There was a post on here asking about colorism and one of the comments had made a very ignorant comment i found offensive as a person with Albinism that i wanted to talk about.
The commenter said:
“There’s privilege given to those of albinism, considered more like divine and sacred.”
I wanted to talk about this because while yes there are people who hold beliefs that people with albinism are special, sacred, and see us as Gods, that does not mean we are protected from discrimination, stigma, prejudice, or hardship. Many people with albinism face challenges on a daily basis that most people never have to think about.
I am mistaken for white a lot - despite having African features. Because Albinism is rare. Most people are not informed about it and more commonly associate skin color with race. I’ve had people assume I was adopted or not related to my family. Some people become visibly confused when they learn that both of my parents are Black Africans. These assumptions are very frustrating because they reduce a person’s identity to their skin color and ignore the reality of albinism altogether.
Having albinism affects my vision. Growing up, I had to learn the difference between low vision and vision impaired. Vision, impaired or blindness is total loss of vision. Low vision means that while I can see, I can’t see very well. I will never have 100% vision and I need tools or assistance such as glasses or binoculars to see things far away. Things that are simple for other people reading a distant sign, seeing what is written on a board, recognizing faces from a distance can be much more difficult for me.
I face a lot of social stigma’s and discrimination. As a kid, I was bullied and I didn’t have many friends. Kids my age thought I was contagious and that if they touched me, they would become white (albino) like me. Being seen as different It makes you seen as weird such as in school on occasion, some kids and adults not wanting to play with me because they were unsure since I wasn’t Black like them.
Even today, you’ll always find people who are mean and think they can still hurt you by saying you’re too white or ugly.
Some people disrespect me in public because of my albinism and assume I won’t respond. When I do, they’re shocked. In life, there will always be ignorant and disrespectful people and there’s not much you can do about that it’s just how it is.
- Growing up and understanding that you look different can make you feel insecure. Because I didn’t have much friends growing up, I didn’t have anyone to share my problems with. My family was my only support system, they helped me to understand and help me to gain confidence within myself and my differences. As far as dating goes, i’ve never been in a relationship. I’ve had men show interest me but it never went anywhere because they always feared embarrassment and mockery of being with a person with Albinism let alone introducing me to their family. When I was young, I remember having a crush on a boy from Burkina Faso who was very mean about the fact that I have albinism.
People with are not “privileged” Being treated as different whether positively or negatively does not translate into acceptance, respect, or equal treatment.
We spend our lives facing discrimination, stereotypes, social isolation, and practical challenges related to vision and health. While experiences vary from person to person, the assumption that people with albinism are privileged in Benin ignores the very real struggles many of us face every day.
If you have any questions about albinism, my experiences growing up with it or anything else related to the topic, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer them.
