What is Vitiligo?

Brut America

"People would call me cow or zebra." Body positive influencers with vitiligo opened up about bullying and learning to feel comfortable in their own skin.

Transcript

00:00Your difference are your strengths, is what I would say to a young girl who feels like she's different.

00:05It makes you special, and you should love your differences.

00:18I first noticed I had vitiligo when I was about 12 years old,

00:22and it started with a really small spot on my neck.

00:26I was born with vitiligo, like say 80% of my body.

00:30I got vitiligo when I was 25 years old.

00:34I've had vitiligo since I was five years old, so I didn't know that I looked different.

00:46You know in Tanzania there is no anyone like me.

00:49I've been called cow, I've been asked if I was trying to be white.

00:54I've had people ask me if I was burnt.

00:57This man was like, holy s, a spotted n-word.

01:03I was bullied for a bit.

01:05People would call me like say a cow or a zebra.

01:08It did have an impact on me, like all the name calling,

01:10because it would affect anybody's confidence just as bullying does.

01:20I spent a lot of time wearing makeup, hiding behind the makeup.

01:24I did not want people to see me the way that I was,

01:28because I was so, so shy and so insecure,

01:31and I didn't want people to react negatively, I guess.

01:34These ones kind of get to me.

01:36My mum, she used to like go to doctors and used to give like a makeup thing.

01:41I got like the majority of these, look, makeup, makeup.

01:48Makeup, makeup.

01:55Little by little, I started shedding off less and less

02:00to feel comfortable within myself.

02:02And I would look in the mirror and I would repeat to myself

02:07that I was enough and that I am worthy

02:10and that I wasn't going to let it go control my life.

02:13But you have to be yourself.

02:14You have to love yourself.

02:15And that way people just love you.

02:17As I get older, I literally appreciate every individual thing.

02:20And not even just about myself, about every other person as well.

02:23My mom used to tell me that all the time.

02:25Why don't you just embrace it?

02:26You never know who you could inspire.

02:30Embrace yourself, love yourself, support yourself and be kind to you.

02:35I'm so lucky that what others thought was a curse

02:41is such a blessing to me now.

02:43Whatever beauty means to you is what's the most important.

02:46So you shouldn't look towards beauty standards of any industry

02:49or anyone else other than yourself.

02:51Everyone has unique things.

02:54Like me, I have a skin.

02:56It is my unique.

02:57Other guys, they have eyes, blue eyes, you know.

03:00So we are different.

03:01So everyone is unique.

03:02So if you want to be like someone, you can't.

03:06Because it is his unique.

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