Original Research
Appreciating the image of God in all humanity: Towards a pastoral response to skin lightening as image enhancement to exit dark skin
Submitted: 15 May 2015 | Published: 09 May 2016
About the author(s)
Noah K. Tenai, School of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, South AfricaAbstract
The practice of skin lightening is prevalent amongst dark-skinned people globally. Various current studies that map this practice and that seek motivations behind the practice are examined. It is observed that through shrewd marketing, dark-skinned people are offered a promise of a better quality of life, obtained by a lighter skin, through the use of skin lighteners. In spite of the severe health risks involved, the promise is ostensibly irresistible to some dark-skinned persons. A pastoral response is offered that affirms the full personhood and complete humanity of dark-skinned people as fully human and whole in their dark skins.
Keywords: Skin lightening, Dark skin, Image of God
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Crossref Citations
1. Skin Bleaching Narratives Responses from Women Bleaches and Stakeholders in Ghana (1950s – 2015)
Samuel Adu-Gyamfi, Razak Mohammed Gyasi, Richard oware, Godwin Adu-Agyeman
Ethnologia Actualis vol: 18 issue: 2 first page: 100 year: 2018
doi: 10.2478/eas-2019-0005