I
do not want to jump on the Lupita Nyong’ o praise singing bandwagon, still I am
immensely proud of her. Not for the Oscars® she won, rather for the service I
believe she has done for the dark skinned (nightshade, as she called herself)
African woman, much on the same level I believe, as what the south Sudanese
model, Alek Wek did for her. The African woman’s obsession with skin lightening
(often referred to as “bleaching”), has reached frightening proportions in the
last few years. Visit any beauty shop and the quantity of skin
lightening soaps, lotions and creams you will see on display are to put it
simply, unbelievable. From high-end to low-end products, for every social class,
nothing and no one is left out.
White
skin is good, for those it was meant for (there is a reason they came with it
and didn’t buy it on the shelf). And, I am not against glowing and healthy
skin; however, I regard skin lightening as a crime against my body. Subjective
opinion, I know, but I will give my two “kobo”. There is a reason the
Caucasians turn shades of blue, red and green; I want none of it.
While
my focus is on women, it isn’t only women who indulge in this, men do too; I
have a very low opinion of such men, so I won’t dwell on them. What I find
shocking, also, is not only the number of women who “bleach”, but the calibre
of women who do, women who should know better, women with IQ's in the
stratosphere. This reveals one thing, which I am sure is not farfetched or
a big discovery; it is a psychological problem. It has to do with how you
regard yourself; it is tied to your self-esteem. You may have a PhD in whateritis, if you do not count yourself worthy, you will fall for
anything, including the nonsense that your skin tone is the wrong type, then
order yourself some Fair and Lovely to feel better.
