Embracing Individuality | Ranjani Ramakrishnan | TEDxSAC

foreign for the first time what is it that you observe is it that energy is it what they wear is it their eyes their smile or do you have an inner dialogue about how you appear to them for the longest time it was the latter for me I was so consumed by my own insecurity that these white patches on my body were my biggest fear what are these white patches it's called Vitiligo where melanin which basically provides color to your skin is mistakenly attacked by the immune system this results in white patches on the body which appear more prominent the darker your complexion is I've had vitiligos since I was barely 11. dealing with shame I would cry to my mother asking her the question why me I became increasingly self-conscious that I disliked seeing my own reflection in the middle majority of my childhood was spent trying to medically treat this condition we've seen countless doctors and have had a taste of all kinds of medicines we've visited multiple religious temples and I've had visited multiple spiritual godmen in the hopes of a miraculous cure my parents were Relentless and were ready to try anything that came our way to ensure that I wouldn't lose my confidence and self-belief growing up but I did I lost my confidence every time I couldn't get myself to wear pretty dresses like my friends did I only work clothes that completely covered my patches I even avoided my favorite sport which is swimming because I was afraid to wear a swimsuit I lost my confidence every time a stranger approached me with unsolicited advice one on a public bus even asked me how I would find love and get married with this condition I felt undesirable as a teenager I lost my confidence every time I looked at my patches and I only wished that I could wipe them away Vitiligo doesn't have a cure even if the medication helps I would have to take them for the rest of my life to ensure that it doesn't relapse and to do that it would cost me my time energy and money it cost me my childhood stress is known to flare up conditions like Vitiligo so when I stopped all my medications completely I felt visibly relieved of any kind of stress and that clearly reflected in my skin because I naturally started healing and the way that my patches would stop you know uh spreading around my own body that eventually stopped it could have also been a post adolescent glow up but I'm not complaining about that this may be my personal experience with vitiligo but we must acknowledge that each individual's Journey with Vitiligo is personal and real whether they choose to medically treat it or cover it up with makeup or tattoos their choice deserves respect when I was in college and I was 17 then a friend of mine approached me to model for her photography photography project now this was a chance for me to put myself out there and get out of my shell but I refused I was left feeling vulnerable because I really wanted a taste of that freedom and my insecurities were holding me back when my classmate pushed me and gave me that much needed encouragement to try it out just once I had to hesitantly agree and that moment changed everything I went ahead and posed in front of the camera wearing an outfit that he only made my patches visible they made me look and feel so beautiful that I came out of that shoot feeling liberated from my fears I shared pictures from the shoot on social media alongside my story and to my own surprise that received an extremely positive response people of all ages and genders seem to have resonated with it I found meaning in sharing my story with others thereby helping them see themselves more positively I went on to do many more such beautiful artistic shoots and each experience made me embrace myself more I now see my patches as art thank you and many people have created stunning artworks with the two I have now completely made peace with looking at myself in front of the mirror it's truly a struggle for people with Vitiligo to accept themselves as they are but why you see although it may not affect a person's physical abilities it profoundly takes a toll on their Mental Health in many parts of the world children with Vitiligo are known to be bullied in schools for their appearance and they are name called they grew up internalizing these Commons and experiences and that leads to negative self-image and self-doubt Vitiligo affects nearly one to two percent of the world's population irrespective of race or ethnicity India is considered to have the highest prevalence in the world at about 8.8 percent of our population due to the lack of access to education and awareness this is still considered to be a contagious disease and a curse in certain communities and that leads to stigma and discrimination not being accepted by their own communities people with Vitiligo face difficulties in finding jobs romantic relationships and navigating life the narrow and conventional standards of beauty that we see in movies social media magazines and advertisements that Society keeps pushing on us makes people with visible conditions feel like they cannot meet those standards and that leads to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem the idea of beauty has been presented to us in a box right from When We're Young we're constantly glorifying and trying to look like what's in that box that we fail to see and appreciate the other beautiful shapes that exist Carlos in textures and sizes that exist so if you feel like you don't fit into this superficial box created by Society I urge you to bend it and make your own shape as you make your own shape you may find that your courage is making space for someone else who's watching you I've made a conscious effort to embrace my patches and share my story with others vulnerability is a powerful tool for connection and by being open and honest about your struggles you may be helping someone who's going through similar experiences and also educate those who are unaware people very often thank me for sharing my experience people with Vitiligo without Vitiligo people who are newly diagnosed with Vitiligo just finding hope and comfort in just listening to a relatable story I wish I had that growing up and that tells me that it is crucial to build an inclusive Society where everyone feels valued and accepted regardless of their appearance recognize that each person has a unique story and our differences is what makes us stronger as a society now I request the audience to look the person next to you in their eyes and without staring for too long give them your biggest possible smile so the next time you come across someone who has Vitiligo you know exactly what to do thank you for your time [Applause]

Channel: TEDx Talks

Views: 959

Keywords: Beauty, English, Global Issues, TEDxTalks, [TEDxEID:52799]

Id: MWxzwYLDOII

Length: 11min 23sec (683 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 22 2023