FAQ (PLEASE READ BEFORE SENDING ANY ASKS!):
(More below illustrated guide, make sure to read)
Wonderful illustrated guide by @ako-kipali
I have vitiligo does that mean I can't do X, Y, or Z?:
If you have vitiligo: Welcome to the club :D! In general this advice is mainly aimed towards people who don't have vitiligo, BUT if you do, do what you want! The only thing I would ask of you is to be aware that A) People might not be aware that you have vitiligo which is why you're taking liberates with it, B) People might try to emulate your depiction so if someone without the disorder doing something you might find uncomfortable, keep that in mind! and C) Be mindful of whether or not you're contributing to potentially harmful stereotypes! I'm not going to tell you, someone with the disability, that things are off limits, and I am aware that not everyone feels the same about this disorder, but keeping those things in mind won't hurt anybody!
Is it okay for vitiligo to be animal or shape based in pattern?:
NO. It's de-humanizing and harmful as many ablest insults aimed towards people with this disorder are animal-based. Also it purposefully goes out of it's way to make a person less human purely because they're disabled, which is obviously ablest in itself. Vitiligo is a disorder, NOT an aesthetic.
The same applied for characters inspired or based on animals, especially ones that are patterned.
YES this also includes giving them patterns like paint splotches, hearts, stars, and other stuff like that.
How does vitiligo develop?:
Vitiligo is an auto-immune disorder, which means its genetics based, BUT(!) it is not something you are born with, and needs to be developed through a person's life time. There are theories as to how it develops but as far as I'm aware there's no one solid answer.
There are also various comorbidities that can occur with vitiligo including but not limited to hypothyroidism, higher risk or cancer, and even hearing loss.
Are POC the only people who can develop vitiligo?:
Nope! Vitiligo can occur in anyone of any race/ethnicity. The reason why you only see people with darker skin tones portrayed with it is because there's more visual contrast, thus making it seem more unique/distinct/obvious.
What does this blog offer?:
I do all sorts of things! I show examples of vitiligo represented in media, answer any questions people might have about it in general, questions specific to character/plots, character design tips, and sensitivity reading just to name a few!
Why am I not answering an ask?
I've got a few mental and physical conditions which make me extremely tired all the time and sometimes I just don't have the mental energy to do it </3
Also some asks are tricky! I might just hoard the ask until I can think of a proper way to respond or if vitiligo finally gets enough media rep that I can do a proper analysis or make an actual wish-list lol.
@trinrose3! I developed vitiligo when I was 7 years and and for the majority of the time that I've had this disorder I felt disgusted and ashamed of it. Over the last few years I've learned to appreciate my vitiligo, as well as develop a slight hyperfixation on it in general, so I made this blog in order to spread awareness and positivity!
I'm the only one running this joint so if I'm being a little slow to answer an ask please be patient <3
Also here's a link to my ko-fi I'm struggling to pay bills and the health issues, job market, and other life circumstances are making it really hard right now so every penny is appreciated! I also take art commissions!
https://ko-fi.com/trinrose3
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