Since my return home I've been giving my time to various High Schools until someone gives me a job. The schools that I've volunteered @ are mainly in the inner city communities and I've noticed a disturbing trend; bleaching of the skin. So far, my topics have ranged from Respecting Self & Others, Values & Attitudes, to just conducting devotions. During one presentation, I asked a group of 14 yr old girls for examples displaying a lack of self respect. I got the "normal" answers like promiscuity, premarital sex, stealing, vulgar behaviour, and....bleaching. There was a particular girl in the class who is evidently a "bleacher" who said; "Nooo, bleaching nuh inna dis, dat nuh have nutten fi do w/ self respeck". The class erupted in laughter.
My reason for concern on the matter is, on a daily basis I've been seeing light and dark brown bodies walking around w/ pink faces, sometimes necks if there is extra cream to spread around. *lol*. The individuals go as far as getting their eyebrows and hair dyed black to create a better colour contrast. The unfortunate thing is they aren't getting lighter, they mainly look bruised. Their skin appears to have been stretched so thinly across the face that if it were to be pricked, it would snap and bleed everywhere.
As the below link illustrates, this a "trend" that isn't going away anytime soon. Parents are passing it down to their children, who are taking it to the schools, thus affecting a wider range of our nation's youth. Not enough is being done to address the issue of self appreciation, we turn our heads and shun people who are sometimes born into it, and we perpetuate negative images of beAuty. Let us do more to be inclusive of all shades and textures by educating the community @ large that beAuty does not lay in the complexion of your skin or the texture of your hair; but on the inside of our hearts.
My reason for concern on the matter is, on a daily basis I've been seeing light and dark brown bodies walking around w/ pink faces, sometimes necks if there is extra cream to spread around. *lol*. The individuals go as far as getting their eyebrows and hair dyed black to create a better colour contrast. The unfortunate thing is they aren't getting lighter, they mainly look bruised. Their skin appears to have been stretched so thinly across the face that if it were to be pricked, it would snap and bleed everywhere.
As the below link illustrates, this a "trend" that isn't going away anytime soon. Parents are passing it down to their children, who are taking it to the schools, thus affecting a wider range of our nation's youth. Not enough is being done to address the issue of self appreciation, we turn our heads and shun people who are sometimes born into it, and we perpetuate negative images of beAuty. Let us do more to be inclusive of all shades and textures by educating the community @ large that beAuty does not lay in the complexion of your skin or the texture of your hair; but on the inside of our hearts.
The Bleaching Epidemic
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