National Organization For Albinism and Hypopigmentation - Advocacy

Advocacy

Albinism is an often misunderstood and stigmatized condition. For that reason, NOAH's leadership takes particular interest in advocacy efforts that will improve the understanding and acceptance of albinism around the world. Most recently, the organization has been working with Positive Exposure and the Under the Same Sun Fund to stop the violence against individuals with albinism in parts of Africa, specifically in Tanzania where dozens of children and adults with albinism have been slaughtered by individuals believing that the body parts of a person with albinism will bring them good fortune.

Perhaps NOAH's most successful public relations campaign came in 2006 during the release of the movie The Da Vinci Code for its portrayal of a cliched and offensive evil albino character named Silas. In a report by the Associated Press, NOAH President Mike McGowan was quoted as saying "The Da Vinci character is just the latest in a long string. The problem is there has been no balance. There are no realistic, sympathetic or heroic characters with albinism that you can find in movies or popular culture.” Skinema.com, a Web site run by San Francisco dermatologist Vail Reese, thoroughly documents the portrayal of conditions like albinism in mainstream media. NOAH actively works to counter these negative and often inaccurate depictions of albinism.