Latinos with darker skin color study more discrimination experiences than Latinos with lighter peel color

Pew Research Center conducted this study to empathise the role of peel color in the life experiences of Latino adults. It as well measures attitudes of Latinos almost race and race relations and their personal experiences with discrimination. In addition, the study explores iv different ways to measure racial identity, including an cess of skin color.

For this assay nosotros surveyed 3,375 U.S. Hispanic adults in March 2021. This includes 1,900 Hispanic adults on Pew Inquiry Center'south American Trends Panel (ATP) and ane,475 Hispanic adults on Ipsos' KnowledgePanel. Respondents on both panels are recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. Recruiting panelists by phone or mail ensures that almost all U.S. adults have a hazard of selection. This gives us confidence that whatever sample tin represent the whole population (see our Methods 101 explainer on random sampling), or in this case the whole U.South. Hispanic population.

To further ensure the survey reflects a balanced cross-section of the nation's Hispanic adults, the data is weighted to lucifer the U.Southward. Hispanic adult population past age, gender, teaching, nascency, Hispanic origin group and other categories. Read more virtually the ATP'due south methodology. Hither are the questions used for our survey of Hispanic adults, forth with responses, and its methodology.

The terms Hispanic and Latino are used interchangeably in this study.

Pare color is self-assessed based on a x-pace scale, ranging from lightest (one) to darkest (10). Latinos with lighter skin color or Latinos with lighter skin selected 1-4 on the scale while Latinos with darker pare color or Latinos with darker skin selected 5-10.

U.S. born refers to persons built-in in the United states and those born in other countries to parents at least ane of whom was a U.S. citizen.

Foreign born refers to persons born outside of the Usa to parents neither of whom was a U.South. citizen. The terms strange built-in and immigrant are used interchangeably in this study. For the purposes of this report, foreign born besides refers to those born in Puerto Rico. Although individuals born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens by nascency, they are included among the foreign born because they are built-in into a Spanish-dominant culture and because on many points their attitudes, views and beliefs are much closer to Hispanics born abroad than to Hispanics born in the 50 states or the District of Columbia, fifty-fifty those who identify themselves as being of Puerto Rican origin.

Starting time generation refers to foreign-built-in people. The terms "foreign born," "showtime generation" and "immigrant" are used interchangeably in this report.

Second generation refers to people built-in in the 50 states or the District of Columbia, with at least one showtime-generation, or immigrant, parent.

Tertiary or higher generation refers to people built-in in the 50 states or the District of Columbia, with both parents built-in in the 50 states or the District of Columbia.

Language authority is a blended measure based on self-described assessments of speaking and reading abilities. Spanish-dominant people are more proficient in Castilian than in English (i.e., they speak and read Spanish "very well" or "pretty well" but rate their English-speaking and reading power lower). Bilingual refers to people who are expert in both English and Spanish. English-dominant people are more proficient in English than in Spanish.

The perceived impact of skin color in the lives of U.Due south. Latinos is broad. From impacting their ability to get ahead in the country to shaping their daily life experiences to dealing with bigotry, skin color is seen past Latinos as an important gene affecting their lives and life chances.

For U.S. Latinos, skin color shapes life experiences

A majority (62%) of Hispanic adults say having a darker pare color hurts Hispanics' ability to get ahead in the U.s. today at to the lowest degree a trivial. A similar share (59%) say having a lighter skin colour helps Hispanics become ahead. And 57% say skin color shapes their daily life experiences a lot or some, with about half proverb discrimination based on race or skin color is a "very big problem" in the U.S. today, according to Pew Inquiry Center's National Survey of Latinos, a bilingual, national survey of 3,375 Hispanic U.S. adults conducted in March 2021.

Colorism is a course of bigotry based on peel color, usually, though not always, favoring lighter skin color over darker skin color within a racial or ethnic group. While it tin be tied to racism, it is non necessarily the same. (Racism is prejudice directed at members of a racial or indigenous grouping because of their origin.) For example, Hispanics in the U.Due south. may face up discrimination considering they are Hispanic (a class of racism), simply the degree of discrimination may vary based on peel colour, with those of darker shades experiencing more incidents (a course of colorism). And because of colorism'due south deep roots in the histories of Latin America and the United States, discrimination based on skin color can occur amongst Hispanics merely equally much as it can exist directed at Hispanics by non-Hispanics.

To measure this dimension of Latino identity in the United States, the survey asked respondents to identify the skin colour that best resembled their own using a version of the Yadon-Ostfeld skin-color calibration. Respondents were shown x skin colors that ranged from fair to nighttime (run across text box below for the images and calibration used). Fully 80% of Latino adults selected a color between i and four, or lighter skin colors, while fifteen% selected a color between five and ten on the scale, or darker skin colors.1

Discrimination and peel color

Colorism in the Americas

Discrimination based on skin color has deep historical roots in Latin America and the Caribbean. Centuries ago, a hierarchical or caste system was established in the Americas, tying privilege, private worth and access to opportunities to i's skin colour, race and birthplace. This was further shaped by the inflow of slaves from Africa across the region and the mixing of Indigenous, European and African populations.

Today, skin color remains an important determinant of outcomes across the region. Individuals with darker pare achieve lower levels of educational attainment or take less access to health care, for example. And those of lighter skin colour experience less bigotry than those of darker skin color.

Colorism is nowadays in the U.Southward. too and has similarly impacted the lives of Hispanics, Blackness Americans and Asian Americans, existing alongside racial discrimination. And it is similarly linked to a number of outcomes. For case, racism may impact both Hispanics of lighter pare and darker skin color, only Hispanics with darker skin may feel more discrimination.

Overall, nearly one-half (54%) of Hispanic adults experienced at least one of the viii bigotry incidents asked almost in the survey, reflecting broader and ongoing experiences with discrimination among U.S. Hispanics no affair their skin color. However, the new survey finds Hispanics with darker pare colour are more likely to accept experienced at to the lowest degree one bigotry incident than Hispanics with lighter pare color. Nigh two-thirds (64%) of Hispanics with darker pare say they personally experienced at least ane of the 8 discrimination incidents during the year previous to the survey, while 54% of Hispanics with lighter skin color say the same.

Among the bigotry experiences included in the survey, being treated as if they were not smart is the virtually reported. Some 42% of Latinos with darker skin say this happened to them, every bit practice 34% of Latinos with lighter pare.

The next almost mutual discrimination experiences were those directed at Hispanics by non-Hispanics and Hispanics akin, with the chances of these incidents happening linked to skin colour. Some 42% of Hispanics with darker skin personally experienced discrimination or were treated unfairly by someone who is non Hispanic, while 29% of those with lighter skin say the aforementioned happened to them. And 41% of Hispanics with darker skin say they personally experienced discrimination or were treated unfairly past someone who is Hispanic, while 25% of those who take a lighter skin color say they too experienced discrimination by someone who is Hispanic.

Hispanics with darker skin more likely to experience discrimination incidents than those with lighter skin

Nonetheless, no matter their skin color and despite the notable gap, Latinos are experiencing discrimination. Near one-tertiary (32%) of Latinos with darker skin say someone told them to get back to their state, for case, as did 20% 0f those with lighter skin. Some 33% of Latinos with darker skin say someone criticized them for speaking Castilian in public, every bit did 22% of those with lighter peel. And 27% of Latinos with darker pare say they feared for their personal safe while 20% of those with lighter skin say the same.

While Latinos' skin color is linked to discrimination experiences, those with darker pare and lighter skin alike say skin color affects opportunity and life experiences in America. For example, majorities of both groups say skin color shapes their daily life experiences – 62% among Latinos with darker skin and 57% amongst Latinos with lighter skin. And both groups are simply as probable to say darker skin color "hurts" Latinos' ability to become alee in the U.S. (63% and 64% respectively). Nigh half (49%) of Latinos with lighter skin say bigotry based on race or skin color is a very big problem, as do 41% of those with darker skin.

Bear upon of race, skin colour is a topic of conversation with relatives and friends for Hispanics

A quarter of Latinos say when growing up, family talked to them about the challenges they might face due to their race or ethnicity

Race, peel color and the state of race relations sometimes come upwards in conversations Latinos have with family and friends. Roughly one-half (48%) say bigotry based on race or skin color is a topic in conversations at least sometimes with friends and relatives. Just these conversations are not happening oftentimes among all Latinos. Most half (51%) say these conversations with relatives and friends happen rarely (30%) or never (21%).

Conversations about racial or skin color bigotry are happening more often amongst Hispanics with darker skin than those with lighter peel. Vi-in-x Hispanics with darker pare color (60%) say they ofttimes or sometimes talk with family and friends about discrimination based on race or skin colour, a share that falls to 46% amidst Hispanics with lighter skin.

And 44% say the topic of U.S. race relations oft or sometimes comes up when talking with family and friends. Most half (52%) of Hispanics with darker skin say this, as exercise 43% of Hispanics with lighter skin.

Racial identity and experiences with racism take been a function of some Latinos' experiences growing up as well. Well-nigh 1-in-iv Latinos (27%) say their family talked to them at to the lowest degree sometimes almost the challenges they might confront due to their race or ethnicity when they were growing upwards. This is more common among Latinos who indicate they have darker skin (41%) than amid those who bespeak they have lighter pare (25%).

Capturing skin color amidst U.S. Hispanics

A self-assessed measure out of skin color was included in the survey equally one of four measures of racial identity. The survey used a version of the Yadon-Ostfeld 10-betoken peel color scale, where ane represents the lightest skin color and ten the darkest. (The calibration used in the survey is reproduced beneath.) Survey respondents were asked to select the color that most closely matches their own, even if none of them were exactly right.

Responses were distributed mostly toward lighter skin colors. Eight-in-10 Hispanics selected one of the four lightest skin colors, with the 2d-lightest ranking on superlative (28%), followed by the 3rd (21%) and fourth lightest colors (17%). By contrast, xv% of Latino respondents selected one of the half-dozen darker skin colors, with just 3% in total selecting ane of the four darkest skin colors (vii-10). For this report, those who indicated their skin color is between one and four are identified as of a lighter skin color, while those who indicated their peel color is between 5 and ten are identified as of a darker pare color.

The distribution of skin color among U.S. Hispanics

One-half of Latinos say in that location is too little national attention on racial issues concerning Latino people

After nearly a year of national engagement over bug of race following the killing of George Floyd in May of 2020 and subsequent nationwide racial justice protests, Latinos are separate over whether there is too much or too trivial attention paid to race and racial bug in the country today. Overall, 37% say that as well little attention is paid to these issues, while 36% say there is too much attending and 25% say the amount of attention given to race and racial issues is about the right amount.

Since 2019, fewer Hispanics say too little attention is paid to race and racial issues nationally. Though about half say too little attention is paid to race and racial issues concerning Hispanics

The views of Latinos on this have shifted as the share proverb also little attending is paid to race relations has dipped compared with 2019 and 2020, when fifty% and 46% of Latinos respectively said the same. At the aforementioned time, a growing share say at that place is likewise much attending paid to race and racial problems nationally. Some 36% say this today, upwards from 27% who said the aforementioned in 2019.

Even before recent events, Latinos were downbeat about race relations in the U.Southward. In another 2019 Pew Research Center survey, six-in-x Latinos (60%) said race relations in the country and so were generally bad and getting worse. In the aforementioned survey, more Latinos said people not seeing racism where it really does exist was a bigger problem in the country than people seeing racial discrimination where information technology really does non be.

Yet, when it comes to how much attending is paid to race and racial problems concerning Hispanic people, almost one-half of all Hispanics (51%) say too little attention is paid to them today. Among Hispanics with darker skin, 57% say too footling attention is paid to racial problems concerning Hispanic people, a higher share than the fifty% of those with lighter pare color who say the same.

Virtually as many Hispanics hold this view about the level of national attention paid to race and racial issues concerning Asian people. Over half (55%) of Hispanics say too fiddling attention is paid to race issues concerning Asian people in the country today. Meanwhile, 29% of Hispanics say the amount of national attention paid to race bug concerning Asian people is about right and 14% say also much attention is paid to these problems. (The survey was fielded just as the number of detest and violence incidents focused on Asian Americans drew wide national attention.)

At the aforementioned time, 30% of Hispanics say too footling attention is paid to race and racial issues related to Black people today, while 45% say too much attention is paid to them and 23% say the right amount of attention is paid to these issues.

Hispanics often hear other Hispanics make racially insensitive comments and jokes nigh Hispanics and not-Hispanics alike

About half of Hispanics hear racially insensitive comments and jokes from relatives and friends

Hispanics are hearing racially insensitive comments and jokes coming from other Hispanics, according to the survey. Well-nigh half (48%) of Hispanic adults say they have often or sometimes heard a Hispanic friend or family member make comments or jokes nearly other Hispanics that might be considered racist or racially insensitive. Similar shares of Hispanics who identify with a lighter peel colour (48%) or darker pare color (52%) say they have heard these types of comments or jokes from friends or family at least sometimes.

And 45% of Hispanic adults say the same nearly hearing a Hispanic friend or family member brand racist or racially insensitive comments or jokes well-nigh others who are not Hispanic often or at to the lowest degree sometimes. Among Hispanics with darker skin colour, 53% say this, a higher share than among Hispanics with lighter skin color (44%).

This is little changed from 2019, when a similar share of Hispanics (47%) said they heard a Hispanic friend or family unit member make what might be considered a racist comment virtually people who are not Hispanic. In the same 2019 survey, half of those who heard these comments or jokes from people shut to them said they confronted a friend or family unit member about it.

While Hispanics say skin colour affects their power to go ahead in America, other factors are seen every bit of import besides

Most Hispanics say having a college degree, legal status and a lighter skin color are advantages in U.S.

While a bulk of Latinos say peel color impacts Latinos' opportunity in the U.S. today, education and clearing status are viewed by more as having an impact on the ability to get alee.

About eight-in-10 Hispanics (82%) say having a college caste helps the ability of Hispanics to get ahead in the U.S. these days. And 78% say the same virtually living in the U.S. legally. Both are higher than the 59% saying a lighter peel color helps Hispanics get ahead in America and the 62% proverb a darker pare color hurts Hispanics.

When asked if gender affects Hispanics' ability to get alee in the U.S. today, near half (52%) of Hispanics say being a homo helps, while 21% say the same almost beingness a woman. Roughly one-in-three say that being a Hispanic man or adult female is neither an advantage nor disadvantage in America today.

For Latinos, discrimination experiences and views most peel color and race are linked

Hispanics who faced discrimination are more likely to say skin color shapes their daily life

Latinos' views on topics related to race or skin color differ past their own experiences with discrimination. Those who reported experiencing at least one of eight specific forms of discrimination asked about in the survey were more likely than those who did not written report 1 to say having a lighter skin color helps at least a little in the ability of Hispanics to go alee – 66% vs. 51% respectively.2

Nearly two-thirds (68%) of Latinos who had a bigotry experience in the past yr say pare colour shapes their daily life experiences a lot or some, compared with 43% of those who had no discrimination experiences that say the same.

In improver, those who had at least one discrimination feel in the by year were more than probable than those who did not have such experiences to say discrimination based on race or pare color is a "very large problem" in the U.S., that discrimination based on pare color comes upwards often or sometimes in conversations with family unit and friends and that besides niggling attending is paid to race and racial issues in the U.Southward. these days.