British-Nigerian actress, Beverly Naya has explained why she produced a documentary on colorism, saying she wanted to challenge beauty standards that encourage many Nigerian women to bleach their skin.
Speaking in an interview, Naya said the documentary was created to raise awareness about colorism, educate people about the risks of skin bleaching and encourage self-acceptance.
The actress claimed that ‘77% of Nigerian women bleach their skin,’ describing the trend as a result of the belief that lighter skin is more attractive.
‘There’s this hierarchy of beauty according to complexion, where it’s like the lighter you are, the better. Culturally, you know, in society, it’s there.’
Naya said she came to see colorism as another form of bullying, explaining that many people used offensive terms for dark-skinned individuals without recognising the behaviour for what it was.
‘People knew that you could literally look at a dark-skinned person, and you would say, ‘Oh, Blackie,’ and it was derogatory, it was offensive, but there was nothing to define what that act was. But then it was colorism, and they didn’t know what it was.’
Speaking about the purpose of the documentary, Naya said she wanted viewers to appreciate their natural skin tone.
‘The whole idea was just to inspire people to love the complexion that they’re in and appreciate themselves for who they are,’ she said.
The actress also recalled that the documentary was released on Netflix a few weeks after the death of George Floyd, saying the timing contributed to its wider reach.
‘Naturally, it blew up. So many people watched it, and the impact was insane,’ she said.
Reflecting on the response, Naya said the positive reception encouraged her to continue advocating for self-love and raising awareness about colorism.