Glamour model Martina Big has announced she’s travelling to Africa to ‘learn to be black’.
28-year-old Martina was born white, but has spent £50,000 on surgery to realise her dream of becoming a black woman, or as she describes it, an ‘exotic barbie’.
The German-born former air hostess’s extreme transformation has so far included three skin injections and tanning on her 50-tube sunbed to achieve her ‘dark, crispy brown’ skin.
She’s had her eye colour altered, as well as her hair, which she has made darker and curlier.
Martina has also had her breasts pumped up to a beach ball sized 32S, which she boasts are now the most gigantic in Europe.
Evidently there is some Eurovision Breast Contest being held somewhere where such things are voted on…
Martina has now made another memorable appearance on This Morning, where Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby grilled her about the potential offence she could be causing to women who are actually born black.
Speaking to the sceptical presenters through video link from the U.S, Martina spoke of her learning process and her plans to travel to Africa:
I don’t want to fight black people, I do it for myself, I don’t want the media attention. I feel it in myself that I’m changing into a black woman.
Now I’m a black woman, I need to learn more. That is the reason why in January I want to go to Africa to learn about the culture and so there is no more understanding.
Martina later specified she would be visiting Kenya.
You can watch part of the divisive interview below:
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Martina appeared completely oblivious to any offence she might be causing as she discussed how her tastes in food have changed since she ‘became’ a black woman.
A visibly exasperated Holly and Phillip – who literally face palmed at one point – tried in vain to explain to Martina how race was much more complicated than just appearance, entwined with culture, traditions and inequalities.
However, Martina remained adamant her racial identity was much more than skin deep:
All these steps, having black curly hair, I am going to change my nose to be like an African nose, wider… I am going to have butt implants to be curvier…
But also I am going to Africa and different countries. To meet the people in person and [learn] more about the histories.
Although Martina might be comfortable with her appearance, to others her transformation is incredibly insensitive and insulting.
Many This Morning viewers took to Twitter to express their outage at this white woman trying to pass as black.
One person tweeted:
This is the most insulting and insensitive thing I’ve ever heard, and to give her a platform is disappointing.
Another stated, ‘As a black woman I’m offended’.
Martina has previously received criticism from the Race Equality Foundation because of her ‘limited understanding’ of the serious challenges faced by black women.
Whether her upcoming trip will help to improve her understanding is debatable.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.