Melting Pot

HAHHAH wel i say if this a month ago Yes. But today doubltful

Why, I don't see anyone offending anyone?
It's great we can discuss something like this because it is probably socially interesting why people portraying RL avatars would pick any particular skin, we also don't see too many fat AV's either.
I'm a bit overweight but I experience that enough in RL, here I can be near perfectly an expression of my inners self/selves
I suspect there's a few people in Klingon and Furry skins that aren't in RL too

Huh, Klingon. I had not thought to look for Star Trek races. Interesting.

Angelique I agree. Our colour is our pride. And this is a controversial topic (at least maybe not for me as I am born in UK and brought up in a multi-cultural mileau) But (and here I pass from my heritage to another aspect of blackness) what also gets me are the people who wish to be slaves in sl. It really takes me aback (as my Gran would say) that a terrifying reality has become a virtual sexual turn-on. Does anyone else find it a little strange?

Angelique I agree. Our colour is our pride. And this is a controversial topic (at least maybe not for me as I am born in UK and brought up in a multi-cultural mileau) But (and here I pass from my heritage to another aspect of blackness) what also gets me are the people who wish to be slaves in sl. It really takes me aback (as my Gran would say) that a terrifying reality has become a virtual sexual turn-on. Does anyone else find it a little strange?
So saying I alaso change from my Goth "look" to a more Jigureality and my skin colour.

I'm also happy that this can be discussed without anyone becoming offensive.
When I first joined SL, I was shocked at how few Black avatars are out there .
This does not mean that there aren't Black SL'ers.. just not everyone chooses a Black
avatar . I had a hard time finding a good dark skin that wasnt splotchy or had weird makeup.
The choices for Black avatars is worse.

I really dont understand the dicussion about Bi-racial skins.. There are a wide
variety of skins available if you want a Bi-racial look. The possiblities are endless.

Hi Isis - I think you and I met at my house in Chaska Gorge? I agree - black skins are so hard to find. I wish I could really get one that relflects the qualities I have in my own realness. For now I am a Goth and be-wigged or a Neko and earred and tailed. Or kinda "sl-tanned".

I think the description you are going for is "White person who spends FAR too much time on a tanning bed."

QFT!

Most avatars I see that aren't playing the pale/goth angle seem to tan to the point of guaranteed skin cancer.

(Darn you Colette, I started this reply before I saw you had already jumped on it!

Heck with human shades... I want good jade, cobalt and indigo skins dangit.

Ya that's the one!

/me realises his avatar is guilty.

i dont identify myself by the color of my skin. Being biracial thats something i just cant afford to do. I dont really understand why some mixed people insist on it. i think its important that we all try to understand our heritage. but id like to think there are other things about me that make me interesting besides the color of my skin. if youre biracial and insist on identifying as a black person, well i used to get pissed about it, but honestly if it makes life easier for you then go ahead. Just dont assume all biracial people do that. i do not identify myself as black, i identify myself as biracial :/ and as far as bdsm goes and slavery. Thats an entirely different topic. Slavery in bdsm, inside of sl, is completely different type of situation than rl historical slavery as it relates to Africans.


dont really care how popular my views are on this topic. i earned the right to have my opinion the first time i was physically choked by a stranger for acting uppity.

Nope not strange at all, considering it's really more roleplaying submission sexually than "clear this land and build me a railroad/pyramid or feel my whip"and if you look into history, Slavery was common in many countries before USA, the Africans in the USA were just the last major group of slavery.

Chip Midnight sells a nice afro avatar male skin. I've only seen it very rarely..maybe once or twice...don't know why it's not more popular. His Store is in Freelon.

I've seen a few others that are really nice for males....in urban Sims and I've only seen ONE nubian Queen skin that was absolutely radiant. I mean this girl was lovely...and couldn't for the life of her tell me where she had bought the skin.

I have a few avatars that are what i like to call "A-racial". And using the very darkest tan from almost any "good" skin vendor combined with the correct biometrics turns out to look quite ethnic..wether it be hispanic..or Indian or afro american.

Gentlemens shapes..(all his male shapes) seem to have an italian or ethnic flavor to the face.

Talking about ethnic backgrounds also leads me to the question "Have you considered you're not the only race that's having this problem?" If you go to...say Kowloon (Chinese SIM) You'll see chinese avatars...and also chinese skins..however they're not the "best"..it's quite interesting to see how each culture in SL is slowly yet steadily "making their mark"..carving out their own niche for them and theirs.

Maybe it would be a good idea for Second Life orientation to include various choices for the user behind the keyboard. As far as I can remember..a gothic red headed lass...and a furry were added to starting avatars..but not black. Maybe that's something you could suggest.

~Lana Tomba

Naughty has a lovely black woman's skin ("Zoe" I believe.)

And Jig, a choice of sexual lifestyle in SL has NOTHING to do with racial slavery. We've been over that a billion times.