This Model’s Response to a Rude Question About Her Dark Skin Will Make You Cheer
Every Body celebrates inclusivity and the representation of human beings in every shape and form.
South Sudanese model Nyakim Gatwech is used to getting lots of attention — both negative and positive — for her dark skin. But the 24-year-old was shocked when an Uber driver actually asked her if she’d bleach her skin for $10,000. But instead of taking his ignorance to heart, Gawetch turned the experience into a teachable moment for women across the globe.
Gawetch posted about the incident on Instagram, saying, “why on earth would I ever bleach this beautiful melanin God bless with me [sic].”
Now living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Gatwech embraces the title “Queen of Dark” and regularly posts body-positive messages on her Instagram page. But in her Instagram post, she admits that the type of attention she sometimes gets for her skin color would be hard for some people to believe.
“Beauty is in the beholder. My chocolate is elegant. So is what I represent. I represent a nation of warriors. You can see it in my presentation. MaMa Africa. My roots run deep!” Gatwech says in one post.
But she admits that she wasn’t always this confident, especially when she was bullied at school. “There was a time in my life where I considered bleaching myself to avoid the dirty looks, the laughter, and for boys to find me attractive,” says Gatwech.
Immigrating to the US hasn’t made things any easier — she’s regularly on the receiving end of ignorant questions about her skin color and has faced discrimination from makeup artists, other models, and designers.
But now she embraces her dark complexion and regularly posts stunning photos on Instagram celebrating her melanin, much to the delight of her 150k+ followers.
She’s also advocating for other black women to love the skin they’re in. “They say the darker the cherry, the sweeter the juice,” says Gatwech. “Embrace your darkness!”
Have you been on a similar journey to finding your self-confidence? Tell us about it @BritandCo.
