Albino
comes from a Latin word that means white. Most people’s skin
contains melanin, a pigment that gives skin its color. Dark
skin has more melanin than light skin. Some individuals are
born with a total absence of melanin. The general term for
this condition is albinism. The most common form of albinism
in the United States is oculocutaneous albinism. This specific
type of albinism is what people usually think of when they
hear the word albino, because it provides all of the classic
albinism traits.
Besides
unusually fair complexions, these albinos have snowy white
or platinum blonde hair. A lack of melanin in their eyes results
in photophobia (extreme sensitivity to light) and moderate
to severe visual impairment. Many people with this type of
albinism are considered legally blind because of their uncorrectable
poor vision. It is a myth, however, that albinos always have
red or pink eyes. The truth is, pale blue is the most common
eye color of humans that have albinism. Besides needing dark
sunglasses and wide‑brimmed hats as eye protection from
bright sunlight, albinos do not have the ability to tan so
their skin sunburns easily. Consequently, they must use sunscreen
with a high SPF rating and wear UV‑resistant clothing.
Albinism
is not a disease but is a rare genetic disorder present from
birth. The majority of albino children are born to parents
who have normal hair and eye color. Albinism only manifests
itself when both mother and father are carriers of the recessive
albinism gene. About one in every 17,000 people in the United
States have the characteristics of albinism. This condition
is found in people of all races and ethnic groups. Albinism
has been in the public record since Pliny (AD 23‑79)
wrote about seeing albinos on the west coast of Africa.
Children
and adults with albinism are often teased and harassed by
inconsiderate people. The overwhelmingly negative depictions
of albinos in movies (e.g. “The Da Vinci Code,” “End of Days,”
“The Matrix Reloaded,” “Lethal Weapon,” “The Princess Bride,”
etc.) tend to hurt real albinos by reinforcing the derogatory
stigma and making them look like social misfits or villains.
Some albinism activists prefer to call themselves persons
with albinism and thus avoid the term albino altogether since
ignorant people use the word in an insulting way. It would
be nice if moviemakers were more accurate in their portrayals
of albinos, thereby displaying the same sensitivity and respect
for people with albinism they have demonstrated toward others
with disabilities.
Dennis
Hurley is a professional actor who was born with albinism.
Two of his three brothers inherited the condition as well.
Originally from Hingham, Massachusetts, and now living in
New York City, Dennis has a degree in acting from Ithaca College.
In 2003 he starred in a stage production of “Diamond in the
Rough,” the award‑winning story of a teenager with albinism.
Dennis sent his résumé to the casting director of “The Da
Vinci Code” urging him to cast a real albino as Silas, but
a non‑albino actor who wears a wig and red contact lenses
was hired for the role.
As
a result, Dennis decided to produce “The Albino Code,” a short
parody of “The Da Vinci Code” that aims to entertain and educate
based on the following premise: What if the story of “The
Da Vinci Code” could be told from Silas’ point of view? And
what if Silas were an actual person with albinism? This 12‑minute
independent film is available on the Internet at albinocode.com.
It pokes fun at the idea of a red‑eyed albino assassin
while providing some insight into what having albinism is
really like. (Parents, please preview the film before letting
your kids watch, as it has some “Saturday Night Live” style
humor.)
Did
You KnowĽ? The condition
of albinism is known to affect mammals, fish, birds, reptiles
and amphibians. White rabbits, white mice, and white rats
are albinos. A white albino alligator was on display earlier
this year at the Wildlife World Zoo. Snowflake, the only known
albino gorilla, lived at the Barcelona Zoo for almost 40 years
until dying of skin cancer. There are even white albino crows.
Rare white animals were often considered sacred by ancient
peoples. When Native Americans would see a white buffalo,
they thought it was supernatural. Unfortunately, animals with
albinism lack protective camouflage and their weak eyes make
them easy prey for predators, so the survivability rate of
albino animals in the wild is quite low.
Have
you ever heard of a white elephant? An albino elephant is
grayish white instead of brownish gray. Long ago in the country
of Siam (now Thailand), whenever a white elephant was found,
it automatically became the property of the king. The white
elephant could not be put to work as other elephants were,
and it had to be well taken care of and beautifully outfitted.
If the king presented someone with a white elephant, the new
owner would have to provide the care it was entitled to at
his own expense, while getting nothing from it in return.
Today, a white elephant refers to an unwanted item that you
feel obligated to keep because it was a gift. A white elephant
is also a slang term for a business or property that is so
costly to operate or maintain that it is impossible to make
a profit out of it.
