I Turned from Black to White: How a Skin Disorder Changed a Man's Identity and His Place in the World

[Nachtengel]

As a five-year-old, every night I would pray to God to make me white. I grew up in an orphanage filled with largely white children, where I was often ridiculed for my skin colour.

And even at that age, I realised that some opportunities in this world were not for the taking if you were black.

'Please God, lighten my skin and make me like everyone else,' I would whisper before I went to sleep. It sounds like an impossible dream, but, for me, it came true.



Today, at the age of 44, as a result of the skin condition vitiligo, I am white. Were you to see me in the street, it wouldn't cross your mind that I'm anything other than a typical middle-aged Caucasian man.

The only reminder of the colour I once was is a circular patch of dark skin just 1cm wide at the top of my back.

In many ways, despite society's insistence that racism is a thing of the past, my life is better as a white man.

Much as this country proclaims that it is tolerant of every creed and colour, my experience shows this is not the case.

While this might sound shocking, I believe I'm only stating what every black man living in this country knows.

For instance, I was recently offered a job as a butcher, which I know I wouldn't have got were I black. How can I be so sure? After offering me the job, the owner of the business discreetly reassured me that it was not an establishment where black people were allowed to work.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...ace-world.html

[Old Winter]

[Æmeric]

That man wouldn't pass for White in America. He is still undeniably Black as the term is understood in America. But because he is lightskinned he would be treated differently by most Whites then if he was dark skinned. He would also be treated differently by other Negroes. The lighter the skin & straighter the hair the higher they are in the social order.

Good and Bad Hair - Straight & Nappy

Our first "Black president" is a Mulatto. He doesn't look like the typical US Negro. If he did he wouldn't have been elected.



The first Black Miss America. Probably somewhere between 25% & 37.5% African.

[Kogen]

He looks absolutely nothing like a European. It is no different than claiming that British coal miners look Negro.

[Huginn ok Muninn]

Today, at the age of 44, as a result of the skin condition vitiligo, I am white. Were you to see me in the street, it wouldn't cross your mind that I'm anything other than a typical middle-aged Caucasian man.

I know you're not one of my people.. don't insult my intelligence.

For instance, I was recently offered a job as a butcher, which I know I wouldn't have got were I black. How can I be so sure? After offering me the job, the owner of the business discreetly reassured me that it was not an establishment where black people were allowed to work.

He must be a complete moron.. or you are lying. I would bet the latter.

[Sigurd]

He still looks pretty offish nonetheless, bleached or not. If I met him in the street, the nose would screem "at least half Black", and his facial morphological structures would, after some inspection, herald that clearly the vast majority of his ancestry is of Negroid origin.

I must admit that the pigment would blind me enough to believe that he must have had at least one Europid ancestor that was responsible for his remarkably light pigment (you don't assume skin diseases as the cause in itself) --- but it would by no stretch of imagination be possible to mistake him for not having Negroid ancestry - sorry, pal, try again!

[Peoples Observer]

He is not White !

Here are his possiblities :

1. Albino Negro.

2. Partial Europid ancestry.

3. He chemically bleached his skin like Michael Jackson.

4. A freak skin disorder.

In any case his facial features betray Negro (nose, lips, small ears and frizzy hair) and or Oriental (eyes).

[Grey]

Does he really think people consider him white? Even idiots here see someone like that and know they're black. It's not something that you can overlook.

For instance, I was recently offered a job as a butcher, which I know I wouldn't have got were I black. How can I be so sure? After offering me the job, the owner of the business discreetly reassured me that it was not an establishment where black people were allowed to work.

Sounds like bullshit to me. People are pretty wary about saying those sorts of things and anyone that I know of would have known he was black.

[frippardthree]

I could tell the difference. The facial characteristics are quite obvious. I have seen pictures of Negroes with albinism and Vitiligo in medical journals, and I could still recognize the difference in bone structure.

Black Albino


White Albinos-Edgar & Johnny Winter

Albinism (from Latin albus, "white"; see extended etymology, also called achromia, achromasia, or achromatosis) is a form of hypopigmentary congenital disorder, characterized by a partial (in hypomelanism, also known as hypomelanosis) or total (amelanism or amelanosis) lack of melanin pigment in the eyes, skin and hair, or more rarely in the eyes alone. Albinism results from inheritance of recessive alleles. The condition is known to affect mammals (including humans), fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians. While the most common term for an organism affected by albinism is "albino" (noun and adjective), the word is sometimes used in derogatory ways towards people; more neutral terms are "albinistic" (adjective) and "person with albinism" (noun). Additional clinical adjectives sometimes used to refer to animals are "albinoid" and "albinic".

It is not the same as leucism, in which all integumental pigment is at least partially absent, but the eyes retain their usual color.

Retrieved From:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albinism

Vitiligo

Vitiligo (pronounced /ˌvɪtəl.ˈaɪɡoʊ/ ( listen), UK: /ˌvɪtɨˈlaɪɡoʊ/) is a chronic disorder that causes depigmentation in patches of skin. It occurs when the melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation which are derived from the neural crest, die or are unable to function. The precise pathogenesis, or cause, of vitiligo is complex and not yet fully understood. There is some evidence suggesting it is caused by a combination of autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors. It is also common in people with thyroid disorders. The population incidence worldwide is considered to be less than 1 percent.[1] Non-segmental vitiligo has a greater prevalence than the disorder's other form(s).

Retrieved From:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitiligo

[Dead Eye]

He definitely would not be able to pass as a white man.He clearly still has the negro traits and his genetics would not of changed which means his kids would be mixed if he were to go with a white woman or pure black if he were to go with a black woman.......unless theres something i don't quite understand about his condition.

Sorry but this man is living a lie and i feel sorry for him.