There are a lot of people who should recognize Lupita Nyong’o. After all, she is an Oscar-winning actress from her role in 12 Years a Slave, which is in addition to a number of other important roles in a number of other well-known movies such as Black Panther, The Jungle Book, and the new Star Wars movies. With that said, it is interesting to note that Nyong’o has an interest in other matters as well, as shown by the news that she is writing a picture book for children at the moment.
What Will Lupita Nyong’o’s Book Be About?
For those who are curious, Nyong’o’s book will be called Sulwe, which is the name of the book’s main character, who is a Kenyan girl with a darker skin tone than her classmates as well as her family members. As a result, she wants lighter-colored skin but will be convinced by her mother within the book that she is beautiful the way that she is. Summed up, Sulwe is intended to combat the phenomenon of colorism, which is the term used for the discrimination shown against people with darker skin-tones, often by people belonging to the same race or the same ethnic group. It is interesting to note that to some extent, Sulwe will be inspired by Nyong’o’s own experiences with colorism, seeing as how she has revealed that she was bullied for having a darker skin-tone when she was a child. As a result, it can be said that the book will have something of a personal element to it as well.
How Widespread Is the Problem?
The idea that lighter skin is seen as being more beautiful than darker skin can seem a little odd for people who are used to the idea that tanned skin is seen as being more beautiful than pale skin. However, it should be noted that said trend is a recent phenomenon even in the West, seeing as how it started up in the 1920s. Tanning became popular because it was associated with the idea that someone is well-off enough to spend time resting and relaxing out in the sun instead of being forced to spend all of their time working indoors. As a result, it should come as no surprise to learn that before that point, pale skin was seen as being more beautiful in the West for centuries and centuries for the simple reason that it was associated with the idea that someone was well-off enough to spend their time resting and relaxing indoors instead of having to spend all of their time working outdoors.
Nowadays, the phenomenon of colorism is widespread, though it should be noted that its causes are more complicated than what has been brought up in the previous paragraph. For example, the phenomenon can be found in the United States, where a darker skin-tone is often seen as being less beautiful than a lighter skin-tone in African-American communities. Furthermore, the phenomenon can be found in countries that range from China to India, where companies make millions and millions off of a wide range of skin-lightening products. As a result, Nyong’o’s interest in combating this phenomenon is a laudable one, meaning that one cannot help but hope that her book will succeed beyond all expectations.
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