Nigerian-American rapper/actress Chika recently posted a raw image of herself on her Instagram opening up about a skin condition that has troubled her. Titling her post ‘Skin Appreciation Post’, Chika mentions how people’s comments affect her and she wanted to ‘challenge the norms of social media’. Many women often suffer from embarrassing conditions privately scared of what society will think. Never one to bite her tongue or dim her light for the comfort of others Chika has stood up for everything from women’s rights to the unfair treatment of unarmed black men.
Look at her self-revealing post below:
SKIN APPRECIATION POST: so, i often get praise for my skin accompanied by questions about my routine. people say, “your skin is flawless!” and i always feel like i’m being deceptive by showing the good days without the bad. i want my instagram to challenge the norms of social media and how we show our best moments only. i have PCOS and one of my symptoms is hirsutism, meaning i grow a LOT of hair on my face. (daddy energy) however, i really hate it. hirsutism, for me, has also come with folliculitis which means my face swells or “breaks out” causing my skin to hyper-pigment (get darker in areas that are affected the heaviest.) it’s something i do my best to manage, but it’s a daaaaaily struggle. i only take photos when i’m not having a flare up. my makeup routine is very specific because certain products make it worse. but my point in sharing is to let other womxn know they are not alone in this trash ass condition lol. i don’t want/need suggestions, i’ve done so much research cuz this has been the biggest pain and my biggest insecurity. people talk about my body & the reason that bothers me is cuz they assume that it’s my main concern when THIS is. my skin was at it’s worst last year and it’s doing a lot better now that i have a routine that works decently for me. so when you see a clear skin pic, just know i had to work for that and wait months for an opportunity when my skin isn’t trying to ruin my life lmao. i’m not perfect, i never will be. i will not contribute to the insta-culture of showing you perfection without showing you how i look when i’m going tf through it. it’ll go away eventually. but til then, know that i understand. love y’all.
Then the transparent rapper added, “this also explains why i get sensitive when asked about my gender. people see the “masculine” features i have and automatically feel like they have to doubt if i’m a woman. the insecurity is less about my actual appearance (cuz i rarely wear makeup to keep my skin from being a lil bitch.) i experience social dysphoria because of the things i get asked when i only have used she/her pronouns when referring to myself. my womanhood is not defined by what anyone perceives as “feminine.” and it shouldn’t be for ANYONE who deals with this. i am a woman. i am a woman with facial hair. i am a woman who likes tomboyish fashion. but i am a woman. and for myself and others, i will speak on this. be considerate of each other and what we may be going through. ask less questions. and respect EVERYONE for who they are. x”
Aside from being an awesome person, Chika is a talented organic rapper receiving tons of accolades for her contributions to hip-hop.
Check out her NPR appearance below.
