Winnie Harlow, formerly known as Chantelle Young-Brown, has paved the way in the modeling industry for women who do not have the stereotypical model look. Harlow was diagnosed with vitiligo, a disease that results in white patches on the skin, when she was 4. Since then, she's competed on America's Next Top Model, landed major ad campaigns with Diesel and Desigual, and amassed a huge social following.
Some of those followers have gone as far as to pay tribute to the model by replicating the pigment patterns found on her skin through the use of makeup and posted the photos on Instagram.
So I've been tagged in this post a lot lately, with these ladies painting their faces to replicate the skin of the beautiful #winnieharlow. Here's my take While I appreciate that these ladies look at her and see beauty and want to show respect and appreciation, I also get why so many people are upset about this. NO, I DO NOT think this is #blackface, I DO NOT think these ladies were trying to be insensitive, however having vitiligo is more than just painting it on to get noticed. I've lived with this condition for the last 26 years and it has been hard. Being pointed at, mocked, laughed at, talked about, depressed, sad, lonely and many other emotions associated with being different were NOT easy. The transition phase, looking in the mirror and not seeing the person I was born as, I look different every year, new spots, less color, I went from being very dark to very light and it was very hard. The days I cried, the days I just want to be accepted, understood or normal. So while I can appreciate that they love her,#Vitiligo runs deeper than just winnie, there's so many people suffering in silence and these girls can just wipe off their makeup and not have to deal with the affects of really having vitiligo. The cultural appropriation part of it is irrelevant, I believe it's more about being thoughtful and respectful for ALL people living through this condition. To live with a condition where every one can see your differences isn't easy, we all have flaws but most people don't have to wear it on the outside every day and have people judge them or treat them like they are contagious. On the other side this is not a black vs white thing or at least it shouldn't be, it should be a being more mindful of all people who's affected by vitiligo thing. Yes I LOVE that vitiligo is becoming more recognized and known but we don't have a choice to have this condition or not, so I don't think people should replicate this condition when they don't have to actually live through the affects that we all do everyday. #winnieharlow #Vitiligo #theshaderoom#selflove #people #VITILIGOQUEEN
I agree & am knowledgeable to these things. & by all means I get it. But It's one thing to recreate my skin & wear a crown in a photo, & it's another to recreate my face & then wear a noose (which is not the case). There is a difference in love vs hate & it's easy to see. There's this fine line between stealing & showing appreciation or seeing that something's are being accepted by the world. There are things that have been taken without recognition (from Art, to culture, to language and beyond and from many races including our own), this is not one of them. One big comment I saw on my post was "u can't play both sides" but it's that same mentality that keeps us stagnant, sitting in the same mind frame as our predecessors who dealt with things that are & can come to an end if we could Really see each other as equals, & not just claim we do. I proudly stand on the Gray Line that blurs black from white. I am happily a mix of many races and creeds! I am of African, Indian European and Asian decent and identify as a Proud Black Canadian Woman, and I Never forget the Canadian because that is the Gray. Being Canadian or American should remind you of this beautiful melting pot we are, and that the world is turning into. People are so prideful that they die & protest to be accepted, & when they are, they still find fault😐. When a white girl wears braids why can't we say "woooy big up di gyal deh ah show di world and agree seh Our culture is something beautiful to wear and to be celebrated" rather than getting offended and upset. And when a black fan paints their face to look like mine then what...will u turn it into "appropriation of vitiligo" or will u be able to except something's as public examples of LOVE? -_-#1LOVE
Source :http://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/news/a45281/winnie-harlow-vitiligo-makeup/
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