The skin that I wear
THE SKIN THAT I WEAR is an authorial project open to the public about diversity and inclusion through art. The project invites black, trans, gay, fat, disabled, elderly, down syndrome, vitiligo, albinism and other conditions not listed around the world of any gender to share their stories and star in the project with all the beauty that exists in diversity! Entries are accepted until 03/15/2022.
"Vitiligo came into my life when I was 4, I always lived my childhood in a happy and peaceful way. The problem was at school, the boys called me several names such as: jaguar, dalmatian, zebra, flurry and that attacked me a lot.
With therapy and family support, I was able to deal better with that.
My mother was always my strength, she always encouraged me to never hide my spots and it made a total difference for me to be more free in whatever environment.
I'm eternal detachment from myself, because every year I'm different, vitiligo changes like a metamorphosis. I like all my phases and I hug them all with affection "
- Barbarhat, from Brazil
It raises awareness about vitiligo by “breaking patterns and fixing mirrors”.
"Some parents and family members of friends didn't let them play with me. Many schools didn't accept me either. Nowadays, a lot of people think I'm a child or sick as I was on Google. I'm still myself, I don't care about the prejudice.
I do the things I like and I will be happy"
- Vitória, from Brazil
He mobilized a campaign that updated the definition of down syndrome on Google in 2021, demystifies down syndrome and promotes the fight against #capacitation in society.
"My mother used to say that I looked like a clown and "advised" me not to leave the house without making up my spots. I've even heard to drink armadillo blood!
Today I ignore it or say that I don't need help or opinion. I couldn't go to the beach for years ashamed of my spots. Today if you want to find me on my days off I'll be at the beach and with the smallest swimming trunks."
- Roger, from Brazil
He beat depression and is a great inspiration.
"My disability is not always visible in my everyday life and I have encountered judgement only in very specific situations such as when using my disabled page to park my car. On many occasions members of the public have aggressed me verbally for what they perceived was an abuse of the system on my part, as in their eyes I was clearly not disabled.
One of the hardest thing for me is to have to justify my disability to others. My disability is part of who I am but it doesn’t define me and I do not feel the need to showcase it. Unfortunately I believe I do get penalised at times for not conforming to the preconceived image of what a disabled person ought to look like. Disabilities take many forms, and all are valid."
-Emmanuelle, from UK
She was in a motorcycle accident that paralyzed her left arm and hand and is now a design historian and model.
“I never had much understanding of people's prejudice and evil. At school my mother dealt with the lack of preparation to receive a child with cerebral palsy and they explained that there was no place for me there. But my mother was strong and ran after me and I did elementary and high school in great schools that welcomed me with affection. People question what will become of me because I don't speak and this raises a lot of doubts in people, and in this digital world that I chose there is a huge and painful prejudice, people call me mute, they question how I'm going to work as an influencer if I don't know speak?
But I speak with my eyes, with my affection, with the disconnected sentences that I write that only sensitive people can understand, and it is for these people that I am here, taking my love with my wisdom from an evolved spirit that learned a lot here on earth.”
-Amanda, from Brazil
She fights prejudice and is successful on the web with photos and videos that show the passion for fashion and makeup.
"Ever since being diagnosed with vitiligo at 12 the one that stuck to me always was being asked if I showered with bleach. I remember I was finally confident to go the pool and actually wear a swimsuit wear, when a young girl yelled out from the pool if I had showered with bleach. That’s when I chose to hide my skin and I did for years to come.
If it wasn’t for those trials that I had to overcome I wouldn’t be the strong woman who is completely in awe of the work of art that’s etched on her skin. Art saved me! I want to be that person that I didn’t have and if I can inspire someone it fills my heart. I have my bad days but I'm not my bad days and it doesn't damage my journey to self acceptance. "
-Ash, from USA
She is known as "the girl with the world painted on her body" and eShe is known as "the girl with the world painted on her body" and encourages self-love and self-acceptance.ncourages self-love and self-acceptance.
editorial, illustrator, illustration, print, illustration, pattern design, textile design, textile design, food, food, pasta
United Kingdom, New York, United States, Australia
realismo, semi-realismo, realist, realism
