I am often asked why I chose to write a children’s book.
Perhaps it is because I have always been fascinated by how our culture values the lighter skin tone over our natural skin colour. From a young age, I have seen endless commercials for whitening beauty products. All bluntly echo messages like “you cannot be a star if you do not have white skin” or “you can be more beautiful by using this whitening soap and be more noticeable.” It sounds harmless, but it is detrimental to everyone’s mental health, especially for those who do not fit the mould.
As a counseling psychology student, self-esteem and belonging have become a significant part of my learning. I know how it relates to our daily struggle to see our worth.
It is important to acknowledge that fitting in and belonging are two different things. I have been a fan of Brene Brown’s work. She has constantly preached that fitting in is all about being like everyone else so they will accept you, while true belonging is being accepted for who you are. Sometimes, we do everything we can to fit in, yet we do not belong, so we tend to look inward and ask ourselves, “What’s wrong with me?” instead of taking a different perspective.
I hope that whoever comes across my book can feel a little bit less alone in their suffering and because we are not defined by what society dictates. For the parents, I hope we can break the generations of hurt just because we were raised with certain beauty standards. May we continue to guide our children, especially with the rise of unrealistic beauty expectations on social media.
Since its release, “What’s wrong with my Skin?” has been featured on CBC News and CTV News Live at 5 here in Canada.
For more information, visit marjoriefrenette.com.
I would like to acknowledge my professor, Liana Barro. She and Professor Joeven Castro taught me how to use my skills for social justice.
