In 2018, the media highlighted the story of Ghanaian women who were consuming skin-lightening pills while pregnant in the hopes that their babies would be born with light skin. It is easy for us to judge these women, and even question their love and intentions, but if you really believe your children will have a better life if they have lighter skin, if that has been your personal experience every day of your life, then we can understand that it can be in fact an act of love, despite all the harm that comes with it. How cruel, how inhuman that our society has shaped beauty and self-worth in a way that only benefits a few, leaving many of the ones that don't fit into the perceived beauty standards willing to go to extreme measures such as skin bleaching to feel like they have a chance in this world.

Why as humans, do we have the need to feel better than others? Why is it that we can't simply celebrate our differences and see the beauty in each person regardless of their race, hair type, skin color, socioeconomic status, religion, preferences, etc.? When are we going to learn how to look at each other and smile, and see the value and worth in every person? 

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The desire for individuals to feel better than others or to conform to certain beauty standards often stems from complex social cultural and historica... View the full answer