'Queer Eye' Star Tan France Reveals He Secretly Began Bleaching His Skin At Age 10

Queer Eye‘s Tan France is opening up about one of the most difficult times in his life.
Many years before he graced our screens as part of the revamped “Fab Five,” the confident fashion expert admits that he struggled with the insecurity of having darker skin while growing up.
The pressure to fit in was so real, it led to him to take drastic and potentially dangerous action by secretly bleaching his skin.
Related: ‘Queer Eye’ Stars Karamo & Antoni Used To Have ‘Extreme Amount Of Conflict’
In his newly released memoir, Naturally Tan, the UK-born stylist reveals he had a history with skin-bleaching products that he stole from his cousin, beginning when he was just 10 years old.
Taken from an excerpt via Refinery29, he writes:

“When I was ten years old, I used to bleach my skin. I actually stole the cream from one of my cousins who used it often. I haven’t had the balls to tell her I took it, because, since then, I’ve been ashamed of the fact that I succumbed to the pressure.”

For those of our readers who don’t know, the 36-year-old was born and raised in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England to what he described as strict, Muslim Pakistani parents.
Even at such a young age, he understood the gravity of what he was doing and kept the dangerous practice to himself:

“I kept the dirty little secret to myself. I’d only use it at night, before bed, when no one else was going to catch me. Let me tell you, that s**t hurt.”

Quick FYI, per Refinery 29: the most well-known skin lightening ingredient is hydroquinone. Over-the-counter products containing hydroquinone have been banned in the UK since 2001, yet the products continue to be sold and used at an alarming rate, with research suggesting the global market for skin lighteners will be worth $31.2 billion by 2024.
He continued:

“The importance of being pale is very bizarre. When I was five, I remember thinking, ‘God, I’d give anything to be white. I just want to be white, I want to be white, I want to be white.’ I had been so conditioned to think that if you were white, you were automatically more attractive.”

According to Tan, he also spent part of his childhood dreaming of waking up white because of the potential protection it could offer. He added:

“I worried constantly that if I went outside the house, bad things would happen to me.”

As shocking as this is to hear, France’s story is all too familiar for others who’ve struggled to accept the color of their skin. When society and not-so-subtle media messaging pushes a particularly “lighter” agenda, it can be hard as a young, person of color to think otherwise or believe they fit the “norm.”
Not to mention, the multi-billion dollar skin bleaching industry is banking on you to feel this way.

Luckily today, the TV personality is more than confident and proud of who he is. As the first openly gay, South Asian man on television, he says he wouldn’t change a thing about what makes him so unique now.

“If you ask me what my favorite thing about my appearance is, I’ll say my skin. I think my skin color is beautiful. As a 10-year-old, I could never have imagined that you could find my skin color beautiful, and I’m willing to bet most non-white people have thought the same thing.”

Yay! We love you just the way you are, Tan!
You can read more about the QE star’s story in his new memoir, Naturally Tan, in stores now.
Thoughts, Perezcious readers?
[Image via Brian To/WENN]