In 1993 I entered the world in SL.
As relatives poured in passing me around the whispers and murmurs began. “Kaathu sivanthu irrunthaa, niram kuranja pillaiyaa thaan irrukkum.” For my non Tamil speaking homies: The baby’s ears are pink, therefore she is surely going to grow up as a dark child.
✖️From the age of one onwards the rest of my life took place in NZ followed by Australia.
✖️At the age of 5 I had people ridiculing me with comments and taunts such as karuppi, blackie, ugly duckling etc
✖️At the age of 7 I was handed over a tube of fair and lovely. Ugh. I can still remember the smell of that cream. My freaking soul has been soaked with that toxic poison.
✖️At the age of 10, every tree in Australia began to know my name and story. As when the sun came out, I would be right under them seeking shelter. Squinting and praying to the branches to shield me from the rays.
✖️At the age of 11, the photo editing tools: exposure and brightness became my best friends.
✖️At the age of 13 I began a whole new era of Google searches: how to be fair, skin lightening home made remedies, skin lightening creams, what to eat to supposedly “lighten” my skin.
✖️At the age of 14 I was ecstatic to watch YOUTUBE tutorials on how to MAKE and apply home made skin “BRIGHTENING” remedies.
✔️Now at age 24.. that same little black “ugly duckling” is peeling layers of trauma and now being envisioned as this magnificent piece of work courtesy of my bae @heleenatattoos
I personally see this image as a caricature for ALL the girls that have overcome all sorts of adversity & discrimination. And now being the voices to the unheard. I want to thank @thurka especially – her Youtube video: “How I learned to love my Dark skin” is what brought back a flash of memories and inspired me to write this. If you haven’t watched it, please do otherwise you’re missing out.
Feel free to see the original post here and the amount of girls from across the globe with similar sentiments.
So my dark skinned beauties, don’t let society dull your shine. Please know you are worth it. Please believe with all your heart. Embrace that melanin, be confident and go out there and doing amazing things for the world. We need more strong willed people who have gone through struggles to be out there changing it for the future generations!
Til next time!
Your Social Butterfly 😉