Skin is a very powerful film about a woman who went through so many obstacles based upon the color of her skin. Yes we have heard that story before but not like this one. For Sandra Laing it was different. She is a white woman whose brown skin caused everyone to assume she was black.
Sandra was born in South Africa to white parents, her skin color was the result of a biological quirk. A recessive gene from her ancestors, possibly from the 18th century when the Dutch settled in South Africa and took certain liberties with their black servants.
Although her appearance was that of a black child, her parent still loved her as their own and raised her as their white daughter. But the rest of the community did not see it that way. At the age of ten she was expelled from school, and reclassified as a "colored".
Sandra was later reclassified white again, but still never felt comfortable. She eventually ran off and eloped with a black man. For that reason her family disowned her and she had not spoken to any of them for 27 years.
(Sandra w/ mother and little brother, who also had a black appearance)
(Sandra and her Mother)
I would rather you read about her story yourself or at least watched this phenomenal movie.
and look heres the link :)
Sandara Laing's role was played by Sophie Okonedo
(Sandra with Ella, who portrayed her as a child, and Sophie)
There was also a book written about her story by Judith Stone
Interview with Sandra Laing
Touching story... This is why race and color should never be a factor in distinguishing one person from the next. Humans originated from Africa and despite color, we all carry that gene that associates us with the motherland.
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