Bianca Gonzalez-Intal is a Filipina TV host and model. She has a 6-month-old daughter called Lucia.
Last week, Gonzalez-Intal posted a photo of Lucia to her Instagram, in celebration of her being 6 months old and starting to eat solid food.
Soon after the photo went up, an Instagram user posted the comment "What's beautiful about that?" referring to Lucia.
Gonzalez-Intal quickly replied, stating her daughter was "Pinay and proud" and that her "negra" or "dark" skin wasn't a flaw.
When another user suggested Lucia's looks may change with time, Gonzalez-Intal hit back at the suggestion, saying "Why do people think being dark-skinned is an insult?"
On Wednesday, Gonzalez-Intal followed up her comments by sharing a photo of herself as a child, saying, "I was insecure when I was young, until I discovered my talents and built real friendships and realized skin color doesn't matter."
Ten-year-old-me to bullies calling me 'negra' be like 👆👆 .. 😂😂 Fast-forward to me in my thirties, and haters still bully me 'negra'.I was insecure when I was young until I discovered my talents and built real friendships and realized skin color doesn't matter.The past few days have been so eye-opening, to find out that so many people are still bullied for being dark. It's 2016! Do you still believe that lighter skin is 'more beautiful' than darker skin?We're Pinoy, we can be dark-skinned, be proud of it!To any young Pinoy reading this, don't pressure yourself to lighten your skin because you don't need it, your color is beautiful.To parents, siblings, best friends, special someones of anyone being bullied for being dark, reassure them that their color is beautiful and they need not be fairer to be appreciated. Whether you're born with dark or fair skin, embrace your color and be proud of it.Your value as a human is not in the color of your skin. It's in who you surround yourself with and how you share your talents.Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts and comments, it's wonderful that there are so many #proudmorena{s]!!!!
Since the incident, people have been sharing positive and supportive comments about both Gonzalez-Intal and Lucia, and using the hashtag #proudmorena, meaning proud of their dark skin.
