This archive report was first published on 4 July 2020.
Celebrities Open Up About Skin Bleaching ¶
Published on July 4, 2020, several celebrities have shared their reasons for bleaching their skin, sparking a conversation about beauty standards and societal pressure.
Nyasuguta, a former Vitimbi actress, revealed that she bleached her skin after an accident in 2013 left her with a facial dent. She said,
‘I was involved in an accident in 2013. I got dented on the face. The dent was lighter than other parts of my face, consequently making me look like a person who has two facial complexions in one.’
Her mother encouraged her to bleach to achieve an even skin tone.
Wema Sepetu, a former Miss Tanzania, bleached for personal reasons, while Betty Bayo revealed that she did it because her then-boyfriend asked her to. Vera Sidika, a socialite, bleached to further her career as a socialite to international standards, stating,
‘Looking good is my business,’ she said matter-of-factly. ‘My body is my business, nobody else’s but mine.’
She had the skin lightening done in the UK, which cost around 15 million Kenyan shillings.
Bridget Achieng, a mother of one, bleached because she was being discriminated against due to her dark skin. She shared how her job was given to someone who was lighter than her, stating,
‘HONESTLY I DID NOT HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MY COLOUR, THE MEDIA AND PEOPLE IN GENERAL LOVE FAVORING LIGHT SKIN GIRLS. I HAD WON AN INTERVIEW BUT THEY TURNED ME DOWN BECAUSE I WAS DARK. RIGHT NOW IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE BEING TOLD TO LOVE THEIR COLOUR.’
