We are Melaninaire

We are Melaninaires 

I love the skin that I’m in. It is beautiful and rich in melanin. Undeterred by how some people may feel about it, I will rock it until the day I breathe no more. Still, there are many women who don’t love the color of their skin because the media tells them black is not beautiful. They get teased, bullied and marginalized because of their color. This has forced various women into skin bleaching, hoping to attain a more desired complexion.

You are too dark, she (who shall remain anonymous) indirectly said to Lupita Nyong’o. She has talent and an Oscar under her belt. Hello? Lupita’s skin is stunningly flawless. OMG! Have you seen her?

She doesn’t need any concealer. She doesn’t need to exfoliate. She doesn’t need to drink eight glasses of water on a daily basis. She doesn’t have to get an ample amount of sleep. She doesn’t need to eat fruits. She doesn’t have to avoid chocolate or greasy foods. She doesn’t have to do any of these things to obtain a beautiful skin. She is a MELANINAIRE!!!

Lupita eloquently responded to her, “She is looking at me as a part of the cultural tapestry … I am living and breathing … I cannot run away from who I am and my complexion or the larger society…” The only thing that we need to consider with anyone; black, white, brown, purple, green, we are ALL human. And should be treated as such. We shouldn’t have to feel inferior because of the richness of our melanin.

Every now and then, people comport themselves as if we, dark-skinned women gained our skin tone by a personal demand. In their eyes, we are eccentric. What once made us very different seems to make us odd, undesired and even ostracized.

I am apathetic about what society or media has to say concerning my overload of melanin. This is who I am, and if you are reading this is and you are black, this is who you are. We are African American women – The Melaninaires, we are so versatile, we come in different shades of skin tones. How cool is that?  I’m going to challenge myself (and you too if you are up to it). I will NOT run away from what makes me, me.  No more feeling a sense of shame of the history of African American women. No more using bleaching soaps or cream. No more feeling left out. No more feeling a sense of unworthiness. Let’s embrace our color. It makes us exceptional.  Let’s rise above all the critics and judgments. By the way, a box of Crayola makes a whole lot of difference on white paper. Power to Color!

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Thank you for reading.
Ciao!