Inspirational Story of ‘Daughter Of The Night’
Khoudia Diop, 19, who also calls herself ‘Melanin Goddess’, said she was ‘teased a lot’ growing up and still gets negative comments online now. A black model who has taken Instagram by storm said she was bullied growing up because of her skin color.
She calls herself the Melanin Goddess, and her fast-growing fan base on the internet promises to make her every bit a fashion legend. Senegalese model Khoudia Diop, who is inspiring legions of dark-skinned women by shattering stereotypes about beauty and body positivity.
The Senegalese/ French-born fashion icon is said to be the darkest model in Africa. Diop has been called everything from “charcoal black” to “darky”, daughter of the night”, and “mother of stars” for her glistening complexion and features. Sharp. Beautiful. Black. The dark-as-the-night, voluptuous Diop has more than 105K followers on Instagram, and uses hashtags like #blackgirlmagic, #flexingmycomplexion and #darkchocolate to make a fashion statement on dark skin with each of her breathtaking photoshoots. Her Instagram presence is shaping conversations about embracing dark skin and shades of beauty, and even African music! Diop has redefined the meaning of Melanin – a much-hated pigment that gives the skin colour – by refusing to bleach her skin.
The Senegalese rising star, who lives in New York, told that she used to face up to bullies by confronting them but now she prefers to ‘not pay attention’ to negativity and focuses on learning to ‘love myself more every day’. Khoudia, who also calls herself ‘Melanin Goddess’, said she used to get ‘teased a lot’ because of her skin color. She said bullies tried to make her feel uncomfortable about her skin color.
She said:
‘I was teased a lot growing up, because of my skin tone. By other kids, and now even online sometimes, people will make comments.Growing up, I faced it by confronting the bullies. As I grew, I learned to love myself more every day, and not pay attention to the negative people, which helped a lot.’
She said the reason behind her nickname, which makes reference to the pigment that gives people their skin tone, is to encourage people to be confident in themselves.’Because of my dark, melanin rich complexion and because I want to inspire young girls and let them know that we are all goddesses inside and out. The message I have for my sisters is that how you look doesn’t matter as long as you feel beautiful inside,’ she said.
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Khoudia, who started modelling just two years ago when she was 17, said she wants to change beauty industry perceptions of ‘beauty’ by encouraging people to be confident in the way they look. Khoudia has inspired thousands of people around the world with her striking looks and inner strength.
What makes Khoudia Diop most striking is her brilliant smile. It tells a world divided by colour: dark is dazzling and beyond beautiful.
