The 42-year-old black woman, who has been slowly turning white for 17 years due to vitiligo, says strangers “fixate” on her as if she were an “animal” – and her own community accuses her of whitening her skin.
- Yomiko Johnson, a 42-year-old grandmother from Texas, already adores her “unique” skin
- But this was not always the case – with Iomikoe when she was diagnosed
- Yomiko revealed that she was still “fixed as an animal” by strangers
A black woman with vitiligo has revealed the brutal ridicule she receives online – including from her own community, which accuses her of “whitening” her skin.
Aomiko Johnson, 42, from Texasnow she adores her “unique” appearance, but this has not always been the case – the grandmother committed suicide when she was first diagnosed with a skin condition, at the age of 25.
And although it is now thriving – with the modeling options offered to a mother of four – Yomiko has revealed that she is still “fixed on her as an animal” by strangers and branded as a “Dalmatian or cow” by online trolls.
Maintaining positivity, the entrepreneur, whose body is 70 percent covered in pigment-free spots, insisted: “People with this condition are the most unique people on this earth. There is no one else who looks like us.
42-year-old Yomiko Johnson from Texas already adores her “unique” skin (pictured right), but this has not always been the case – her grandmother committed suicide when she was first diagnosed with skin condition at the age of 25 (pictured) left before being diagnosed)
And although it is now thriving – with the modeling options offered to a mother of four – Yomiko (pictured) has revealed that she is still “fixed on it like an animal” by strangers and branded as a “Dalmatian or cow”. “From online trolls
She said: “Over the years, I have learned to love and embrace my skin. But at first it made me feel depressed and suicidal because I lived like a black lady for 25 years and then suddenly my skin color started to change.
“According to my dermatologist, 70 percent of my body is white. There are white parts that I can’t reveal because that would be inappropriate.
“I agreed that one day my skin would be completely white and that’s fine. Other people have a problem with this.
Yomiko first noticed two white pea-sized spots on her body at the age of 25 and feared it could be cancer. She was then diagnosed with vitiligo and told she had no treatment.
The mother recalled how she faced discrimination from people who thought she was “whitening” her skin.
Maintaining positivity, the entrepreneur (pictured), whose body is 70 percent covered in pigment-free spots, insisted: “People with this condition are the most unique people on earth. There is no one else who looks like us.
Yomiko (pictured) first noticed two white pea-sized spots on her body at age 25 and feared it could be cancer. She was then diagnosed with vitiligo and told she had no treatment
The mother (pictured) recalled being discriminated against by people who believe she “whitens” her skin.
She said: “At first I was afraid to change my color. I’ve been a dark-skinned lady all my life, and suddenly my skin turned white. It was scary.
“There’s nothing wrong with being white, but I’m not. Every day I am accused online of whitening my skin and calling names like cow or dalmatian.
“It simply came to our notice then. The black community really didn’t accept me because they think I’m whitening my skin.
“It hurts so much when a comment comes from someone in my community – as a black person, he needs to know how it feels to be discriminated against.
But this is not only a negative reaction, the grandmother (pictured) also received positive feedback and even received opportunities for modeling
The mother of four, pictured in her early twenties before being diagnosed with skin condition, aged 25
“All races can suffer from vitiligo, and it can happen at any time in your life, but it’s not just black people who have vitiligo. People seem to focus on me like I’m an animal.
But this is not only a negative reaction, the grandmother also received positive feedback and even received opportunities for modeling.
She added: “My skin condition has slowed down a lot since I first received it. But I have to go through my whole course, so in the end I will be white. There are no drugs to stop him.
“People with this condition are the most unique people on this earth. There is no one else who looks like us.
WHAT IS VITILIGO?
Canadian fashion model Winnie Harlow is famous for suffering from vitiligo
Vitiligo is one of the most common autoimmune skin diseases and is caused by a lack of melanin, the pigment that gives skin color.
The late singer Michael Jackson has always said he suffers from a rare skin condition called vitiligo, but his claim is shrouded in controversy, as many experts are adamant that he did not suffer.
Canadian fashion model Winnie Harlow is a famous sufferer.
The body’s immune system attacks pigment cells, confusing them with foreign invaders.
This causes painless white patches on exposed areas such as the face and fingers, although they can also appear on the wrists, around the eyes, groin, armpits and inside the mouth.
The disease affects about one in every 200 people and about 50% develop their first symptoms before the age of 20, although it is not clear why.
However, “stressful” events, such as childbirth, hormonal changes or even skin cuts, can cause it – there is a genetic link.
There is no cure, but some treatments can reverse pigment loss if used early enough.