Tessa Twala: The lighter you are, the better you're treated

'Ring of Lies' actress Tess Twala. Picture: Instagram

'Ring of Lies' actress Tess Twala. Picture: Instagram

Published Dec 13, 2017

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Actress Tessa Twala, who plays Gugu in Mzansi Magic's drama 'Ring Of Lies', has opened up about being labelled a 'yellow bone'.

Speaking to TshisaLive, the Swaziland-born star said although the term is a serious as racism or sexism, her experience with xenophobia seems subtle in comparison to what other foreigners experience.

"I did (experience xenophobia), but I won't lie, it was subtle because of the way that I look. I admit that it is because I am light skinned. I don't know why it is that way, because I see it ( as xenophobia) and I experience it but I don't think it's as bad as it is for other people," Tessa explained. 

"It's like, the lighter you are the better you are treated."

Tessa, however, said she had zero tolerance for any kind of discrimination and wasn't afraid to call people out. She added that she also dislikes people who stand by and watch discrimination, as they are enablers.

Meanwhile, local actress Khanyi Mbau has also received her fair share of criticism for her skin tone, but for very different reasons. 

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In April, the star caused a social media storm after she shared a picture of herself in a skin tone, much lighter than her usual hue. The snap sparked a heated online discussion about why Khanyi suddenly looked "pink".

A post shared by Khanyi Mbau METANOIA (@mbaureloaded) on Apr 16, 2017 at 12:51pm PDT

At the time, Khanyi clapped back then deleted a post stating that: "Twirra since 2005 and you are still on me... who I marry, what I drive, where I work, How I get my money now what colour I am!"

However, once the dust settled, Khanyi explained to fans on video-sharing site Voov what the difference between bleaching and lightening.

"People that bleach their skin have brown spots. And their skin tends to go orange. People who (are)  lightening their skins using gallons and overdose on (skin whitening products) glutathione, have skin like mine. It tends to go pinkish. Lightish. Close to an albino colour," she said.

"It's not supposed to go an albino colour, but mine does because I tend to overdo everything in life."

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