Day Fifty Eight: Pale

I am pale, pale, pale white Irish.

Let me get this straight right off the bat: I am not saying I’m proud of being white as in that I think I am of a superior race, but rather that I a fan of the actual pigment of my skin. I like that I am white, I am indifferent to the fact that I am White.

Growing up, especially in middle school, I got teased a lot for being really pale. I mean, really pale. I’ve had people ask me if I’m Scandinavian or if I’m albino. I kid you not; people have actually suggested that I go to the hospital because I’m so pale I constantly look like I’m slightly ill. I don’t tan at all, not even a little bit. I jump straight to burn and it only takes about five minutes of direct sunlight for me to turn into a lobster. When I go shopping for makeup, I usually have to buy the palest shade of foundation that they make and for some brands, even that is slightly too dark for me.

But my skin color comes from my heritage. Much like my blue eyes, being pale represents my family history. I think this is true about all skin colors, and rather than separating ourselves because of the shades, we should celebrate the traditions and history that they represent.

Because of the Crohn’s disease and the medication I take, I have an extremely high chance of developing skin cancer when I’m older. Coupled with my white, white Irish skin, it is pretty much a guarantee that I will have some form of the cancer before I turn forty. I’ve come to accept this as a part of myself and it has only driven me to take better care of myself. This was the first summer that I didn’t get a really bad sunburn.

Stay out of those tanning beds. They’re just death traps for stupid people.

Challenge to my Readers:

Take care of your skin, no matter what color or shade. Even people who don’t believe they burn (like my boyfriend) can cause serious damage to their skin by going out without sunscreen or insufficient coverage. This isn’t just true for the summer. Reflected light in the winter from snow and cloud cover can cause just as much damage as a sunny day.

Learn more from Cosmo’s Practice Safe Sun campaign.