How I help people understand vitiligo | Lee Thomas

[@nprpodcasts]

Enjoying this talk? You'll love the brand new TED Radio Hour series - Mind, Body, Spirit. Hear TED speakers share their eye-opening ideas on how we think, move, and feel. kzbin.info/aero/PL2TjQf2riraLkqqFGxK65JI-leCAxm1eD

[@rameshshinde1193]

My girlfriend has vitiligo. She had it even before I met her for the 1st time. It never mattered to me. I still love her for who she is. She is a doctor working in rural parts of India giving medical treatments to the poor in a government hospital. She cares far more about people than even I do. That's what I am learning from her. She is indeed an angel for me.

[@anz10]

My boyfriend has vitiligo :D he is also a very lovely person. His vitiligo has never bothered me at all, not even for one second. In fact I didn't even notice it at first until he pointed it out. I actually see it as a beautiful pattern that makes him even more interesting and beautiful. Ive told him you dont have boring one colour skin like the rest of us you have interesting patterns on yours :D He is also indian but british indian. I wish more people were informed about this skin disorder, education is important.

[@liamc1102]

@zztop3000 Stfu and focus on the positive.

[@hay7501]

@@liamc1102 why? You can't ignore what's wrong and expect it to go away, you could live in the real world instead.. it was a dumb comment but just saying

[@liamc1102]

@@hay7501 I do live in the real world bud. But there was no need at all for a disgusting comment like that.

[@hay7501]

@@liamc1102 no need, you're right but that doesn't change the fact that it's factually correct. Things like that should be considered before going to any country.

[@robbedoeslegrand236]

He's right. I noticed the hands within a couple of seconds. It's really a shame someone has to try to hide a skin condition.

[@am33x]

Like he said, people are very judgemental and even afraid of the unknown & distinct. That's not a feature you want while working in TV, where even perfect looking people wear a ton of makeup.

[@chelsey8737]

I just found out that one of our really close family friends has vitiligo. Ive known her my whole life and never knew she had it bc she refuses to leave her house or be seen without makeup on to cover it. She is so self-conscious about it its really upsetting

[@flipz4398]

Chelsey Abbott that's a shame .. people r ignorant!!! I feel so bad for this person .. people only send the outside .. not the REAL person!!!!

[@saosaqii5807]

Robbedoes LeGrand it’s not a shame. It’s just part of being human.

[@kateg9437]

Yeah, seeing the hands and that much fake makeup makes it look like he's a white guy doing blackface

[@BrianTKessler]

I work in a prison. My coworker was a black man with vitiligo, and he was talking to a black inmate who was just starting to get vitiligo. My coworker told the inmate that the more your skin turns white, the higher your credit score rises. I laughed at the joke. The inmate thought he was serious!

[@k1inof]

@America wow that's some r/RoastMe comment. you're very unique

[@awallis1933]

@America what are you talking about

[@zakd2124]

@America That's unnecessarily harsh to someone that didn't do anything to ask for that

[@Full_monty]

prob both had Hep C as well. inmates like to lie and say that their drug lab blew up and thats y their skin is patchy. news flash its hep c

[@ispartacus1337]

@@Full_monty I dont think you know what help c is...

[@Ragmon1]

"It comes and goes", I didn't know it shifts in intensity. Thats even weirder.

[@MasumiSeike]

yeah me neither :D It's kinda cool and strange at the same time.

[@ttzzttzctzz847]

yeah i have less severe vitiligo too, its like..... sometimes some patches get bigger, sometimes they start filling up again, its kinda weird, usually the shifts happen in summer when youre more exposed to sun

[@ttzzttzctzz847]

@Matt Taylor youre not supposed to, but then again.... youre not supposed to drink or smoke or eat excess sugar right? so its like, you take the risk associated with sun to have a life basically

[@Samme1]

My dad has vitiligo and it never really gets better. Sometimes it just grows faster but it never goes back to normal for him. I guess its very different person to person.

[@xxadder114xx]

I have vitiligo too though i'm also white and naturally pale so it's usually very hard to see, but when i was young i had a huge streak of white hair (yes sometimes it affects hair too.) which was very noticeable. now though it's almost entirely gone aside from some around my eyes and on my hands. It's strange how it comes and goes.

[@seriall1337]

The character on this man. He's the type of person everyone should look up to.

[@wothin]

The question is, whether he will loose his n word pass

[@michaelbacon8698]

Nobody looks up to black people

[@pariah825]

@@michaelbacon8698 Are you *sure* about that?

[@josebenardi1554]

@@michaelbacon8698 Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X, Frederick Douglas .... yup you're blatantly wrong

[@lethienduc4861]

I think the best website that will help on Vitiligo treatment is *4VitiligoCure. Com* I personally tried this program and i get great results. Recommended..

[@cm40380]

I was diagnosed with vitiligo when I was a child. The toughest part is the daily mental battle of being stared at. Every new spot that appears on my body makes me worried more that it’s going to impact my life a little more. Thanks for doing this Ted Talk, it makes me feel like I am not alone.

[@jonaskastrickas1218]

I have vitiligo too, im lucky to have it mainly in areas that are covered by clothes but when i was little i was always too scared to wear shorts because i didnt want people laughing at my whiter knees. Over the years i have started to not care what others think and people still ask about it on my hands, elbows knees feet, i have it on my eyelids but it is very hard to catch. I just tell them what it is and they usually dont care. Some people dont notice it until a couple of weeks of first seeing me. But yeah once in a while the thought creeps into your head of whay do others think and how do they percieve me but for me the most important part was not caring about others because everyone has their own problems to deal with and this is one of mine. I cant change it so why hide it? Plus i think my white knee hair is pretty cool 😂

[@cm40380]

Rabi Yet amen

[@patfitz6044]

@@jonaskastrickas1218, I think most of the time is just plain curiosity if you have never seen it before. You satisfy that and then it stops being important. I'm glad you don't care much about other's opinion anymore. We'll never live as others expect us to do. Good luck!

[@jonaskastrickas1218]

@Jeffery Jefferyson Haha, thank you 😅

[@jonaskastrickas1218]

@@patfitz6044 Yeah, i dont know if im the only one but when i also saw another person with vitiligo i was like woah i stared for a couple of seconds. Its crazy to finally see someone else with the same condition and it almost catches you off gaurd if you forget that you have it yourself. Thank you and best of luck to you too.

[@Numenorean921]

this guy seemed like he was going to cry the whole video, I felt very bad for him but I also think he is very brave and inspiring

[@yohenson]

I felt it as well. I think that last sentence though sums it up pretty well about how he tackles this. he turns to our morality. and not focus on the aesthetics.

[@francescoferro4277]

Obviously he is suffering he is in agony he wants to be cure while he is falling to pieces

[@joana6037]

I also felt that lol

[@carolnahigian9518]

Amen

[@ruthannmarie7119]

No he's not watch fox 2 Detroit news. He's very upbeat kind pleasant. And has taught us all a good beautiful lesson, yes he did the reveal on fox 2 Detroit. Probably can Google And got great response. Surprised, yes I never knew watching him all those years until his reveal, and as of 23 , I havent watched tv and just caught this and another podcast , zoom style and yes he is whiteface as of today. I believe he mentioned it can go back and f ou think, dont know I'm ignorant, on the subject. But here in Detroit Mr. Lee is well respected and lived. Learned acually worldwide now. Nice to know ,isnt it human family yay to us humans

[@coleenparsons4905]

I've seen him around town without his makeup. I probably have acted "weird" - not because of the vitiligo, because he's Lee Thomas. What can I say? I get starstruck.

[@Mizenga]

I genuinely cried at this, this man is strong, he fought very hard for this... Gices me hope...

[@bun-e9361]

He's such a beautiful man.

[@kopuz.co.uk.]

was he standing around a park watching kids?

[@coleenparsons4905]

@@kopuz.co.uk. Nope. Grocery store. Restaurant.

[@xanthmardon584]

he... he was so energetic and the crowd was just... 👁️👄👁️

[@xanthmardon584]

@Zero Cool i was mad at the crowd not him why are you being hostile

[@jimmymoo104]

👁👄👁 A friend

[@Koala019]

U got mad at them for listening?

[@xanthmardon584]

@@Koala019 what im pointing out is their lack of energy, not their acute listening skills. In a big stadium normally if someone puts a lot of energy into something and then pauses they expect a round of applause or laughter but every time he did that they just sat there and stared at him like robots with no emotion

[@Koala019]

@@xanthmardon584 but its not a big stadium, did u see how little people were actually there?

[@EckmanJones]

As someone with Vitligo, I really want to give this guy a big hug. I go through the same thing.

[@sambishop6128]

I have vitiligo. Anytime someone asked I just said my mom slapped the black off me 😂 but most thought it was really cool so I'm lucky

[@truthseeker1995]

@Alexis Drohin --- Nah, that's REvitiligo.

[@Bettina8987]

Sam Bishop love your humour sweets 🙏 bless

[@PenPenguin-io1ky]

That must have been a hard slap. 🤣

[@Makku293]

I have it too. Sometimes, it's so annoying, cause, almost every stupid person makes fun of you!

[@LivenSixtyFive]

Alexis Drohin lmao but uncle ruckus would said “black be gone.”

[@samuelinca64]

I had no idea that the patches came and went like that! that's actually really fascinating. I would love to see a time lapse of someones face as the patches move and shift, I think it would look really pretty :)

[@jonaskastrickas1218]

I have vitiligo and once in a while ill realise its shifted or shrank in certain areas. Kinda cool and annoying at the same time 😂

[@MrSlenderman608]

I'm in the same boat, though a very mild case.

[@flipz4398]

I'm white & have small patches.

[@justanothernerdydude4391]

So are any of you three actually gonna make the time lapse?

[@kellenfurter]

He did say, "With a little help...some of the pigment came back."

[@Aiden-nb6wm]

I’ll be back in 2 years when this one blows up

[@noblekitten336]

I mean, he did say the pigment came back after being nearly completely white.

[@prescotts.3235]

Add me to that list I'll bring the beer.

[@MirLo1989]

Vitiligo will not make him blow up, i dont think you understood what he was explaining

[@madscientistshusta]

@@MirLo1989 r/whoosh

[@abdullahenaya]

President of the Secrete Sankcake Server reverse

[@Preepster]

This is honestly one of the best ted talks I’ve ever seen

[@Deetroiter]

Lee Thomas is a hometown hero. I remember when he did a "coming out" on the news station about his condition. I'm sure it must have been very difficult for him, but all of us in Michigan and Detroit supported the man 100%! He's a great guy and a fantastic news reporter!

[@EndorphinSauce]

This was probably the most beautiful speech I’ve ever heard. Makes you feel like it really is worth it to struggle everyday.

[@thanglaka9543]

_a precious jihad, a lesson for all_

[@ryanj7517]

I think without struggle we can’t appreciate the good times. There is no good without bad. Hopefully people learn from there bad times and move on wiser for it.

[@Nytrox3000]

After he wiped the makeup off he should have said "Yes, I became bald".

[@sicthemutt]

Woulda been perfect

[@dragonlaughing]

He might be shaving because it makes it easy to use makeup.

[@roel3377]

😂😂

[@Pkmn20]

dragonlaughing Vitiligo on the scalp can also affect the hair, creating large swathes of white hair

[@oldishandwoke-ish1181]

He was bald before he wiped the makeup off .....

[@meltedcornetto3928]

6:14 the two guys in the crowd doing the exact same thing with their arms lmao

[@Rafazzel]

and the girl in the front too..they are engaged.

[@ascended6279]

The Girl just Leaned back

[@markusrudolf9377]

Jesus, how do you even notice these type of things? Can't unsee it now

[@meltedcornetto3928]

@@markusrudolf9377 lmao no idea

[@lordshardik]

@@Rafazzel I know it's only been 2 days, but... are they married yet?

[@bigbooks360]

Hey look, someone actually worthy of a TED talk.

[@TheGoodContent37]

Yeah, not like all the other science guys that teach you boring stuff. Here we see a circus show for free. Fascinating!

[@friendlypootis9987]

HeY, LoOk SoMeOnE AcTuALLy WoRtHy oF a TeD TaLk.

[@ghhn4505]

Him and Sam Hyde. Ted Talk legends.

[@caseykittel]

It’s not tedx. That’s particularly why.

[@astrochrissy9678]

@@TheGoodContent37 circus show?-

[@Republic3D]

It's interesting how animals, like cats and dogs have spots and weird colors all over them. And it's completely normal for animals.

[@namelesslad5803]

That's fur pattern. Beneath the fur they have unicolor skin

[@Republic3D]

@@namelesslad5803 Not all I think? Like horses and cows?

[@namelesslad5803]

@@Republic3D No cows and horses still follow the same rule. Individual with spots are like freckles on humans Skin color is a respond to the environment (heat, sunlight strength, camouflage etc). But since animals have fur, they simply don't need to switch skin color (slower n harder to change)

[@64ankka]

@@namelesslad5803 not all of them, google "bald cat" for example and you'll see patterns on some of their skin

[@Q_QQ_Q]

He was once White . Seems like he misses his short lived white privileges 😂😂🤣🤣

[@m_aggie]

Wow what a strong speech! Just imagine, Michael Jackson was humiliated by the whole world this whole time thanks to the media. I remember growing up knowing for what I thought was a fact; 'Michael Jackson didn't like being black, he became white.' etc. Poor man, how strong must he have been to withstand all that plus the other stuff.. He never deserved any of that..

[@kingofbudokai]

Idk what it was like for you, but when i was a kid in the 90s it was pretty common knowledge that he had vitiligo. People didn't know it by name, they just knew he had a "skin condition that slowly bleaches your pigment" or some similar rhetoric, but i never once heard the idea that "he decided to be white", or heard him made fun of for it.

[@shadyguy8510]

@DragonLady XD His face did get burned (while recording a commercial for Pepsi I think), but the white skin was due to vitiligo and another disease, plus makeup.

[@sleepysiren9883]

​@DragonLady XD he burned his hair really badly, thats why he had to wear hair pieces and wigs later on :(

[@sleepysiren9883]

@@shadyguy8510 he burned his hair really badly, thats why he had to wear hair pieces and wigs later on :(

[@shadyguy8510]

@@sleepysiren9883 Also why he had the face surgery...

[@brucewilliams8609]

I have some vitiligo myself, but very small patches so far. I've talked with other people who are afflicted, and they tend to get the stares themselves. Because of my experience I simply go over and talk with them. It's a weird disease with no known cause, but it's your own immune system attacking your pigments, not a contagious disease. Very brave to get up in front of people and explain the emotional component to this disease. God bless Lee Thomas.

[@lesliewilson9021]

AND U TOO .

[@thehighwirecom]

Autoimmune illness commonly associated with non celiac gluten sensitivity Dr William Davis book, total health

[@brucewilliams8609]

@@thehighwirecom I'll definitely look into that Sunshine. As it turns out I do have the celiac gene, and perhaps there is a link there. On a side note, I have been on a Keto diet for the last 6 months and have seen no progression of my disease. On this diet I avoid all gluten based products, and indeed all simple carbs. I limit my carb intake to under 15 gms a day. I assume you mean "Wheat Belly: Total Health"? Thanks for this info, much appreciated.

[@zil5311]

I had it selsun gold the brand I used a dandruff shampoo is what fixed it I went to many doctors and nothing worked all the creams etc this was 13 years ago, then and old lady someone who knew one of my family members told em, use this product on your skin rub it in 5 minutes before showering I gave up hope, and even the back of the product states don't use it the way I was gonna, so I did it anyway and it slowly worked about a week later it was noticeable by a month down the road it was gone, don't believe me lol I wouldn't either try it for yourself what's the worst that can happen.

[@northernlightsrenovations1710]

@@zil5311 Cool trick....... I'm going to give that a try. Thanks for sharing!

[@KafshakTashtak]

I remember when I was a child, one day an Albino kid came to the restaurant with his parents. I had never seen an Albino before. But my parents immediately told me, hey don't stare at them, it's rude, that's just a skin condition. We should teach our kids about these conditions and how it's normal. That way you wouldn't see people staring at your for 5 minutes.

[@flipz4398]

SAHM I had an acquaintance in college who was albino. Once 1 person accepted him, everyone did. People are FOLLOWERS!!

[@reeba4824]

Agreed, thats the best way to take that fear out of people.

[@patfitz6044]

I think in this time of technology, we can all take these chances to learn about things like that. Googling the causes can explain easily that's just another person with a physical difference. I'll explain it to a small child this way... you see that cats and dogs have different colors on their skin? Sometimes human skin does that. It's not very common, that's all.

[@Remer714]

@@patfitz6044 This is an awesome explanation.

[@IAmValenwind]

i saw an albino for the first time in real life a few years ago... first, let me state that i AM biased, in that pale skin is a massive turn-on to me (but typically, think loki: porcelain skin, jet black hair)... but she was an asian young woman, and one of the most beautiful people i've ever seen... it's really hard to *not* stare when you're fucking gorgeous to begin with, and then you happen to fall in my own niche fetish beyond that... so... i think i got all my "staring from inexposure" out of me now. ...can't promise i wouldn't stare while looking at my phone if i ever saw her again, though...

[@NuAngelDotNet]

I literally had no clue vitiligo could "come and go" like that. Wow. Thanks for sharing your story, Mr. Thomas.

[@greencirclewearingglasses9887]

I saw somebody with vitiligo one time and was really confused. I’m glad I saw this video. This really helped me understand. Thank you, Ted Talks

[@isabellamendoza2406]

My grandpa had vitiligo. He was the most kind, compassionate man I'll ever know. Every time I see people with vitiligo, I remember him. Every time, I want to stare just because I associate the pigmentation patterns with an amazing person- it feels like the closest I can be to him in the flesh again. But I try not to stare. If you have vitiligo, know that I think you're beautiful 💙

[@coeuznatas]

Imagine being the world's most famous person, while going through this. That was Michael Jackson in the 80s. No wonder he got messed up.

[@m_aggie]

Yeah and the media led the world to believe he hated his own race and wanted to be something other than he is. But no he did not, he stayed true to himself and close to his family, he did not get messed up wtf ? He was such a strong person. He also had other diseases like lupus which he suffered from a lot.

[@ariannaturtles6489]

I heard that he had bleached his skin because he hated his own skin color and in retrospect that must have been a large weight he was carrying. Media will take any attention they can get whether or not it is detrimental to the persons involved.

[@Paul-gz5dp]

Jackson had other problems as well, and they were serious issues.

[@Paul-gz5dp]

@@ariannaturtles6489 True the media will do anything for money, as they are nothing to do with informing people. It all about putting on an addictive show that will gain sponsors that will pay them for people to watch their program. They have no concern about how many or who they harm in the process.

[@justanothernerdydude4391]

@@doecheldorf Oh my goodness, HE WAS PROVEN INNOCENT! Both the families that accused him later admitted they were lying to get money, they only admitted after his death though. I understand not believing that he was innocent just because the court says it, but the families themselves have said it.

[@mediaartskid]

Growing up in Detroit, I remember when Lee Thomas went public with his vitiligo. He was able to encourage a lot of people to be comfortable with the skin they are in when he spoke out. He is such a good soul. Love you Lee and thank you for doing this! I’m so happy to see him on this TED talk! ❤️

[@AMATEURDECORATINGLIKEAPRO]

I remember you from 2004 when my vitiligo began. You helped me so much and still do. ❤ Kindness is everything. I was healing until 2023, when it resurfaced. I have faith.

[@raffyk7541]

He is so beautiful. I believe his disease makes him look unique and only adds to this. Thank you for the wonderful and insightful video Lee Thomas.

[@lyonsadrian7403]

One of my friend told me to try *4VitiligoCure. Com* to get rid of my Vitiligo. I tried this Program and I got great results...So I am recommending this product to all you guys....

[@nMsFreeStyleZ]

You are a beautiful person, inside & out, thank you for sharing your story.

[@eldenctlhulhu7278]

Out? Seriously? I undestand sympathy but this is a very ...debatable affirmation

[@tempname8263]

@@eldenctlhulhu7278 Hypocrisy I guess?

[@nMsFreeStyleZ]

@@eldenctlhulhu7278 well I guess your definition of beauty is very very different then mine, you do you man, but if you ask me that's quite superficial

[@PantsB4Squares]

@@nMsFreeStyleZ who are you trying to convince? Because i think it's yourself

[@nMsFreeStyleZ]

@@PantsB4Squares I believe you are what you are, and I don't think some stains on his face make him any less beautiful. Don't need to convince you, myself or anybody about that. If you think any different then Oke. Shame you see it that way. But I stand by my original comment.

[@daytonrd17]

I also have vitiligo. It’s small buts it spreads every year. I view it as a way to be unique. Something that makes those of us special. This was a amazing TED talk. Keep on keepin on my man.

[@saraboulmazet8521]

He is talking with such emotions ... I mean you're a great fighter you and all the people with this disease i can already sense that new strong person's vibe from here Thank you for this ted talk it really helped not only people with vitiligo but others too

[@darrylisaacs6110]

I laughed, I cried... thank you Lee Thomas, I feel this video has made me a better person.

[@fliz4b]

Mr. Thomas, you deserve kindness and compassion every single day. Thanks for the reminder to be positive. It's a good one. Wishing you the very best.

[@dmdm8018]

Thanks for giving this talk. I have it for past three years and my face and hand is far gone. It’s tough. I got good days when I can stare back at people and then I have many days when I just look down defeated. It’s a struggle. Every glimpse I see of myself startled me because I am looking at a stranger still. There are good ppl out there that talk to me indifferently and shake hands or pat me or little gestures that build me up and they don’t even know it. I remember the one lady that took the grocery cart I was about to put back and said I will take it back and used it. I wanted to say thanks to her because she made my day by not being scared of me. It’s mental struggle as he said.

[@SunnyApples]

Be brave and best of luck!

[@bitmaster2000]

To be honest I clicked because I was wondering why he had mud on his face. I had no idea such skin condition existed. But now that I looked at him for a bit I think it looks kinda sexy in a way. You're a cool dude, dude. Much respect from The Netherlands.

[@BirdSauce]

As someone with vitiligo, I absolutely sympathize. When I was in elementary school I'd always have people asking me if they would catch my disease. It never really bothered me, but I really feel for someone who it would bother. You're not alone 😊

[@doreenbayoa3829]

Same here

[@skinnyb8888]

Have you tried Opzelura and/or light therapy?

[@cjfrench5401]

Such a pure hearted man, bless him

[@sambamjam123]

When he said, "If you show people what you look like and explain this to them, maybe they will treat me differently," I felt that in my soul. Profound.

[@AnkitSharma-lr8xx]

To all the people out there with vitiligo, you are as good as anyone else. Your skin colour doesn't define you. We know you didn't ask for it. It doesn't matter now. Walk with your head held high, you're just as good as anyone else, maybe even better. :)

[@checkertalha8814]

Thank you :))) Even i never was depressed or sad about my vitiligo this comment kinda made me happy 😊

[@viviant8293]

This comment made me a little happier too. Thank you. I don't have a bad case of it but its slowly taking over my right wrist at the moment so I had to hear this.

[@b-zar8912]

@Ankit Sharma this is a good comment. We need more positivity like this.

[@andreeaxxx1]

❤️

[@somepolishdude9853]

Michael Jackson had this and people said hE jUst wAnTeD tO Be WhItE

[@kayb9489]

smh black people am i right my guys?

[@ixionchowdhury4896]

People speculated that because he kept quiet about it for so long and made his nose so thin.

[@melanieperez1699]

@@ixionchowdhury4896 People still said it after he spoke out about it. They just didn't believe him.

[@ixionchowdhury4896]

@@melanieperez1699 He displayed this mysterious personality and remained private almost all the time that people in the media had to speculate things about him. We got to know for sure after his death, though it was obvious to people around him that he had vitiligo.

[@melanieperez1699]

@@skadi6750 He never said he had no plastic surgery. What interview are you talking about?

[@ericafrances7110]

Your face is beautiful Lee Thomas! And so is your heart. Bless you

[@JustViolet626]

Bless that little girl who tried helping him. I don't have vitiligo, but I'm glad that he helped raise awareness for people that do have it.

[@ruleryu6794]

So here we all know what happened to MJ. I cannot understand that still some insists that MJ abandoned his own race.

[@latachia_2981]

They are ignorant & don't understand that it's an autoimune disease........

[@mirawenya]

Dads scare small children when they shave their beards. So best not put much weight on their reactions :)

[@Soniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiic]

Which just shows you all the more how painful this type of condition can be. He would have known on a surface level the kid was just scared from a strange thing but when he was conditioned to respond a certain way and think the world is out to get him because people can be cruel or rude yeah :/ This presentation was great.

[@doccrowley3367]

@@Soniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiic yeah when people react that way to someone with a skin disorder or other condition that affects their appearance kids can be rude not because theyre actually jerks but because they don't see it every day and nobody told them about it, and kids have an instinctive response to things that arent familiar to them. this is why its important for disabilities to get media exposure to normalize it so children arent intimidated when they see it

[@CaitlinKoi]

My sister when she was a baby kept crying at my dad "Take it off! Take it off!" about his beard. So he shaves it. Comes out of the bathroom... "Put it back on! Put it back on!"

[@ltzp2]

right I don't know how you flipped that one around in your mind for it to make sense, but this was a story SPECIFICALLY about a child who had no preconceived notion about what this man looked like but reacted with horror when she saw him because of his abnormal face relative to people in general. You're downplaying the trauma that this caused him, the fact that in addition to all of the other trials and tribulations he faced with his condition, that he also had to come to terms with the fact that children had no filter and they reflected exactly what everyones initial reaction to his condition was: terror and confusion. He was, in the eyes of children and to an extent adults, a monster. It's delusional, self centered, and toxic to try to dilute this experience by saying "oh children think everything's scary," even comparing it to the loss of facial hair- because you're either lying or ignorant and for some reason opposed to the idea of listening to this person who has experienced great pain when they're telling you why they're feeling it. It seems like you might be trying to be encouraging but you just don't do that by telling someone that their problem isn't real/justified, you say you're sorry, try to understand what they're going through, let them know that you're on their side, and help them find positivity.

[@mirawenya]

Austen McKee sometimes thinking about something in a different way helps make lighter the load. I definitely empathize with the guy. But the story of the child in particular, I felt it’s important to know children can be irrationally weird with things. I especially don’t think he’s a monster in any way whatsoever. And the child’s reaction shouldn’t indicate in any way he is. I get where you’re coming from, but you definitely don’t get where I’m coming from. He has a very noticeable skin condition. I have the same, but I’m white, so it only shows when I tan. Which was mostly a problem as a kid, outdoors a lot. Children can be cruel. I feel your stance kinda support the idea he looks like a monster, to which I disagree strongly. Child’s horror somehow being the proof. But as I said, children can be horrified at a dad losing his beard. Yes, it’s someone they know. But dad looks different than he used to, same as someone with vitiligo looks different to what they are used to. Different =/= monster, despite what a child’s reaction might make it seem. Definitely empathize with the guy. I just wanted to lighten the load.

[@Mr_Banker222]

Wow, this one hit home with me.. everything you said is so accurate. I was born without a left hand I've been battling my demons for a long time.. it's true, you need to be positive even when you are going through something always give yourself time to heal and have faith that things will get better. Dawit,

[@richhall3412]

It is hard to stay positive when strangers ask you stupid questions and stare

[@Mr_Banker222]

Rich Hall very true, all you can do is speak the truth and it’s up to others to accept it or not

[@westportsimplemom340]

I’m so thankful for his awareness to this condition. It’s such a blessing to know we are not alone . With social media I’ve been able to leave my home and attempt to live life again The stares the comments are sometimes enough to take you to really dark places . Great TeD talk !!!!!

[@flipz4398]

Westport simplemom people are IGNORANT!! & RUDE!!!! You are a good person.. FORGET others disrespect!!!

[@HarshL]

@@flipz4398 I know this is 3 years late, but I let people stare and ask questions because I understand they don't know what it is. Its fine to ask questions, as long as you are not being rude about it. Maybe I'm just used to it after having it for 14 of my 18 years but I think that's the best way of going about it.

[@seriall1337]

That little smile he gives to himself at 2:14 shows how far he's come right there.

[@007TisseTrold]

Ahhh so this guy has the reverse of that disease uncle ruckus had to overcome.

[@elhussainmustafa6606]

uncle ruckus would give everything to be him

[@vaendryl]

yeah. he calls it re-vitiligo

[@ela2mil]

When I saw the thumbnail I thought that re-vitiligo was a real thing for a second

[@VivekYadav-ds8oz]

Michael Jackson has some weird alias names..

[@the1exnay]

When i saw this video in my feed i thought "Huh, I've never seen that word before" So i now know what vitiligo is, thank you

[@benji.B-side]

I have Vitiligo all over my body, neck, head, hands and legs. It was mentally tough at first, got even tougher when it spread, I can totally relate to this man. Then I managed to accept it and realise that any negative reaction is not a problem to me, my life and happiness is determined by me and how I think and deal with things. I deal with life with a pure heart, concentrate on what is important, such as compassion, love, kindness, etc and ignore the superficial that dominates so many lives. Skin colour does not define the beauty of a person, content of character does!!

[@skinnyb8888]

Have you tried Opzelura and/or light therapy?

[@Gallardo6669]

Soo cool the story with the little girl touching his face, lovely... I wish the best!

[@PChandana-xe3so]

I am even a vitiligo patient and thanks for this video, I hope people who watch this video will not treat vitiligo patients differently. Yes, it is not CONTAGIOUS. I pray for mental strength to all the vitiligo patients to face such situations with a smile.

[@crystalblessing5608]

Last year I suffered from Chronic Vitiligo disease but after using the herbal medication of doctor iyhere on youtube, it cured me and my skin was back to its normal color

[@PChandana-xe3so]

@@crystalblessing5608 can I get more information about that treatment?

[@Fummy007]

The dude was staring at him because he recognised him from TV. But was confused because he looked different.

[@VaughnRhinehart]

Michael Jackson: had vitiligo, “I’m starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to make a change.” This guy: has vitiligo, “If I wanted change, the change had to start with me.”

[@fabiofdez]

Yesss, same message, different words

[@Bbgm95]

Also, this guy: watches kids play at the park 🤔

[@VaughnRhinehart]

Bbgm95 I was just waiting for the part of that story where the kid’s parent would come over and chastise this guy.

[@bandawhat33]

I doubt Michael Jackson actually had vitiligo. I think he was just odd and wanted to be white.

[@norinokia2307]

@@bandawhat33 Look. You don't have to like his music. You don't have to like him as a person. But please do some basic research about any person, not just Michael Jackson, before attacking someone like that. There are a few private photos of him without make-up, there are concert photos of him where his make-up was washed away by his sweat (these were public events, not possible to fake them), you can see it in behind the scenes photos of They Don't Care About Us in Brazil, people that were more or less close to him said it multiple times and it's even in his autopsy report. If he really hated being black then he really did a good job hiding it. He was one of the very few people who casted black people for the ancient egypts, the whole song They Don't Care About Us is for every person that experience discrimination but in the entire video black people are shown, in 2001 he talked out about racists in the music industry what basically killed the financial success of his last studio album "Invincible". Btw. When the disease reached his face, he didn't talk about it even with his own make-up artist, because he was ashamed. And in photos in 1984 you can see he put on unprofessional transparent make-up himself to hide it from everyone. He put on black make-up to hide that he got white spots. When he couldn't hide it anymore from his make-up artist, they used professional camouflage make-up. But the white spots became the majority, so they decided that they'll go slowly lighter step by step, so he don't have to cover everything when his full body was nearly complete white. And there is also a photo of Michael as a kid with his grandfather who also had that disease. It's in the genes. Good luck if you should ever get a disease like that. I would really hope there won't be people that talk about you like that. This just sucks.

[@faitha1075]

When he smiled after wiping 😊👍

[@liwric]

Feels like wiping a mask off that you never wanted on...

[@slinkerdeer]

Oh my god, just look at that picture of him with a completely white face. If I met him in the street at that point I would never know.. wow

[@interstellarsurfer]

Hehe, shows how superficial we can be, doesn't it?

[@blackviking2079]

he should've went straight to the bank at that point

[@AnEnemyAnemone1]

@@interstellarsurfer no, it really doesn't.

[@FlorianEagox]

I want him to do one of those "I took a picture of myself every day for a year" videos.

[@MrBurgos88]

this has been the only thing which has worked for me and i do suffer from the condition, but YES IT WORKS amzn.to/2XTC3hY

[@Catdogcatdog1212]

I have vitiligo and i think of doing it .. but im scared ..

[@mahmudulhassanarman2653]

@@MrBurgos88 give me your email i want your support i also have vitiligo bust a little bit

[@mahmudulhassanarman2653]

Brother i want to see that video

[@alanzelayamejia6241]

“I got black I got white watchu want”

[@Katherine-sv7iz]

😂👌

[@aIkaIi]

Watching him wipe the make up off looks like he's peeling his skin off

[@berg249]

Samuel Cho stop

[@hopesy12u4]

Mmah, it's just make up.

[@alexgulino335]

@@berg249 Why? Your discomfort with someone else's innocuous statement is not their fault/problem to deal with.

[@daniellaurin9566]

That's why he has the N word pass

[@cyrilgigee4630]

My race is farm kid, but a while ago I got a sunburn that peeled the tan right off my arms in patches. It looked funny there for a while.

[@Mariana-mj6pf]

You made me cry, thanks for such beautiful words. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@kaystarlo]

This is a great Ted Talk Thank you

[@mochipickles]

I honestly find vitiligo so attractive

[@Muckers.]

Fascinating Story. Well Delivered. This man is a legend.

[@lamar1423]

I think it interesting about human's ability to be very accepting of piebald, brindled, striped, patched, etc. in our pets and utility animals. We see the beauty in it, and yet, when it comes to our own skin variation humans get weird. We love the albino bunny with the pink eyes but get uncomfortable around the human exhibiting the same sorts of possibilities. It is puzzling. I sincerely hope to convey that personally, I find your human hyde beautiful, like pinto or paint on a horse or my favorite patched cat. We are all unique, but, yours just really stands out. I love it. I want to paint your portrait.

[@ryanj7517]

S LaMar Bennett very good point

[@dancemattdanceify]

lets be real.. brindle puppies are objectively more aesthetically pleasing than any human with vitiligo, there's nothing puzzling about this at all. he should be loved and accepted no matter how he looks, but lets not go and pretend it looks amazing. I mean maybe you're really in love with how this guy looks, fine..but there's a reason he still wears makeup and that's because it doesn't look too great to the majority of people, lol.

[@Delta888ful]

Wow, wow, wow, how inspiring!!! I don't have the condition but what a gift to see and hear him.

[@katerinafedyuk5312]

I could relate so much to this. I was diagnosed with vitiligo when I was 9. I came through really hard times of accepting people's reaction to my appearance especially during teenage years, the fear of being judged and laughed out. But I always tend to think that God gives us just what we can bear. So now having vitiligo for 15 years I am really grateful for this journey, it makes me stronger, kinder to myself and to other people. I accept myself fully and love myself unconditionally as this is my own path, through which I learn so much about the sympathy and love. Thank you for such a moving speech Lee Thomas!

[@sinn1230]

This is such a sweet and wonderful video of seeing Mr. Thomas’s explanation of his journey of self acceptance. I’m glad he was able to love and be proud of his body's changes and he was so emotional as well it could be seen through his eyes how much it had effected him when he had to reminisce. It still is so sad that in society most people we’ll see others who have vitiligo as some strange being when it is just a human with a difference and change in their skin and someone who just feels like anyone else. I wish well in life and his self love to be more strong each day as well. :’D Also glad his final push was seeing a child like him to inspire him to truly show himself who he was on TV. He truly did inspire others. :’)

[@Luminty99]

Imagine having lost all the pigment and trying to tell people you're a black man

[@cynthiast-louis8966]

You just defined colored people with albinism

[@HN-kr1nf]

blackness isn't solely defined by melanin.

[@naija6106]

@Real Donald Trump Michael wasn't gay wtf

[@ImHeadshotSniper]

Log "I'M BIRACIAL" ic

[@iWillWakeYouUp]

It would be easy to tell. Race is more than just skin color. You can pretty easily tell if a person is of negroid, caucasoid or mongoloid phenotype.

[@Yellow-Rose]

It's human beings like this guy who are my heroes. Now this is a real tough guy. His strength of character is so inspiring!

[@rsstnnr76]

Vitiligo is proof that we're all the same under the pigment.

[@idot3331]

@@sadface I don't think any particular person invented racism, it's what naturally emerges if you've only ever seen people who look like you for your whole life and then suddenly see someone who looks different. Racism is mostly fuelled by ignorance, not hate.

[@Teschim]

@@sadface you actually got me laughing with that one

[@Leviticusto]

Underneath every black man is a white man

[@embis3824]

i mean even after vitilgo you can still tell they are of African descent, like Logic for example.

[@k00091]

@@Leviticusto and underneath that white man is a little Asian man in a body themed sweat shop keeping your organs going

[@gzpo]

Awesome human being! Stellar performance. Moving, inspiring, courageous, bold, daring, monumental, healing, powerful. Thank you. 💖💖💖💖

[@ОльгаСимонова-с7т]

👍👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏

[@p-njeri]

I have immense respect for this man. Many of us have 'our spots' but because no one can see them, we are still wearing makeup, smiling and breaking. Yet here he is, sharing his disappointment, pain, hope and positivity!

[@dmytrotarasov9477]

That man has courage and strenghth. That is absolutely incredible!

[@metouw]

10:59 As someone who's currently working with children between the age of 1-3 years, that one really got to me. Much respect for fighting for that positive state of mind. Best of wishes from Denmark.

[@AlleyKatt]

I love watching his movie reviews and celebrity interviews. Even when I'm in a pissy mood Lee Thomas forces a smile on my face and reminds me to be kind. Which has nothing to do with vitiligo and everything to do with this good man... and his mother.

[@flipz4398]

Al Davis AMEN!!!!! Bless you!

[@shokufeazizi6821]

My best friend has vitiligo and I didn't know much about it before knowing her. To me, she's always been wonderful and so beautiful and I couldn't care less about those spots. The best thing we can do is to raise awareness about it.

[@satyamkhurana7532]

Even I have Vitiligo , I kind grown with it . Yes , his feelings are real and I had same feelings over the years . Over the years, I developed a trait to ignore any one who tries to discriminate. But thankfully my friends around supported me in all my phases of life . Mr. Lee you are good man and thank you for bringing this inspirational video . Wish you a good life ahead and love from India.

[@CakesFam]

This talk hits hard. 😭😭😭Thank you for spreading awareness. I had vitiligo for two decades now and still not getting used to second looks, judgmental stares, etc. A solid support group from family especially my husband and 2 kids, relatives and friends keeps me going. Thank you!

[@yourcommentmightnotworksop9987]

Ur A HERO dude...nothing else.

[@mechajay3358]

I can only imagine what Michael Jackson had to go through with this skin disorder the poor guy.

[@agnesm_23]

I think of him too. But I wonder if in his case his Vitiligo ( which the autopsy showed) wasn't induced..

[@WalkingDday]

And vitiligo changed the shape of his nose?

[@flipz4398]

Walking D-day NO .. a fall which broke his nose & healing problems due to lupus changed his nose!!! Had to have repeated surgery to correct his nose since it wasn't healing properly!! DO YOUR RESEARCH!!!!!!!!!!

[@flipz4398]

PS .. I'm white but have small dime to quarter size patches where it's whiter & wont tan on my arms & face .. never asked for diagnosis but do know white people can have it .. I can cover with makeup cuz wouldn't want any one else to know

[@mechajay3358]

@@flipz4398 Thank You!

[@GrayCatbird1]

"I was walking out the door every day expecting the world to react with negativity so I just gave them that mean face first"

[@ganeshmanjunath2510]

Thanks Lee Thomas for sharing your experience and revealing your true self. I have vitiligo too and could relate to everything you said. Talks and videos like these give strength to face the world and be positive.

[@saraalexander7006]

The most confident talk ever.. u wud put anyone with a normal skin to shame👏 way to go.

[@Lizard_Lava]

"positivity is worth fighting for"

[@ohiothegreat5382]

You just made my list of role models. 100% amazing. One of the most captivating ted talks I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.

[@greggeverman5578]

Always nice to see someone staying strong through this! Keep going, brother!

[@DesignbyAndren]

What a fantastic speech. I myself have vitiligo and i totaly can see myself in every situation and everything you sad.

[@leethomastwtv1]

Your not alone my friend, thanks for sharing

[@DEDRUMMA]

This is Great & Brave. I know Lee Thomas from playing Basketball at the Royal Oak & Birmingham YMCA. One of the greatest men I have ever met. We saw as he was going through his challenges & transition. We did not care, he was a part of our basketball family. Hats off to you Lee for bringing clarity to us all. Much Love & Respect.

[@sugaryxegnirys]

I've lived in Metro Detroit since I was a kid and I've always loved Lee Thomas! What a wonderful surprise to find a TED talk by him today. His story was always inspiring and sweet. He's such a nice guy and I hate seeing how people prejudged him by his appearance.

[@mediaartskid]

sugaryxegnirys I grew up in Detroit, and I’ve always loved him as well! Seeing him do a TED talk was definitely a pleasant surprise ❤️

[@l4d2160]

These words could be applied to many things in life, actually. Quite inspiring.

[@steverichens4242]

I really love this guy! He has a lot of power...!!!

[@dekuuchiha9990]

Never having even met you I can still tell your one of the strongest people out there.

[@imkeepingitblank]

I didn’t realize the pigment could come back, it’s like an ever changing, live Rorschach painting

[@crashbash8549]

His pigment is white not black

[@susanelmer8614]

It really doesn’t

[@gia3749]

I have vitiligo, and it's awesome man, because people with vitiligo if they have friends they are real one mannnnn. I just want to say that love yourself, accept yourself no matter what, because God dont make worthless things on earth, Just care yourself and others also Be Human 💓🙏🌺

[@sanusafalya4335]

Nice

[@johanhendriks]

Now there's a guy who's wearing blackface for an interesting reason

[@mikeg6285]

But is it still wearing blackface if youre actually black?

[@ajddavid452]

@@mikeg6285 well in that old picture he was doing "whiteface" XD

[@johanhendriks]

@@mikeg6285 Is he really black? At some point in time he was pretty albino looking.

[@mikeg6285]

Yes hes black. He "lost pigmentation" or lost color, his book is called "turning white" and like he said he was on tv when this started so theres video of him before. Also the whole point of that picture was to show how severe it got.

[@johanhendriks]

@@mikeg6285 I guess it's all relative

[@materializacja]

Me and my mother got vitiligo about 15 years ago (when I was about 7,8) - funny thing is that we got it at the exactly same time. We used to make jokes that it happened, because we had been drinking too much milk. She has been always very ashamed of having it; keeps covering all the white spots with make ups and keeps looking for treatment. Unlike her, I have been always very happy of having "white tattoos" on my body. I like exposing them, especially in the summer time, when I get tanned and my spots are much more visible. I like getting new ones and analize shapes. For some reason, it has never come to my mind that I could be ashamed of having them. I treat them as my special body tattoos and I think they are beautiful. I like talking about them, I don't mind explaining the condition to others. Sometimes people stare and I can see that they are curious, but they are afraid to ask about it.

[@BaneRain]

You grew up with it, she didnt. That's probably why

[@ab7244]

Thank you for your honesty brother. Live loud. Love loud.