Susan: I was Once a Black Woman
By Malith Alier,
Susan, not her real name sits at the corner of Wonderful restaurant in Melekia. She shares a table with a male partner whom she constantly exchange looks amid smiles. Susan looks a modern woman like the types we see in cities and towns of South Sudan wearing different skin colour from the original black birth skin. Susan looks comfortable in her present skin in contrast to other women left behind and constantly criticise for failure to adapt to new way of life.
Most likely, she seems to be on the date with a guy who is robust in physique. The plump fellow is dark skin in contrast. His teeth are yellow stained like a smoker’s. He constantly peers through the restaurant as if someone preys on their togetherness.
In South Sudan it is unthinkable to take someone’s daughter to pubs or restaurants. This is courting the wrath of the girl’s relatives. Among many communities, girls are highly priced and are therefore, protected from guys who are out to spoil them. A girl remaining at home is a virtue in most of the Arab world including Sudan from were South Sudan separated from. Covering the face and the whole body is also adopted by non Muslims such as those who have been to Islamic nations.
A demand for lighter skin has never been on the rise. The whole of East Africa is engulfed in a business of skin colouring. A dark skin lady is therefore, frown upon and many reasons may be imagined. Ignorance about use of chemicals, lack of funds for their purchase or a black skin is beautiful attitudes may be some reasons for not catching up with the rest of the world.
The post modernism world has imposed itself on people in many unintended ways. The creams and injectables have revolutionised the way one would like to look. From celebrities to ordinary people, the ball is in your court whether to remain with black skin or it is time for change to take place.
The late Michael Jackson was once asked whether he thought that he was still a black person like his fellow African Americans who remain proud of their birth skins. This was a question he opted not to respond to. Michael was once proud of his heritage. That change over years because of pressures to be fairer skin.
Susan is among thousands of women who think that society today needs a fairer skin lady for employment and even attraction. A femme fatale attitude is also another reason why women apply body changing creams and lotions. This is an expensive endeavour.
However, nothing of value comes cheap. The chemical world, motivated by profit has pushed the importance of its products to such a dangerous level where one spends almost three quarters of income on such products. This is usually done through ads and other promotions that are hard to resist. Fairer skin and slim body are highly commendable for the younger generation. This is one reason why anorexia nervosa is not uncommon among well known young ladies who are as well wealthy.
The attitudes of those using skin changing products and those who do not use them, usually men are in great contrast. Those who use them have “an accept me” attitudes but those who do not use them have “a go away” attitudes. This is seen during a meeting of those opposites. The victim of chemical world would wish that you do not notice what they have done. However, in case you notice just accept it the way it is.
Those who have not succumbed to creams use, have such negative ideas about them. They think that the creams are costly in the first place. Number two they come with a lot of sight effects like skin cancer, bad body odour and skin disharmony.
Simon got married a couple of years back to a natural beautiful skin lady. Down the line she decided to change her skin colour to match with the modern woman usually the one in town. This happened at the time she went back to her parents’ home as a ritual to give birth for the first time.
As a consequence, Simon contemplated divorcing her. But what about the huge bride price paid in double of money and cows? Who will be on the losing side, the parents of the bride or those of the bridegroom? Usually, among the bride price paying communities, some of the bride wealth is returned and children if any go with the man.
The world of beautification is never on the same note. One’s own skin colour creates a desire of the one you do not have. The dark-skinned would like to be brown skin. The white-skinned would like to be brown-skin and verse versa. The white ladies tan their skins in that pursuit just like those dark-skinned people who are mad about light skin.
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