The problem of people with albinism consists not only that they are worse adapted to the world around. Albinos sometimes hard to feel «Naughty» Among people with familiar hair and skin color. Who is to blame? - The answer is not so unequivocal.
Content
White crow
I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi. I was always drawn to white people and it seemed natural to me, so I had the same skin color. While my cousins gave dolls of dark color for Christmas, I was given dolls with peach and creamy skin. Once during the change in elementary school, one of the black girls told me that I could not play her company, since my doll was not the color. Later I understood that in fact she meant my wrong skin color.
Like dolls, I had blonde hair and green eyes. I was the only one of my kind. I am an African American, suffering from albinism, that is, in my skin there is almost no dark pigment. Albinism is a recessive feature, that is, both parents must have a special gene so that the child is born albino. It is quite a common phenomenon - 1 of 17,000 children is born by albino.
Mom was only 16 when she gave me. She put every effort to protect me, but still soon I learned that it's not like that. Wherever we did not have, I caught my gaze. On the faces of people it was possible to read the same question: «And this is really her daughter?»
Mom differed in a practical mind warehouse. She was more worried about the fact, and whether the solar rays would not harm me if I am in the sun. The complete absence of melanin in the skin means that it does not sunbathe, but burns under the action of sunlight. Therefore, mom constantly deceived me with sunscreen from her head and forced me to wear a panamus, as well as if possible, I had to be in the shade.
When I was in the fourth grade, my mother wrote a note to the teacher with a request to release me from «Sport Day», But I did not give her to the teacher. On the contrary, I spent all day, playing under the scorching sun. When, after graduation, I sat in the car, my mother noticed that my face was reddened. I tried to lie, but my face and body continued to blush and covered by blisters. I did not go to school for a whole week due to the fact that it was very ill.
About self-esteem and surrounding
Health problems greatly guaranteed that I will never be the best in the light of the child. I hated this hat and questions about my eyes. Albinos people are usually blind. But although I can see, I have Nistagm, because of which my pupils move too fast to catch focus. But health problems are nothing compared to self-esteem issues. While all the girls in adolescence worried about acne and menstruation, I was worried about another question: who I am? Is I really a white girl having black parents? Or a black girl living in a white girl's body?
In the past in Mississippi, the problem of racial affiliation was very acute. Black and white almost did not communicate and do not communicate with each other. Thus, I felt that I was inappropriate in anyone or in another group. In high school, I earned respect for my white friends of your intelligence and wit. I was chosen by the old-fashioned class. But I was isolated from social life. Nobody wanted to communicate with me in extracurricular time, and all quickly tortured to separate from me when I asked: «What are your plans for this weekend?» Odnoklassniki quickly came up with some stupid excuse. My black friends resulted in a respectfully with me at school, but, having envying me in some other place, for example, on a rink or in the shopping center, shakeped and went by the party.
Black guy could invite a white girl on the ball, but invite a black girl who looks like a white - was already a completely different story. Once in the class of black guys asked if someone had invited me to the graduation ball. I replied that I'm going to go there alone. Then one of them giggled and with a smirk said: «Who will invite such!» In the end, I stayed at home and did not go anywhere. Remembering the past, I can't believe that I was so intimidated that I decided not to go to your own graduation..
Become yourself
But at some point I decided to express my image with the help of kudryashek - traditional African hairstyles. I change her once a week, every time creating a new image. The feeling that unable to do anything with your skin color, I have such hair and in the right to do everything with them, I will want to give me a sense of satisfaction.
I also continue to work on my self-esteem. I'm trying to be strong, constantly smile. But still, with the form of girls with a beautiful chocolate color, skin causes a feeling of envy. My last guy made me feel unique, the only one of my kind - my albinism and the uniqueness of it drove it crazy, and it attached me confidence. The person who will be my husband must be intrigued by me. Perhaps I want to marry an African American, even when aware that my children will have another, not like me, skin color. But still, I would like my future husband to check for a special gene. Nevertheless, I am satisfied with myself. But I would not wish anyone what I had to go through.
