Skin bleaching is very popular in Jamaica. According to the 2018 Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey, 11 percent of Jamaicans’ have bleached their skin, with the highest rates among men. Skin bleaching is also quite poplar in the Caribbean and further overseas as well. Skin Bleaching is the practice of using chemical products to lighten darker areas of the skin or to get a lighter complexion. The products available are Bleaching Creams, Soaps, Pills as well as professional treatments such as Chemical Peels and Laser Surgery. There is no health benefit to Skin Bleaching and there is much evidence that the practice can result in serious side effects and complications.
Skin Bleaching reduces the
concentration or production of Melanin in the Skin. The amount of Melanin that
you have is mostly determined by genetics. People with darker hues have more
Melanin and vice versa. Hormones and Sunlight also affect Melanin production.
The reasons why persons choose to
lighten their skin are many and varied. Some Physical, some Cosmetic, some
Emotional, some Psychological. I’ve heard persons say that they bleach their
skin to “get ahead in life” since in their perception, more favor is shown to
lighter complexion people while other persons say that their romantic partner would
never have been attracted to them if they were of a darker hue. It has to be
understood, though, that this rejection of personal features is not natural but
was deliberately instituted by a system that sought to divide and conquer.
Skin Bleaching may seem like the very antithesis of Nudism and it is.
If Nudism is to gain broad acceptance in
majority Black communities where skin bleaching is so popular, the issue has to
be addressed. The rejection of natural features by the Black community is a
very real hindrance to our forward and upward mobility. These attitudes were
systematically instituted because it was known that people that thought little
of themselves were easier to control. People, especially a people that once
dominated the civilizations and kingdoms of Earth will resist attempts at
division and control unless their attitude towards Self has been methodically
tarnished. This is the only way to do it. You have to get them feeling
emotionally disconnected from themselves and they will be easy to restrain. And
this is what was done. Everything that was honored in Black Culture was made to
seem inferior and of little value. Everything. Including physical appearance
and concept of intellectual ability.
In this context, skin bleaching has to be seen as a direct result of this conditioning. How else could a people who once ruled the Earth and revered the Sun and who were conscious of the direct connection between the Melanin in their skin and the Sun to produce higher levels of spirituality then turn around and use chemicals to lighten the skin?
How else could a people who supported each other, who promoted justice and liberty and honored each other as brothers and sisters in divinity become so blindly violent towards each other? How could such people reject each other’s natural features?
Thankfully there has been an
upsurge in recent times in the promotion of healthy attitudes to Melanin in
popular culture. Hashtags such as #melaninpoppin, #melaninonfleek and
#blackgirlmagic have all gained popularity. Songs such as Romain Virgo – Melanin
and Mr. Vegas – No Bleaching have also gained popularity however, the practice
of skin bleaching still persists.
Clothes free living promotes healthy attitudes towards the body and self, therefore it’s the perfect antidote for the urge to skin bleach. Black people will not be challenged by thoughts of lack if their sense of beauty and Self is restored. Clothes Freedom offers this restoration. Black people will not be challenged in their quest for economic stability when their positive attitudes towards Self inclines them to seek out other like-minded persons to do business with, others who have a rock solid drive and determination to succeed. Clothes Freedom offers this positive attitude and drive. Black people will not be challenged by an inferior sense of beauty since Clothes Freedom values all the natural features of a person. A glowing and healthy skin tone is one of the most attractive features of a person and one of the markers of good health and glowing and healthy skin is one of the features of a Clothes Free practice.
Skin bleaching is very detrimental
to a person’s psyche and has no business in modern society. Clothes freedom is
a far better alternative for building self-esteem, building communities and
achieving overall economic stability.
Dale Harrison
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