,
but, uh, I'm dark enough.

Not as dark as me.
Oh.

No one in this family
is as dark as me.

That's the problem.

That's not a problem.

The fact that you're different
is a good thing.
Mm-hmm.

If it's so good,

then why are you all so scared
to talk about it?

Like today.

You're saying
that it's about

"the camera lighting"
or "complexion."

No, it's about me
being darker.

Well, it's, uh,
a complicated issue,

but, Diane,
all Black skin is beautiful.

-Yes.
-Mm-hmm.

Okay.

So then why do people
bleach their skin?

[ Scoffs ]
How many people do that?

It's like
a $10-billion business.

-[ Sighs ]
-Oh.

Diane, I had no idea that
this hurt you so much.

How could it not?

♪♪

Diane:
It's everywhere I look.

Oh, trust me.

Women like us shouldn't
wear red lipstick.

Try this one.

It's everywhere I go.

Oh, look at you.

You are gorgeous for
a darkskin girl.

[ Chuckles ]

It's everyone I talk to.

[ Sighs ] Sweetheart.

You see,
now you feel bad for me!

[ Stuttering ]

This is why I didn't
want to talk about it.

[ Sighs ]

I just don't want
to be different!

I'll --
I'll go talk to her.
Okay.

Hey, Rainbow, Rainbow.

Let me talk to her.

Excuse me?

I can connect
with her on this.

Oh, and I can't?

Why?
Because I'm lightskinned,

you don't think I can
understand my daughter?

What is wrong with you?

Now, you know
that's not what I meant.
O--

But if it struck
a nerve...

Ladies,
let's not do this.

Let's not do what?!
...all morning!

Ruby, every --
You're wrong for that,
Rainbow!

I'm wrong for that?!
Yes, you're wrong for that,
Rainbow!

Oh, my God.
Over here telling me

I can't go talk
to my grandbaby.

You told me.
No, no, no, as if color

had anything to do with
what I was talking about!

I don't need to know
what you were talking about

because you're always
saying the same thing!

You've been saying
it all morning!

That's what
I'm talking about!

You say to me
you're better than me!

That you're Blacker than me!
Ooh, and I have no struggle!

Seriously?!

My struggle is you, Ruby.

You're a monster.

I am not a monster!

I've been called that
all my life,

and I'm not about to sit here
and let you do it.

Oh...

What just happened?

Dre:
I guess you can see why

we don't talk about colorism.

Because after generations
of pain and hurt feelings,

talking about it
never goes well.

Guys.

I don't know
what happened back there.

I'm sorry
you had to see that.

That's not so bad.

No one got shot.

Okay.
[ Sighs ]

Ruby: Kids, I need you
to come look at this.

Come on, baby.

Come on.

Okay.

Here we go.

Grandma, is that you?

It sure is.

[ Chuckles ]

I used to feel different,
too.

You see, I was
the darkest one in my family

because my people were Creoles
from Baton Rouge.

They were all light enough

to pass
the Brown Paper Bag Test.

Well...

until my mother
met my father.

They were evil
to my father.

And they were even
more evil to me.

I wasn't allowed
in the front yard

with my cousins.

I had to play by myself
in the back

so my dark skin
and my nappy hair

couldn't embarrass
my lightskin family.

I can still hear
their little nursery rhymes.

"If you're light,
you're all right.

If you're brown, stick around.

If you're Black, get back.

Get back.

Get back."

I was mad at them,
not you.

And today I realized

I have been hurting you
the same way they hurt me.

I'm so...so sorry, Rainbow.

You're an incredible
Black mother.

[ Quietly ] Yeah.

And I swear on everything
that I love...

[ Quietly ] Come here.

[ Normal voice ]
...I'm never gonna talk about

your complexion again.

Thank you, Ruby.

I'm so, so sorry
that happened to you.

Oh, I am, too.

Thank you.

Um, hey.

Son, about before, man,
I --

Y-- I-It's cool.

I was so wrapped up
in my own thing

that I forgot how hard it is
for you out there.

It's still
not an excuse.

You being you is not being soft,
and I'm sorry.

Willie Lynch may not be real,
but he was real today.

Oh, yeah.

And we will not allow that
in our house anymore.

Sounds good to me.

So what's the hold-up?

Are we gonna talk to
Ms. Biggs or what?

Are you sure?

Yeah.

This morning was rough.

Yeah.

Yeah.

They need to do better.

Let's go.

Okay, so now
y'all want to go?

'Cause we could have done this
over the drive

or during
a three-day weekend

or during an episode
of "Shark Tank."

We are not late.

There was an assembly
this morning.

What?
Yeah. Mason texted me.

I didn't tell you
because I felt like

you didn't have
my back today.

So w-we still
can make it?
Yeah.

You heard the boy.
The school is on CP time.

Come on.
Let's make some moves.

-Let's go.
-Okay, got --

Colorism is our secret shame,

and the pain it causes
keeps growing

because we rarely
talk about it.

But as I looked at my
multi-colored Black family,

I realized that because
we talked about it,

our wounds could finally
start to heal

as we learned to love ourselves
out in the open.

Because nothing gets better
in the shadows.

♪ Ahh, ahh, ahh ♪

♪♪

[ Pants ]

♪♪

♪♪

Sorry, Jack.

It's over.

Nooooooooooo!