While surfing the Internet in a sad attempt to avoid work, I came across a shocking discovery.
A panic attack, some tears and a trip to the bathroom later, I was still upset.
Our dearly departed Michael Jackson said he bleached his skin because of a skin condition. Okay, fine. I had hoped he would take his horrid transformation with him to the grave.
Now Sammy Sosa has to go and do it just because his skin was feeling a bit old and he needed some “rejuvenation.” The new skin tone — coupled with relaxed hair and green contacts — completes the look.
This is clearly not a skin condition issue.
Black people bleaching their skin is not a new phenomenon. In many cultures “white is right” and people will do anything to fit in.
Growing up, it always seemed like the light-skinned boys were more popular with the girls; the light-skinned girls were prettier. Our most famous and coveted African and African-American women are all light-skinned.
This is sad. Even sadder is when high-profile minorities choose to react to this by getting lighter skin. It sends a bad message to younger people who want to emulate their role models, and who think what they see celebrities do is what they should do.
Sammy Sosa is one of the most prolific hitters in the modern era of baseball. His dark skin and Latino roots make him a role model for those communities, and a poster child for success. What does it say to these communities if he turns himself white?
Even worse, Sosa has decided to endorse whatever product he used on himself in Latin America and the United States. Why would you do this, Sammy? It’s enough to ruin your own skin, but why would you encourage others to do it with you? To make it more normal?
We can’t accept this.
It’s strange. We live in a world where people always aspire to be more, and want what they don’t have. We have hair extensions, fake tits, ExtenZe, butt implants and much more. Everyone at one point in their lives has wanted to be something else. It’s human. I think it shows a lot of strength to be able to accept yourself and play to your strengths. But what does it say when you transform into somebody else?
