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Close Topic OptionsBlack Trini Who Turned White Tells Her Story
Black Trini Turned White Tells Story - Trinidad, Tobago / Caribbean - Posted: 5th Oct, 2009 - 2:51pm
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Black Trini Who Turned White Tells Her Story
She has the same condition that affected Michael Jackson, Vitiligo. What I did not understand from the article though is why she said people don't believe she is from Trinidad. I saw her pic and she looks she's from here, at least in my opinion. You can see her pic in the link provided.
| QUOTE |
| TRINIDADIAN Darcel de Vlugt, whose remarkable story of turning from dark skinned to white as a result of vitiligo has been getting considerable media attention, was a guest on NBC's Today Show on Tuesday. It was the first stop in a series of network appearances in the United States for the 23-year-old London-based fashion designer who was scheduled to appear on a CBS programme late Tuesday and on FOX yesterday morning. On the Today Show, which was broadcast shortly after 8 am, de Vlugt appeared in a segment alongside dermatologist Jeanine Downie and was interviewed by NBC's Ann Curry. De Vlugt has been attracting a great deal of attention because she suffers from the same condition which reportedly affected the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Jackson claimed his own transformation from black skin to white was a result of vitiligo. Some dermatologists have questioned that, but Jackson insisted he bleached his skin white because of the condition. "There was no one out there except for Michael Jackson who was saying that they had it. In a way, that sort of was support for myself," de Vlugt told Curry. She said she believes Jackson did in fact have vitiligo. "I would absolutely want to believe that yes, he had it. I think there's a lot of evidence to back it up." De Vlugt was a normal little girl in every way until the age of five, when her parents noticed white spots on her forearm and forehead. The spots spread to her legs and then her torso as she grew, gradually turning her skin into a mottled canvas that was half black and half white. "It slowly was going through my arms and legs and on my torso. By the time I reached 12 years old, it just started spreading very rapidly to my neck and face," de Vlugt said. Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder which affects people of all races but is glaringly obvious in people with dark skin. De Vlugt, who has been totally white since she was 17, said she grew up not knowing anyone else who was like her or really understanding what was happening to her. She said coping with the condition was emotionally devastating, especially when she was a teenager. She became emotional as she recounted some of the bad experiences she had over the years. "I"ve been called Spot. I"ve been called Dalmatian. I"ve had somebody tell other people for a sleep over, "Don't sleep in the same room as Darcel. You"ll catch the same thing she's got and die"." Even today, de Vlugt says she has a hard time convincing people here in her homeland she is really a Trinidadian.... |
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Black Trini Who Turned White Tells Her Story Caribbean / Tobago & Trinidad
If I saw Darcel in Trinidad, I would mistake her for a foreigner. I have stared at this picture in the Guardian Newspapers and it is very difficult for me to believe that she once had dark skin. I could understand why people find it so hard to believe that she is a Trinidadian. But I am happy she is doing so well as a fashion designer in London. I hope she uses all this publicity she is receiving to further her career. She has a lot of guts to withstand all the cruel comments she has received for her skin disease.
I know someone personally with vitiligo and unfortunately, it is not safe for a person inflicted with this disease to go out in the sun. From what I was told, people with vitiligo have no protection from the ultra violet rays from the sun and therefore it would be very easy to develop skin cancer. The person I know usually wears clothing that conceals every inch of her body and she avoids going out in the sun. Also, she complains that if she happens to walk around in POS, she could feel her skin burning very quickly in one minute! She also wears a lot of sunblock to protect her skin...
Story Tells White Turned Trini Black
| QUOTE (Geenie @ 31-Aug 09, 11:30 AM) |
| If I saw Darcel in Trinidad, I would mistake her for a foreigner. I have stared at this picture in the Guardian Newspapers and it is very difficult for me to believe that she once had dark skin. I could understand why people find it so hard to believe that she is a Trinidadian. |
She looks like a "Red" girl to me. The skin color (in this case the lack thereof) is not the issue but her features. Definitely I would not mistake her for a white foreigner.
Story Tells White Turned Trini Black
I saw her photo and it is not as sensational as she makes it sounds.
One cannot be African one day and turn into Ms Vlugt the next day! She does appear to me mixed ancestry and does have a skin condition but again it sells so a good marketing strategy for a company
Post Date: 4th Oct, 2009 - 6:17pm / Post ID: #
Black Trini Who Turned White Tells Her Story
I searched for this article (actually the "disease") when I saw this and came across another article with more information on it. The other article showed pictures of her before the change, which made the way the article was written much more involved as it highlighted there was indeed a change. I recall (I don't have the link here and it was a while ago) that in the other picture she looked much more brown (think "dark" golden brown).
I don't see why how she looks has anything to do with people not believing that she is from Trinidad and Tobago though, since when do I have to look a specific way to be from here; also since when people elsewhere know enough of how all the people in T&T look to say one isn't from Trinidad.
When I looked at her picture she does look "local" though, mixed or "red" in the colloquial tongue. Since her name also sounds like it has French origin, I find that would have also supported her being from Trinidad as there are many people here with French ancestry whose look is similar to her look.
Black Trini Turned White Tells Story
QUOTE (hexxx @ 4-Oct 09, 1:17 PM) I don't see why how she looks has anything to do with people not believing that she is from Trinidad and Tobago though, since when do I have to look a specific way to be from here
I think they meant most of the population in this country is "black", the rest is a minority. But I didn't understand your comment because then you said:
QUOTE When I looked at her picture she does look "local" though
So which one is it?
QUOTE also since when people elsewhere know enough of how all the people in T&T look to say one isn't from Trinidad.
Maybe because some of us have lived here for more than 20 years you don't have to be a Trinidadian to recognize one.
For me this girl looks African-descendant.
Edited: TriniSpanish on 5th Oct, 2009 - 2:03pmPost Date: 5th Oct, 2009 - 2:51pm / Post ID: #
Black Trini Turned White Tells Story Trinidad & Tobago / Caribbean
Well that is why I put it in quotes... From the pic there she looks like a normal person, I don't see why she can't be from here (or anywhere else for that matter). Maybe that is because of her posture that is isn't looking formal or anything. Of course that doesn't mean she can't be from anywhere else. I stick with my original opinion that I don't see how persons can refuse to believe where someone hails from by their look.
TOPIC: Black Trini Who Turned White Tells Her Story