Colorism definition explored as the Keke Palmer and Zendaya debate rages online 

Actress Keke Palmer has made it clear that she is not interested in being compared to fellow actress Zendaya.

A heated debate about ‘colorism’ found its way on social media after the Nope star’s career in Hollywood was being compared to Zendaya. In a series of tweets, Palmer listed her experience in the entertainment industry and announced that she was an "incomparable talent."

On July 24, a tweet by @NBAgladiator garnered immense attention on social media. The user noted that there is a clear difference in how the duo’s careers have panned out despite them both having been child stars.

The tweet added - “this may be one of the clearest examples of how colorism plays out in Hollywood.”

The discussion took place after Keke Palmer garnered immense traction for her role in Jordan Peel’s latest horror movie Nope. Some netizens stated that this was the actress’ 'breakout moment.' However, ardent fans said that the 28-year-old has been a household name for years.

Palmer responded to the growing debate about colorism and the comparison between the two black actresses on social media. She announced that she wasn't interested in being the topic of that conversation.

In a tweet, Palmer wrote:

“A great example of colorism is to believe I can be compared to anyone. I’m the youngest talk show host ever. The first Black woman to star in her own show on Nickelodeon, & the youngest & first Black Cinderella on broadway. I’m an incomparable talent. Baby, THIS, is Keke Palmer.”

The Alice actress continued to state that she was a "leading lady" since she was 11 years old and added that she has had a "blessed career thus far."

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What is colorism and why are Keke Palmer and Zendaya becoming examples of the same?

In the simplest terms, colorism refers to the preferential treatment of lighter skin over darker skin. This form of colorism is mostly found in minority communities. The concept is rooted in racism, which believes that a person’s superiority or worth begins and ends with the way they look, including the color of their skin.

The concept of colorism can be traced back to the time of plantation slavery in America. Those with lighter skin tones were given preferential treatment compared to their darker-skinner counterparts.

Many lighter-skinned people who were enslaved happened to be the children of their white slave masters. Due to their comparatively fairer complexion, they too began internalizing that they were better than their darker peers.

In recent years, Hollywood has been accused of whitewashing people of color and practicing colorism. Actor and filmmaker Lin-Manuel Miranda was accused of the same, which he went on to apologize for.

The ABC sitcom black-ish also highlighted the problem of colorism in an episode where their son brings home his school photos. While the son can be seen in the picture, his twin, played by Marsai Martin, can barely be seen because the photographer didn't use proper lighting for her skin.

The show's producer, Peter Saji, who is of mixed race, acknowledged the issue and said that he never understood the privilege he holds by being light-skinned.

He has said in the past:

“For dark skin Black women, it not only means being passed over for lighter skin women in the dating and labor market, but it also means rarely seeing a dark skin woman as the love interest of the main character.”

With Keke Palmer and Zendaya, netizens are pointing out that the former is being called a "rising star" and not a star in her own right already. They say this is simply because of her skin tone in comparison to that of Zendaya.

It is also worth noting that Zendaya has previously spoken about how she is interested in seeing her community getting the same opportunities she did in the entertainment industry.