We’re preparing a mini series on ‘black naturism’ for SL Naturist. It seems to us that those who might wish to maintain a black avatar are discriminated against in Second Life, given the disparity in costs between good white skins and good black skins. Typically, you can get excellent white skins free, or have regular group gifts delivered for a one-off group join fee. For those wishing to maintain a black avatar, the cost of a good skin, no chance of a free or group gifted one, the costs appear to be somewhere between L$700 and L$2000!!!!!

In a virtual space where we preach equality, something is deeply wrong here!

Not only are black avatars discriminated against, so too are Asians, either oriental or from the Indian sub-continent. As there are several new global economies emerging in the real world, including Brazil, India and China, we feel it’s time that SL did something to close the disparity of costs in skins, hairstyles and even clothing, to allow an enriching diversity to emerge on the grid.

Multi culturalism enriches all of us, wherever we live in the world. So why does SL often appear so unremittingly white? Often because of the apparent disparity in skin costs to begin with.

We’d like to change this, and we’d like to see SL reflect the diversity of colour in the real world, and allow people of whatever ethnicity to reflect their ethnicity affordably.

If you are a black or Asian avatar, please write to me (you can IM me at Trine9045) and outline your experiences, your difficulties (or ease) in obtaining a skin, hair or ethnic clothing you like and would like to see promoted by us. I have a list of stores where ethnic clothing is available, which I’ll be highlighting in subsequent postings, as well as…I hate to describe it thus…ethnic hairstyles (on the basis that today, regardless of skin pigmentation, many people experiment with hairstyles historically held as ‘white’ or ‘black’). In the first instance, though, the issue is skins, the basis for identifying our avatar as we would wish, from whatever ethnicity. Good skins, bad skins, cheap skins, quality skins, rip-off skins…please, let me know!

I’ll also be trying to identify the reasons why naturism appears to be such an overwhelming ‘white’ experience out in the real world too.

Our ‘Ethnic Season’, of sorts, will commence in February and continue throughout the month as we attempt to unravel reasons why those of black or Asian origins appear to have such a hard time in establishing an avatar that reflects the real them!

Trine