Michael Jackson suffered from vitiligo which causes loss of patches of pigmentation. Jacko is said to have bleached his skin to even out the colour. Those who hold this view cite Michael Jackson’s admission to Oprah Winfrey back in 1993 that he was a victim of a depigmenting skin condition.
Others state that by bleaching his skin, Michael Jackson was denouncing his blackness. They dismiss Michael’s assertion on the Oprah Winfrey show that he was proud of who he was.
The problem with both positions is that they seem to suggest that it was either out of the question for the King of Pop to aspire to be white, or that such a desire was motivated by shame over his African-Amercian identity respectively.
Still, indirect but compelling evidence suggests that the King of Pop at least aspired to be seen as a white man. There is reason to believe it was an attempt to de-racialise himself. Vitiligo, however debilitating it may have been, seemed to have provided an opportunity and an excuse for MJ to acquire a white skin.
Michael Jackson’s Operations
Despite denials, Michael Jackson’s changing appearance roused speculation that he had undergone nasal surgery to give him a thinner, more pointed nose. Michael Jackson broke his nose in 1979 during a dance session which led to two surgeries that he admitted to. However, he is thought to have gone for more operations. Surgeons suggested that he had acquired thinner lips and had other things done to his forehead as his addiction to surgery grew.
Pepsi Pyrotechnics Ruin Michael Jackson’s Hair
As a child star and teenage soul singer MJ had Afro hair, but the older pop superstar star had flowing wavy hair.
The explanation given for this transformation is that Michael Jackson was an unfortunate victim of fireworks that ruined his hair and hair follicles during a Pepsi video advert shoot. While the incident happened and damaged his hair and its roots, it is hard to believe that the biggest star in the world could not find Afro wigs if he looked for them.
Michael Jackson’s Girlfriends and Wives
Michael Jackson best known dates were white women- Brooke Shields, Lisa Marie Presley and Debbie Rowe. The later two briefly became his wives. This alone does not imply a desire to be white or need to disconnect with his black identity. However, added to other actions and behaviours, it’s easy to surmise that Michael Jackson was trying to become white by whatever means possible, including through marriage.
Michael Jackson’s Children
After Michael’s death his children were exposed to the world. Their physical appearance invited speculation about their paternity because they look white. Despite this, some people see their resemblance to Michael Jackson. The question is-which Jackson do they look like? The younger African American or the white skinned middle aged man?
Nevertheless, having white children is not proof that the King of Pop coveted a white identity. The Queen of Pop Madonna adopted black African children right out of Malawi. Does that indicate that she wants a black identity? No. Michael Jackson did more. He altered his facial appearance and acquired flowing curly hair. He dated and married white women. He became the King of Pop, a music genre predominantly, but not exclusively identified with white people.
Michael Jackson’s Genius
MJ was possibly proud of his black identity as he told Oprah Winfrey in 1993 but may have had valid, shrewd and pragmatic business considerations for changing his appearance. Musically gifted and ambitious, MJ became a dual man so that colour would not stand in the way of global pop domination. It was his genius. He did not admit this to Oprah Winfrey and to the world to avoid being misunderstood and alienate both white and black fans. But to be a pop poster boy whatever level of brilliance he possessed, Michael might have felt that race, so important in America, stood in his way.
There is no reason to believe that Michael Jackson was unaware of or immune to race barriers in life or in the music industry. He was born five years before Martin Luther’s famous ‘I Have a Dream' speech.
Natutally MJ desired his music to be judged by its entertainment value and artistry not the colour of his skin. He transcended race musically and went a step further. For those who might have seen his blackness as a problem he gave them a white King of Pop, the perfect crossover artist.
Michael Jackson was comfortable with the pursuit of whiteness without rejecting his black identity.
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