Popular Nigerian skit maker and philanthropist, Amarachi Amusi, professionally known as Ashmusy, shared her experience of changing her wardrobe choices due to misconceptions about her image.
In an insightful podcast interview with Phyna, Ashmusy revealed that she decided to stop wearing outfits that exposed her body after being mistakenly associated with a “runs girl” lifestyle.
Ashmusy explained that consistently showcasing her physique in videos led to perceptions that she was involved in a certain lifestyle. The term “runs girl” is commonly used in Nigeria to refer to women associated with transactional relationships.
Reflecting on the situation, Ashmusy realized that the reason for this perception was her choice of exposing outfits in her videos. Despite intending to entertain and be goofy for her audience, she became aware that some viewers had different interpretations, leading her to make a conscious decision to change her wardrobe to avoid being misunderstood.
In her words, “Before I rebranded a few months ago, I used to wear sexy outfits. As a young girl, one would want to show one’s body. I did not know that I was being perceived as a prostitute. Meanwhile, I knew how much I was working behind the camera, running a business, and shooting adverts every day. With all of that, I was able to buy a car and house. It pained me when people insinuated that those things were bought for me by a man.”
“I was later in my quiet zone, thinking about why I was being judged that way, despite all my works that they people were seeing. I then started watching my videos, seeing that most times my body was exposed, with my nipples even showing. I was being goofy, but I did not know that people had been looking at something else.”
“I have realised that if one wants to be seen as a prestigious woman, one has to dress accordingly. One cannot be showing (sensitive) parts of one’s body.”
Checkout her photos below:
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