Gilbert Arenas (left) and Lupita Nyong'o. Photo credit: Grio
Kenyans have taken to social media to express their anger at the recent verbal attack on award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o by former U.S. basketball player Gilbert Arenas.
In an Instagram rant about dark-skinned women, Arenas appears to suggest that Black women are not beautiful, adding that Nyong’o, a Kenyan Hollywood actress, is only cute “when the lights are off,” according to BET.
In an exchange, Arenas commented on an Instagram post that encouraged Black women to appreciate their dark skin tone.
Problkthought wrote:
Your African features are all you need for attractiveness. Never tell yourself or let anyone tell you that in order to be attractive you must be mixed.
However, in Arenas’ response, he wrote:
How Black are we talking?? Not to be funny can you name a beautiful Black women on the outside…not brownskin… like tyrese black..top 50 most beautiful women off[sic] all time… the darkest women they have is (Keshia Knight Pullman a.k.a. Rudy) (gab) (union) (taral hicks) (Serena Williamns).
When u say African features Black then u have (#1 lupita n’yonga)[sic] and she’s cute when the lights are off second is (Ajuma nasenyana) sorry but ewww so the beautiful Black women u try to boost up is technically light skinned or brown skinned….”
Rejected Apology
Although the player’s offensive comments appear to have been deleted from his original post, the online community has not hesitated to let its rage out.
Since Arenas made the insulting comments five days ago, Kenyans — and Black people in general — have been trolling him on different social media platforms, with some suggesting that he is a victim of self-hate and mental slavery:
“I feel bad for your daughters growing with a father like you,” glam_you_girl commented on Instagram.
Arenas has since issued an apology accepting to bear any consequences for his remarks, but that only seems to have added fuel to the fire:
“Brother, instead of trashing you we will pray for you in hopes you can learn to self-love,” Taylor Ktk wrote on Facebook.
Some reports indicate that his Twitter account has been canceled following his appalling comments about dark-skinned women.
Nyong’o is yet to comment on the player’s rude remarks.
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This is nut who is colorstruck as so many black men are today? he is bigot toward his own race which is the worst in my book. This is some of the reason why dark skinned has had issue with their skin for hundreds of years because nuts like this guy are brainwash to think white or half white is RiGHT. To get upset over darkskinned black women celebrating their beauty which is rarely done compare to others is stupid. This nut spoke his heart and he can keep this lame apology. he is only sorry that he said it out loud.
And what is more stupid about his remarks, if a white man called his a black @#$% and think his black skin ugly, This nut would be the first to get upset YET he is putting down dark skinned women from his own race.
Alright Face 2 Face Africa.... you've given that RACIST nut job his 2¢ worth now, no more. He's only looking to be relevant on the International stage post his basketball career. Remember this....everything looks better in the dark of night. Smooth as silk, cool & black. ???? Also, dark, or even dark dark chocolate is good for the mind, body & soul. P.S. I understand y'all's need to vent as a people, but, he's just looking to get under yer skin. Like I said, paraphrasing here, you rattle the cage you've put yourself in when you want attention. He got it, the world responded, so, the next time, if there is a next time, be a bigger people than the rabble rouser. Let it slide off yet back like water on a duck. I have this saying....call me anything you want, just don't call me late for dinner. Seriously now, I've been poked @ most my life. Used to bother me, now it's....whatever. Not going to get on a 4th high blood pressure pill cuz some pin head wants it jacked up. I understand sticking up for yourself as a nation, but, some clowns insult you to watch you climb walls. As in getting you extremely ticked off. Don't no enough about Kenyan to put in an eye dropper, but, by the comments posted here, you are a proud people, who understand that being extremely dark (skinned) is where it's at. ????? And, I completely agree...& I'm white! Well, that's enough jaw jackin'. * Your admires are everywhere, even across the pond as the English are fond of saying. Either that or Colonialists or Yanks.
Butthurt SJWs. You know damn well these burnt broads are ugly as hell
Just like yo ✳MAMA✳
I'm starting to think black males are right along side these white supremacists.
I hope this guy is not African American, I'Ve heard his name before but don't know anything about him, he looks like both parents are black or African decent. It's a damn shame that these guys and women too who are of African heritage have such a low self image of themselves and want to always put their heritage down. Most of this stems from jealousy, very dark women are so beautiful. I was in Uganda in 2010 and was in the northern part with Acholi people. OMG such beatiful people ever! I am dark brown, typical African American color, and found myself to being jealous and then wanting to be darker because these people are so beautiful and regal. We need to stop allowing European values to dictate our way of thinking. We African decent people are ALL beautiful no matter what the shade is, no matter what the admixture might be, we still have strong African features that can NEVER, EVER be erased. Don't forget, the black women is the true mother to all races, the modern black women has the direct DNA gene of the first and oldest human being, no one else carries this gene. so RESPECT your mother!
i know Kenyans don't play. he will be dealt with!
She's more FEMININE looking than a lot of African American women I have seen and she has her natural hair, which means more to me than a complexion.
Gilbert who? Seriously I've never heard of this guy until this news came out. Why does he think his opinion matters that much? He must be getting paid. But seriously, Lupita does not even look ugly. She does look pretty. I'm not saying this just becaus I'm a black girl, I've seen unattractive black women but she's not unattractive. Notice how its these elitist black males making these sort of comments...