The African Community and skin bleach

It is a well-known topic: Women who undergo dramatic treatments to fit standards that people regard as ideal. This ideal image is no other than the: the lighter the skin tone, the more beautiful. This may seem ridiculous to some, but for others it’s a well known issue within their communities.

Helping yourself cosmetically is no harmful thing. But things can get to the extreme: It’s what I call skin bleach. In the African community I have sensed that being the light skinned woman is regarded as the ideal skin color. The origin of this mindset comes from the time of slavery, whereby the white color stood for power, wealth and favor. This image has still not seemed to have left our minds. That is why; I think some of us desire to look more as white people do. This issue can turn into an endless discussion. But first, I want to introduce to you the reality of this image and how this can be threatening to our younger women. At the end of the day, it is about embracing what you have as an individual.

This month we will talk about:
· The African community and skin bleach
· Skin Bleach and where it goes wrong
· What’s your perfect picture?
· Reader’s view on The African Community and Skin Bleach