Light Skin Vs. Dark Skin...

As a "dark skin" female i sometimes have an issue with this topic. The other day i was in the nail salon and this fair skinned lady said to me "you're such a pretty dark skinned girl" i said thank you, but in the back of my mind I'm like, "what does that mean? she usually sees ugly dark skinned girls?" I'm not insecure about my looks at all. At a time i was. Most of my friends are lighter than i am. In high school they always seemed to get more male attention then i did, but that really didn't phase me in all honesty. Men always seem to want that light skin, light eyed, long haired chick. We see it in videos, in books, in movies, hear it in songs...But why? what is it about a "light skinned" chick that a dark skin woman can't offer? Last time i checked, i've seen just as many hideous light skinned women as dark skinned ones. I'm not a hater at all, i get plenty attention when i step out. I come from an extremely diverse family so my skin color was never a big deal growing up. I'm considered "exotic" i suppose *shrug* It just kind of bothers me to see light and dark skinned women sort of compete when they are out. And the men just eat it up. I guess some people just still have that house slave/ field slave mentality. I'll never get it...