Which of these two statements regarding European groups is closer to the truth?

[Jana]

1 for sure.

Europe is darker than many would like. Southern Europe is really dark and it's natural for it, while even northern Europe is more dark than light, not to mention central and eastern Europe.

[Tooting Carmen]

In part, this thread is a mea culpa, as I myself have been as guilty as anyone of overstating the darkness of Southern Europeans at times.

[Latinus]

In part, this thread is a mea culpa, as I myself have been as guilty as anyone of overstating the darkness of Southern Europeans at times.

Why is the lightwashing of Iberians/Italians more common than the lightwashing of Germans/British?
Pretty obvious, the English and Germans are are lighter and their whiteness is not questioned, while the Southern Europeans are darker and with a bigger proportion of borderline type, and many people see them as "mongrels", that's why they (some anthrotards) start to portray their people as lighter than they really are.

I see this lightwashing as being an influence of US racial system/purism/nordicism (where lighter is seen prettier/superior/more European), while the term white was coined by the Spaniards, Americans are way more into race than Latinos.

[Septentrion]

(1) "The blondness of Scandinavians is substantially overrated".

(2) "The darkness of Southern Europeans is substantially overrated".

IMO it is (2). I would estimate that, depending on the country and region, 40-50% of Scandinavians look like the Nordic stereotype. By contrast, only around 15-25% of Southern Europeans look like the Mediterranean stereotype, again depending on the country and region. (This is excluding Slovenes and Croats, who don't really look Med that often at all).

The truth is that Europeans as a whole are the lightest-pigmented people on earth. Hence, some have used the term "Whites" to designate them. Although the truth is that all Europeans despite being the lightest-pigmented or depigmented group are not all identical. There are obvious differences in pigmentation which cannot be ignored, but nevertheless, they are still all Europeans.
(1) Southern Europeans are the darkest of Europeans with the highest levels of darker hair, darker eyes and darker skin in their populations when compared to other European groups. Although many have really exaggerated how swarthy they actually are. Firstly their unexposed skin is light, but is much more readily to tan (darken) than that of Northern Europeans for example. The most common hair coloring is dark brown not black! Despite the fact that black hair is common in Southern Europe, it does not dominate as with MENA populations. Blond-haired Southern European individuals should not surprise anyone, as there are blond minorities present throughout that region. Eye color is predominantly by far dark and dark-mixed, but you will find light-eyed (blue, green, gray-eyed) Southern Europeans as well. Do not be surprised it is Europe after all.
(2) Northern Europeans are the lightest of Europeans with the highest levels of lighter hair, lighter eyes and lighter skin in their populations when compared to European or any other populations on the face of the earth. Although, there have been some wrong interpretation of their very light pigmentation. Not all depigmentation forms veers towards blondism which is well portrayed by the very blond Scandinavian and Baltic States. Depigmentation also veers towards rufosity which is well portrayed in the British Islands. The condition of blondness and redheadedness is strongest in childhood or youth, but in adulthood, the most common hair color is light brown. Dark brown-haired Northern European individuals should not surprise, as there are dark-haired pockets present in this region too. Contrary to Southern Europeans, eye color is predominantly by far light or light-mixed, then again you can find dark-eyed Northern Europeans. Do not be alarmed. For skin as well, although the fairest skin types reach their maximum frequency here, they are not all equally fair. Yes, it is true skin becomes so fair to the point of losing the ability to tan at all, this is well portrayed by some of the North-West Europeans. Nevertheless, don't be startled to see a naturally well-tanned, blond-haired, blue-eyed person. It is Europe anyway.
The rest of Europe (Central, Eastern, Western regions) lie in between those "extreme" regions of Europe. Southern Europe has the highest frequency of Meds, true, but there are also many Dinarids present. Northern has the highest frequency of Nords, true, but there are many Cromagnid types present.

[Cristiano viejo]

1 for sure.

Europe is darker than many would like. Southern Europe is really dark and it's natural for it, while even northern Europe is more dark than light, not to mention central and eastern Europe.

Afrocentrism at its finest

[Septentrion]

Almost all the motherfuckers are blonde, or light brown as you say

Yeah most Northern Europeans have either light brown or blonde hair and blue or light eyes.

Light brown hair example (The Netherlands)
http://c7.alamy.com/comp/CN3BGF/holl...ens-CN3BGF.jpg

Blonde hair example (Estonia)
https://n450v.alamy.com/450v/0b70470...b05/WBCBG2.jpg

[Samnium]

Yeah most Northern Europeans have either light brown or blonde hair and blue or light eyes.

Light brown hair example (The Netherlands)
http://c7.alamy.com/comp/CN3BGF/holl...ens-CN3BGF.jpg

Blonde hair example (Estonia)
https://n450v.alamy.com/450v/0b70470...b05/WBCBG2.jpg

What you would consideras grey eyes ? It can be proper gray but also very light hazel can appear as grey (like mine). And blue eyes can be dark (dark blue eyes).

[Tooting Carmen]

bump

[Kamal900]

Obviously the 2nd statement really.

[Creoda]

Obviously the 2nd statement really.

Why obviously? You think Southern Europeans are darkwashed?