Refilwe Modiselle

Actress and model, Refilwe Modiselle celebrating her birthday. Image via Twitter @vanillablaq

‘Stop calling me an albino’: Refilwe Modiselle says the word is derogatory

Model and actress, Refilwe Modiselle, has asked people to stop using the word “albino” as it’s similar to plants and animals.

Refilwe Modiselle

Actress and model, Refilwe Modiselle celebrating her birthday. Image via Twitter @vanillablaq

Media personality, Refilwe Modiselle has pleaded with South Africans to stop calling people living with albinism “albinos.”  

The actress explained that the term is derogatory and is usually used for plans and animals.   

REFILWE EXPLAINS ALBINISM AND “ALBINO”

The actress cleared the terms on Twitter when journalist, Mzilikazi Wa Afrika, posted a photo of people living with albinism.   

Afrika captioned the image:

“One Love: A friend with albinism is still a friend of mine #StopAlbinoKillings 2.”  

The actress replied to Afrika’s post and asked him to not call them “albinos” as the term is insulting and stated that the correct way is to say, person or people living with albinism.   

Modiselle added the term “albino” is just a condition and that she’s been educating people on the difference between “albino” and albinism.  

“Also, it’s a condition, not who we are! Albino has had a lot of stigmas attached to it which needs eradication.”

“We don’t say a person is cancer or diabetes or HIV. You live with a condition.”  

She further added that her albinism didn’t make her and that it’s just part of what people see on the outside.   

The condition didn’t define who she is as a soul and she had to make a conscious decision to be intentional in who she is and what she wanted to accomplish for her life.   

“I saw Refilwe first before my skin colour.”  

REFILWE FEELS UNAPPRECIATED BY MZANSI  

The actress previously shared how she feels unappreciated by South Africa as she hardly gets roles on our small screens and that she’s won numerous awards overseas.   

She took to social media to share a conversation she had with her friend that left her emotional.  

“I was talking to an ex, I’m still good friends with. He’s abroad and watches South African content he can access.”

“Then he asks: ‘Fi you’ve done the work, worked hard, earned your stripes, why do I not see your face?'”

“Yazi, I just giggled with no answer but my heart sank.”   

She further added that she’d love to leave the country because she feels like she’s not appreciated in South Africa.   

“I feel like when I step out (on the global stage), that is when people appreciate what I do … I have made peace with it.” 

“There are many aspirations but I don’t really think I want to live the Hollywood dream.”

“Everyone wants to do that. I want to be a global icon.”