Today on World Vitiligo Day, CitySpidey organised an Instagram LIVE with Shivaji Choudhary, a vitiligo awareness activist who coped with his disorder and also created space for open advocacy on it. Choudhary was diagnosed with vitiligo at the age of 9. He said, “I was treated differently, and that was not right.”
Choudhary talked about the significance of Vitiligo Day, why we need more awareness about the disease and the taboo that the disease is considered to be. He said, "Vitiligo just happens, and karma has nothing to do with it.’
"Parents are my rock stars,” said Choudhary. During the session he highlighted the role of parents in normalising vitiligo. He shared instances where parents shied away under the pressure of societal norms and people's perception which in turn made a person with vitiligo feel unaccepted, unloved and depressed.
“Bullying was a daily routine,” he said while talking about his own struggle, which inspired him to start Vitiligo India on Instagram where he and people like him can connect and raise their voices for normalising vitiligo.
He also said that people must know that vitiligo is not a contagious or a genetic disease.
During the session when one of the viewers commented that he was diagnosed with vitiligo a day ago, Choudhary congratulated him and boosted his confidence by welcoming him in the family — the 1% of the world population.
Click on the link below and watch the full conversation. We bet it will change your thoughts about vitiligo.
