By Doreen Mokgolo
From being told that she was ugly, too dark and too tall, international model and actress Lethabo Sarah Khunou finally wears her melanin with pride.
She is now a regular feature of big international brands, such as Vogue and Bellagio, and recently appeared as the young Amenza in the hit movie The Woman King, which stars award-winning American actress Viola Davis.
The 27-year-old from Stinkwater, Hammanskraal, grew up being mocked about her physical features by her peers, to the point that she attempted suicide three times during her primary school years.
Khunou said she used to dread going to school because of the bullying.
“I was called a giraffe, my complexion was compared to a tarred road and my skinny frame was compared to the sick, malnourished and frail children of Ethiopia, whose pictures were circulated in the media.”
“Everyone had something to say about me. A friend’s mother once advised me to mix cooking oil with body lotion for a lighter complexion and another told me to always wear a summer hat to block the sun from my face,” she told Scrolla.Africa.
Khunou’s big break into the entertainment industry came when was crowned the 2015 Sunbabe, in a modelling competition run by a local daily newspaper.
She said her rise to stardom was also met with rejection and recommendations to improve her features.
During castings, she was told she was too ugly, too dark or too skinny, and she was encouraged to go to the gym to gain muscles. She was even told to bleach her skin.
Khunou added that she decided to embrace her features after seeing African models like Alek Wek being proud of their complexion.
“I now wear my melanin with pride and work to motivate young people to accept and embrace who they are. No one has the right to dictate how we should feel about our physical features,” she added.
Picture above: Lethabo Sarah Khunou
Image source: Supplied
