In Mexico, economic opportunity increases the closer your skin gets to white
In Mexico, economic opportunity increases the closer your skin gets to white
Skin tone is destiny in Mexico. (Reuters/Carlos Jasso)
It’s no secret there’s widespread racism in Mexico, but a new study shows the surprising precision with which skin color can determine socio-economic status.
The darker the skin tone, the less upward mobility a Mexican can expect to have, according to the paper (link in Spanish) which was released earlier this month by Mexico’s National Statistics and Geography Institute (INEGI).
The findings are based on a 2016 survey that asked respondents to match their skin to a palette of 11 shades, with A being the darkest and K the lightest. The answers they gave to questions about their economic status were then tabulated by skin tone.
The experiences of the people at the opposite ends of the color spectrum were starkly different. Mexicans with the darkest skin colors are far less likely to finish elementary school.
More:
https://qz.com/1014257/a-new-study-shows-that-economic-opportunity-in-mexico-increases-the-closer-your-skin-gets-to-white/
