The world is all about Black Lives Matter in a bid to fight for equal opportunities for all people regardless of color and origin.
Kenyans have also taken to the streets, protested outside embassies, tweeted and retweeted about this now popular and trending hashtag.
But what many have not stopped to ask is: What of the local scenario? Well, it turns out that the bias based on looks is not something foreign on our Kenyan motherland if recent examples are anything to go by.
TV girl, Yvonne Okwara has always been comfortable in her skin tone – but the media industry spoke of a different tale.
Discrimination
Taking to her Instagram, the Citizen TV news anchor spoke of how ´underprivileged´ girls and women of darker skin have been discriminated against.
We are all talking about black lives matter. But we also need to reflect on our own culture in this part of the world. Colourism. Darker skinned girls and women are treated differently. We have to work twice as hard, be twice as smart to get ahead, because, what else do we have going for us, right? Because, inadvertently or otherwise this is the standard that has been set: light skin= beauty= opportunity= work = wealth= good marriage = beautiful children.
Speaking of a trend that has forced the darker shade of girls and women to seek out for skin lightening products which society has now come out to condemn.
To this, she questions ´why?´ because the very same society that is pointing fingers, is the very same society that pushed these individuals to the wall.
Before you stand up for the BLM movement, before you judge men and women for lightening their skin, telling them to love their skin, why not examine what got us here and how we got here?
Speaking of her own experiences:
On a personal note, it’s not been easy for me. Especially in this industry, I’ve seen the privilege that light skin has accorded others. I’ve seen them get away with murder, when I’ve been held to a higher standard. I’ve been expected to be smarter because, “you don’t have the looks so you’ve got to use your brain instead” It hasn’t been easy,
It’s exhausting at times, but it’s also rewarding. But it needs to change.
Her plea is one – charity should begin at home.