Avril: I am comfortable in my skin

Kenyan songbird Avril stirred the murky waters of Internet hate on Boxing Day when she posted a make-up free photograph of herself on social media.

Avril drew a wave of mixed reactions when her au-naturale selfie on popular photo sharing website Instagram went viral.

The photo by the singer whose real name is Judith Nyambura Mwangi was captioned “Those mornings where I wake up with nothing but the blemishes, sun and smile on my face...#TeamAcneFaceThatBreaksOutWhenItFeelsNecessary #NowWatchSomeMenAndWomenComment #CommentsThatYouCanOnlyShakeYourHeadTo #Blessssssed2014 #AnEvenMoreBlessed2015ComingUp”

In it, Avril shows off an imperfect face with heavy acne scarring on her forehead and what could be the traces of a unibrow.

As expected, a section of the Internet populace came out guns blazing, attacking Avril for posting the picture, with some even accusing her of ruining their Christmas with such an unsavoury photo of herself.

However, another section had an outpouring of love and support for Avril. A large number of social media enthusiasts said that posting the photo online was brave and showed that the singer is comfortable in her own skin.

Avril, a prominent  singer and actress in the local entertainment scene, is hardly the first public figure to endure Internet trolls for choosing to show an honest image of herself to the world.

American superstars such as Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Tyra Banks and Rihanna have all been photographed without makeup.

But it was the ridiculous public obsession that followed Hillary Clinton’s photos without makeup in 2012 that really showed how much stock people attach to the appearance of public figures.

The perfectly ordinary picture of Ms Clinton with her hair down, wearing black frame spectacles and no make-up but a dash of lipstick on sparked media attention for days.

In response to the hullabaloo, Ms Clinton told CNN: “I feel so relieved to be at the stage I’m at in my life right now. Because you know if I want to wear my glasses I’m wearing my glasses. If I want to wear my hair back I’m pulling my hair back. You know at some point it’s just not something that deserves a lot of time and attention. And if others want to worry about it, I let them do the worrying for a change.”

She was telling the world to mind its own business. But the world is not very good at minding its own business, something that Avril found out after posting the controversial picture.

“Society has its misgivings and I don’t blame them. I have learnt to accept the fact human beings will be human beings,” she told the Sunday Nation in an interview.

“Just by me taking a picture of myself not having makeup and struggling with acne, I was insulted for an entire day nonstop by people I don’t know and probably will never meet, women and men alike. I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and ‘perfection is the disease of a nation.’”

What were some of the reactions she received from posting the no make-up selfie?

“I was trending the whole day because I was wearing no make-up and some people thought I looked hideous while others actually thought I looked prettier. Everyone has been a doctor on my timeline this past weekend, something that I have experienced for the past decade of my life,” says the singer, known for hits such as Hakuna Yule and Chokoza.

But why is the public seemingly lying in wait for a public figure to trip and commit a fashion faux pas then go on a frenzy of commentary and unsolicited advice?

Counselling psychologist Josephine Muthamia thinks that it is because people only consume what the celebrity gives, and do not stop to think about whom the real person is.

“Kenyans will go for anything as long as it is gold coated,” she says. “People are unable to dissociate the celebrity as a public figure and the real person who lives a real life away from the cameras.”

Psychologist Winnie Kitetu certainly thinks that the public is unable to handle the truth.

“We are not for real. We like to see what we want to see. So when somebody like Avril posts an honest photo of herself that reveals her imperfections, it makes us uncomfortable and we throw stones,” says Ms Kitetu.

What does this kind of pressure to constantly stay perfect mean for entertainers such as Avril?

“I have had acne for over 10 years and it does affect me — I will not lie. My self-esteem when I get breakouts is affected always. With the camera always in my face I have to look ‘perfect’....but that’s not possible...even for ‘perfect’ people. But one thing is for sure: I become stronger every day. This past week made me three times stronger,” she told Sunday Nation.

FACTS ON ACNE

Acne affects over 650m people

Acne is a common human skin disease, characterised by areas of scaly red skin and pimples. Aside from scarring, its main effects are psychological, such as reduced self-esteem.

It affects about 650 million people worldwide. In adolescence, acne is usually caused by an increase in androgens such as testosterone, which occurs during puberty, regardless of sex. Severe acne is inflammatory, but acne can also manifest in non-inflammatory forms.

Many different treatments exist. Eating fewer simple carbohydrates like sugar may help. Medications for acne is also available although there is no way of telling how long the acne will last. - From Wikipedia