South African media personality Pearl Thusi has found herself embroiled in a social media controversy following a tweet that insulted her skin colour.

The tweet, which has since been deleted, was directed at Thusi and called her ugly. Many have come out in support of the actress, condemning the trolling and bullying that she has been subjected to over the years because of her skin tone.

Thusi, who was recently on holiday in Brazil, posted pictures of herself in a bikini on Twitter. While most of her followers complimented her on her stunning looks and enviable figure, some trolls took the opportunity to insult her skin colour. The tweet that caused the most outrage was one that called her “ugly” and suggested that if she were darker-skinned, her beauty would be questionable.

In response, Thusi took to Twitter to express her frustration with the constant bullying and trolling she has experienced because of her skin tone. She revealed that people have been telling her she is not pretty but only light-skinned for years, and that this has affected her self-esteem. “Imagine having to deal with this your entire life,” she wrote. “Self-hate is the ugly thing here. I hope sis heals.”

It is not the first time that Thusi has spoken out about the discrimination she has faced because of her skin colour. In an interview with the South African publication City Press, she revealed that people have been telling her that she is not black enough for most of her life. “It has been a constant battle,” she said. “People always have something to say about the way I look, the way I speak, the way I dress, the way I act. It’s exhausting.”

Thusi is not alone in her experiences. Many people with darker skin tones face discrimination and prejudice because of their colour, even within their own communities. This kind of colourism, which favours lighter-skinned people over darker-skinned people, is prevalent across the globe, from Africa to Asia to the Americas.

In Africa, colourism has its roots in colonialism and slavery. During the colonial era, European powers imposed a racial hierarchy that favoured white people over black people. This hierarchy was based on the belief that white people were superior to black people, and that black people were inferior because of their skin colour. This belief was used to justify slavery, which involved the forced labour of millions of Africans.

In the post-colonial era, colourism continued to thrive in many African countries. Lighter-skinned people were often seen as more attractive and desirable, and were given preferential treatment in areas such as education, employment, and marriage. This has led to a situation where many people with darker skin tones feel that they are not as valued or respected as those with lighter skin.

The effects of colourism can be devastating. People who are discriminated against because of their skin colour may suffer from low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. They may also face barriers in education, employment, and other areas of life. In extreme cases, colourism can lead to violence and even death.

The excited Pearl Thusi shared jaw dropping bikini pictures while on holiday in Brazil. Little did she know that scores of tweeps would jump on the bandwagon to attack her looks. From a tweet that has since been deleted, another tweep proceeded to claim that had Thusi been non-light skinned, her beauty would remain questionable.

“Didn’t even bother editing these! Thank you Brazil! Nothing can kill my vibe right now. Tell anyone who’s try a bring me down. I’m not about to act a clown. No make up , no edits. Just me.” wrote Pearl Thusi.

Firstly, the tweet complimented Thusi’s skin and beautiful natural hair before setting her on fire. The compliments felt rather backhanded as the tweet continued to take a dig at the actress and media personality by calling her ugly.

“Wena you have nice skin and hair but umubi kancane” wrote I Bring Nothing To The Table

Over the years, Pearl Thusi has been very vocal with how much bullying she has endured because of her skin colour. Thusi have gravely addressed the constant and continued torment and trolling of her of the way she looks. In numerous occasion, Thusi has admitted to having been told she was not pretty but only light skinned and that she was the industry’s favorite based off of her skin tone and naturally, curly hair. .

Taking to Twitter to defend herself, Thusi relays the amount of suffering she has succumbed to just because of the way she looks. Taking the high road, she has since wished the haters and trolls would heal from the continued hate they have towards her.

“Imagine having to deal with this your entire life. Ppl used to say this to me as a child & it was always people who were darker than me who’d say this. I never understood why someone would say I’d be ugly if I looked like them. Self hate is the ugly thing here. I hope sis heals.” wrote Pearl Thusi