Sudanese women using Diana (Skin lightening cream)

[Hemaal]

Epitome of beauty for Somali men back home

 

[fardowsa]

 

[fardowsa]

It's a widespread epidemic all throughout Africa. It's very simple. At some point, to be a light-skinned woman came to be considered a beauty ideal, and ppl aspire to beauty ideals.

Its not in every african country
I can think of nigeria sudan somalia

It needs to stop

 

[Hilaac]

One word, globalisation.

Our family back home see all these Eurocentric beauty ideals throughout many products so they want to live up to this particular product. It's pathetic but it seems to be working on one's psyche to make them want to be lighter.

Possibly, if globalisation did not have a prominent force then we would be embracing dark-skinned beauties. It's funny because in my parents' generation they embraced all sorts of Somali women regardless of their skin tone but now there is a growing number of Diana abusers in our Somali communities. It's sad, really.

See, I don't think it's just globalisation. Because we've always been traders, interacted with diverse ppl, from Yemenis across the gulf to Persians (historically). So there's been exposure to other ethnicities long before the white man. Even post colonisation, my grandparents said much wasn't different, in fact the mixed breeds were shunned from Somali society. The only other plausible thing I can think of, is there was always a slight preference that became more pronounced with time. Otherwise, I don't buy that an entire society suddenly changed their ideals in the space of one generation. What kind of propensity to brainwashing is that

 

[Gambar]

If you're ugly you're ugly skin bleach won't save you.

 

[𐒁𐒚𐒒𐒂𐒘𐒂𐒗 𐒎𐒚𐒗𐒗𐒒]

I saw this it's so sad.

What I want to know is roughly when these practises began. In qaraami videos I don't see this phenomona. Heck even in my grandparents generation, skin tone wasn't a hot topic. So tolow why did Somalis become Arab/Eurocentric in their beauty standards?

Bollywood.

 

[Prince Abubu]

When I see them in hargeisa I used to shame them, I be like "Akhaseey way is cadaysay"

I remember this one waitress brought me my order. When I saw her hand as she was putting my food on the table....

 

[Human]

See, I don't think it's just globalisation. Because we've always been traders, interacted with diverse ppl, from Yemenis across the gulf to Persians (historically). So there's been exposure to other ethnicities long before the white man. Even post colonisation, my grandparents said much wasn't different, in fact the mixed breeds were shunned from Somali society. The only other plausible thing I can think of, is there was always a slight preference that became more pronounced with time. Otherwise, I don't buy that an entire society suddenly changed their ideals in the space of one generation. What kind of propensity to brainwashing is that

What about Americanisation?

Most countries rely on the US, mimic the US and want to be the US in a cultural, political and economic aspect. Or if they don't rely on the US, they rely on Europe in a cultural, political and economic aspect.

Like, have you noticed in the South Korean beauty ideal for a female is to have a long, slim nose, have to have an double eyelid and pale skin as well as your body being slim. This perception of beauty has somewhat been quite similar to its beauty ideal for female in the past but the changes of what your face has to be has changed drastically. If this has occurred in Asian countries then it would obviously occur in African countries as well.

But, in the example of Somalia, skin colour has never really been an issue but to see this happen in the last 10-20 years has obviously shown that it has been caused somewhere. This could be tackled in Somalia much easier than other African nations but there has to be a widespread campaign against Somali women using bleaching creams.

 

[Jjero]

How do you know? It's the Diana maybe

been there

 

[Hilaac]

What about Americanisation?

Most countries rely on the US, mimic the US and want to be the US in a cultural, political and economic aspect. Or if they don't rely on the US, they rely on Europe in a cultural, political and economic aspect.

Like, have you noticed in the South Korean beauty ideal for a female is to have a long, slim nose, have to have an double eyelid and pale skin as well as your body being slim. This perception of beauty has somewhat been quite similar to its beauty ideal for female in the past but the changes of what your face has to be has changed drastically. If this has occurred in Asian countries then it would obviously occur in African countries as well.

But, in the example of Somalia, skin colour has never really been an issue but to see this happen in the last 10-20 years has obviously shown that it has been caused somewhere. This could be tackled in Somalia much easier than other African nations but there has to be a widespread campaign against Somali women using bleaching creams.

Hmmm controversial but it seems like all of the brown and 'black' world is suffering from this, trying hard but I can not think of one exempt country. Whereas, the Europeans, notably the British had long-standing ideals of very fair skin totalling beauty all throughout the Victorian era. Right up until the 20th Century. Except, unlike us, they shredded this and made a complete 360, to tanning as you know. They have advanced, whilst the rest of the world are 100 years behind them in challenging their own beauty standards. That's kind of sad to me wallahi.

About South Korea, yeah they're an extreme case. I hear people go there to get their chins, jaws and everything else done. An extremely appearance obsessed society. China is similar too, although they set precedence to fair skin over the other stuff. They lead the world in prevention of melanin lmao it's normal for them to carry around anti-UV umbrellas.

I was on a train with a bunch of young girls, no older than 14 or 15 this year and the mundane superficial they were discussing. About getting darker lmao, they were worried. What are some parents feeding their kids? Wallahi I never thought about skin tone until I was 19, never even used to notice what mine was doing or other people's. Unless they were an extreme end of the spectrum. I don't think this will change tbh.

 

[black]

The war against diana is not working. Let's end this crusade.

 

[Human]

Hmmm controversial but it seems like all of the brown and 'black' world is suffering from this, trying hard but I can not think of one exempt country. Whereas, the Europeans, notably the British had long-standing ideals of very fair skin totalling beauty all throughout the Victorian era. Right up until the 20th Century. Except, unlike us, they shredded this and made a complete 360, to tanning as you know. They have advanced, whilst the rest of the world are 100 years behind them in challenging their own beauty standards. That's kind of sad to me wallahi.

About South Korea, yeah they're an extreme case. I hear people go there to get their chins, jaws and everything else done. An extremely appearance obsessed society. China is similar too, although they set precedence to fair skin over the other stuff. They lead the world in prevention of melanin lmao it's normal for them to carry around anti-UV umbrellas.

I was on a train with a bunch of young girls, no older than 14 or 15 this year and the mundane superficial they were discussing. About getting darker lmao, they were worried. What are some parents feeding their kids? Wallahi I never thought about skin tone until I was 19, never even used to notice what mine was doing or other people's. Unless they were an extreme end of the spectrum. I don't think this will change tbh.

Yes, that was what I have noticed. These semi-periphery and periphery nation states are perhaps living hundred years in the past culturally compared to these core nation states like Scandinavian countries, the UK and US with the excessive need of females to be light-skinned. It can also be noted that the terms light-skinned and fair have been used unequivocally which also plays a threat indirectly. Being fair seems to be the norm but being fair doesn't necessarily mean being light-skinned. You could be fair and be of a chocolate skin tone. Such advertisements and terms used inappropriately makes women from the third world more influenced to lighten their skin. These phenomena is great in the third world whereas the West have a desperate need of tanning.

It is incredibly sad. I have some Pakistani friends that are light-skinned and they are seen more appealing compared to my other Pakistani friends that have the average Pakistani skin colour. Even though the issue has slightly dimmed in the Pakistani diaspora in the West, Pakistani people are more likely to compliment a light-skinned Pakistani than a Pakistani with the same skin tone as everyone else. The funny thing is my Pakistani friends want to darken their skin colour to be more tanned. It's weird to see that even the light-skinned people want to tan themselves. It's like the norm now is to even be light-skinned or to be tanned. There is simply nothing else that will fit in this category of 'skin tone greatness'.

There has always been a trend to what people would like to do. Like, in my parents' generation, when they came to the West, the trend was to have really big hair and colourful clothes during the 80's which they simply obliged to. There was not much of an issue of skin colour back then but everyone follows everything based on trends. So, now, the trend is to be tanned as well as to have big lips. This is what many girls are obliging to by pouting their lips and tanning themselves in their pictures. Not everyone does this but there will always be a trend that someone may follow. Like, your perception of how your future spouse has to be may be based on a particular media format such as a film or a book or a particular celebrity you have seen and many more media formats/influences.

Yep, very hard indeed.

 

[Hilaac]

Yes, that was what I have noticed. These semi-periphery and periphery nation states are perhaps living hundred years in the past culturally compared to these core nation states like Scandinavian countries, the UK and US with the excessive need of females to be light-skinned. It can also be noted that the terms light-skinned and fair have been used unequivocally which also plays a threat indirectly. Being fair seems to be the norm but being fair doesn't necessarily mean being light-skinned. You could be fair and be of a chocolate skin tone. Such advertisements and terms used inappropriately makes women from the third world more influenced to lighten their skin. These phenomena is great in the third world whereas the West have a desperate need of tanning.

It is incredibly sad. I have some Pakistani friends that are light-skinned and they are seen more appealing compared to my other Pakistani friends that have the average Pakistani skin colour. Even though the issue has slightly dimmed in the Pakistani diaspora in the West, Pakistani people are more likely to compliment a light-skinned Pakistani than a Pakistani with the same skin tone as everyone else. The funny thing is my Pakistani friends want to darken their skin colour to be more tanned. It's weird to see that even the light-skinned people want to tan themselves. It's like the norm now is to even be light-skinned or to be tanned. There is simply nothing else that will fit in this category of 'skin tone greatness'.

There has always been a trend to what people would like to do. Like, in my parents' generation, when they came to the West, the trend was to have really big hair and colourful clothes during the 80's which they simply obliged to. There was not much of an issue of skin colour back then but everyone follows everything based on trends. So, now, the trend is to be tanned as well as to have big lips. This is what many girls are obliging to by pouting their lips and tanning themselves in their pictures. Not everyone does this but there will always be a trend that someone may follow. Like, your perception of how your future spouse has to be may be based on a particular media format such as a film or a book or a particular celebrity you have seen and many more media formats/influences.

Yep, very hard indeed.

Mashallah sis, your very insightful for your age.

The worst has to be when they self-depreciate based on skin colour. In those cases I sting for them, when they can't see the damage of their own mentality.

Haha, very similar in my parents case. Family was here long before the civil war and its hilarious to hear all the various changes, the big hair, the clothes. It makes me wish I was born even earlier, so I could experience the 80's as it was described to me. I may be biased but the early somalis had mega-class wallahi, so much more respected.

 

[Human]

Mashallah sis, your very insightful for your age.

I've noticed a similar thing with my arab/ asian friends, the worst has to be when they self-depreciate based on skin colour. In those cases I sting for them, when they can't see the damage of their own mentality.

Haha, very similar in my parents case. Family was here long before the civil war and its hilarious to hear all the various changes, the big hair, the clothes. It makes me wish I was born even earlier, so I could experience the 80's as it was described to me. I may be biased but the early somalis had mega-class wallahi, so much more respected.

Thank you very much, sister/brother/idontknow.


It’s quite sad. Asian and Arab people are very nice people and I respect them a lot but their culture is highly toxic. I have seen some of their national media formats to try to wonder if such culture is embedded throughout Asia and the Arab world and it is highly prominent. It is honestly such a loss for these great people.

Yes, I agree as well. Our parents' generation had much more freedom and I hear stories of my hooyo travelling alone to Europe. I feel jealous and I wish I lived in my parents' era.

 

[Inquisitive_]

This is just one of many steps of conforming towards Europhile doctrines and standards.

It's as dangerous to enslave a man that desires freedom then it is to release a slave that desires to remain in abject slavery and servitude.

 

[Human]

Naayahe horta why aren't you always pressed? Are you another younglin

Was that supposed to be an insult? Oh lord...


Yes, I am pressed today. I woke up which is the first sign of my body switching on like a press button. It's very good to know brothers like you care about, us, other feeble Somalis

 

[Beja]

It's such a big problem here, I know some people that say they've been teased for their skin color/hair texture and called "Nigerian" as an insult while growing up. I have a Senegalese coworker that deals with discrimination whenever she leaves goes to the poorer parts of the city.

The bleaching epidemic started in the 1980s, before then dark skin/"asmar" was the epitome of beauty in Sudan.

Thankfully the youth are more aware of the pitfalls of skin bleaching and self hate.

 

[Soulei]

The world has gone mad


Sudanese people are one of the most attractive people on earth(more than Ethiopians- sorry Ethiopian booty clappers) and they are using skin lightening cream? Those are oxymoron at its finest.

Stupid globalisation. How can this even happen?

Blame western standards of beauty infiltrating all corners of the world

 

[Reign]

Skin bleaching is so silly. You cannot run from your colour, not to mention it's so harmful. Wheres the diversity if everyone is light skinned? There's no fun in everyone looking the same.

 

[Pepe]

If they want to use it let them, no one says a thing when people go tanning to get darker or when these people are changing their race and gender, but a xalimo uses a little cream to get a shade lighter and its seen as self hate.