Radio doc on albinism: the Invisible Albino

Cory Doctorow 7:03 pm Mon Feb 18, 2013

Garth sez, "There's only 1 in 20 000 of us, so most people have never met an 'albino' in real life. And yet, we are everywhere:

The idea of 'the albino' has seized the popular imagination from the circus sideshow to the negative stereotypes of modern cinema to a gruesome East African black market in albino body parts. Popular culture attributes many qualities to "the albino;" an outsider; a magical being; a human embodiment of evil. In some cultures, albinism is associated with mystical or prophetic power or even ghosts. The albino body has long been an object of ridicule and fascination; of fear and fetishism.

I'm a person with albinism who just made a radio documentary on ideas about albinism in pop culture and around the world, airing tonight on CBC Radio in Canada. It can be listened to at any time, and from anywhere, at the link. I thought the topic would be especially interesting to Boing Boing readers."

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