Flowers come in different colours but they are all flowers and this makes the country look beautiful just like people with different skin colours.
By Florence Zirima
Society still has negative beliefs towards people with albinism hence the need for more awareness so that they get equal opportunities. Young women with albinism still struggle in relationships due to myths around dating a girl with the congenital absence of pigmentation in the eyes, skin and hair.
Young women with albinism sharing their experiences and ideas on issues to do with relationships and dating, said society is still discriminating people with albinism and it’s even worse when it comes to relationships where men still believe in myths that if they have sexual intercourse with a woman with albinism diseases like HIV/AIDS are cured.
Annalisa Matindike, a woman with Albinism and a treasurer with the board for Freedom to the Disabled Person in Zimbabwe told this publication that society is still discriminating people with albinism.
“If you ask for drinking water, the cup you have used is thrown away.”
She also highlighted the challenges that face young women in relationships saying most in-laws do not accept a daughter in-law with albinism.
“You can have a good relationship with your boyfriend but the relatives of your boyfriend can be influenced by his family not to marry you fearing that we might give birth to a baby with albinism as well”, she said.
Anashe Murombedzi a young woman who was the 1st Miss Albinism Zimbabwe princess in 2019/20 also revealed the challenges that are faced in relationships.
“In most cases you find out that acceptance of persons with albinism when it comes to relationships is still stuck, they don’t usually last long.
One can date a person with Albinism just for experiment to see how it feels and if he accomplishes his goals he dumps you.
Due to myths and misconceptions it’s very rare to find the family accepting that their child is dating someone with albinism. Issues can be raised within the family to call off the relationship because they think that albinism is contagious but I am glad that life is changing daily and the albino community is being embraced”, she explained.
Identities Media got an opportunity to interview the current Miss Albinism Zimbabwe 2021 Shane Lawrence, who is also a social worker and an entrepreneur.
“Women with albinism face different challenges in relationships. Some can actually find someone who genuinely loves them but the relationship can be affected by the influence of the family and friends.
Personally, I have never really received direct rejection from the families of people I date. I would like to believe that one of the reasons is that I try as much as possible for people to know me as a person not to define me with my skin colour.
I have also grown to be an independent young woman who is not desperate and this makes people treat me just like any other person who is not an albino.
As a young woman with albinism I have learned to protect myself from being a victim through abstaining from sexual intercourse when I am in a relationship”, she said.
Albinism Alive Initiative Director Ms Gwen Mushonga said it is difficult for young women to know whether they are in a genuine relationship due to false beliefs around dating a woman with albinism.
“It is a dream for every young girl to be in a relationship but they find it hard to understand if the boyfriend is genuinely loving them because of myths around dating women with albinism.
Due to the stigma that young women face in the society, they end up losing confidence and getting into wrong relationships.
Mushonga said young women with albinism should know their rights in order to deal with the problems they face in relationships.
“All the challenges that young girls face in relationships can be overcome if they begin to know their rights so that they do not be taken advantage of”, she said.
She also added that women with albinism face double stigma especially in a society that looks down upon a girl child.
Ms Mushonga also urged young women with albinism to stand up for their rights and to grab the same opportunities that people with normal skin color get.
“Sometimes women with albinism hesitate to compete with people without albinism because they think that they are considered last.
Opportunities are not equally shared with people with albinism and this needs young albino women to stand up and fight for their rights so that they get the same opportunities as people without disabilities.
They should continue to thrive for positions of influence and be involved in societal and political posts.
Flowers come in different colours but they are all flowers just like people with a different skin colour and this makes the country look beautiful”, she said.
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