We live in a Fair & Lovely world. If you are an Indian woman, you know what that means. From the day we are born, we are shielded from the sun, rubbed with turmeric powder and bathed in milk. Yes, I just said milk.
I believe the over-arching question — one we already know the answer to — is "why?"
Fair skin is perceived as beautiful whilst dark skin is not. The stigma around dark skin will never be understood. You cannot fight a war with melanin and win. Appreciate the diversity, and appreciate the colorism. It is 2017 and it is time people understood that a wide variety of genes, heredity, geography, and nourishment plays a role in determining skin color.
Skin color has become a volatile issue, and it is time to defy these norms. A billion people live in India, but on every TV channel you turn to and in every movie and commercial you see, there are size zero fair-skinned women with luscious hair and pearly white teeth. This is not representative of the diversity present in this country.
This sets false standards and ideals for young minds watching.
This promotes discrimination because people start shaming those who do not portray these qualities. Women develop an inferiority complex and face discrimination at the workplace. It even affects potential marriage prospects. Similarly, men are trained at a young age to believe this is what "attractive" or "beautiful" looks like. Cosmetic companies use this to their advantage and flood us with skin lightening, whitening, and brightening creams. Women spend so much money on these products so they can meet those standards.
It is all a big giant loop of irony.
These issues are prevalent throughout the world, but as a woman of Indian descent, I can relate specifically to this Fair n' Lovely mania. India is the most populated country in the world, with thriving talents and great minds — but these talents go unappreciated. Let's look up to those that defy these norms, like Mindy Kaling. She was told she was not funny or attractive enough to play HERSELF in a show, but now she is a successful woman with her own sitcom, "The Mindy Project." Or how about Miss America 2014, Nina Davuluri?
So parents, don't push your little girls to be "fair." Stop making them feel like they aren't beautiful. Stop telling your heterosexual sons to look for fair-skinned partners. Tell them everyone is beautiful in their own way, and being dark does not mean they aren't lovely. Being fair-skinned is not equivalent to being beautiful or being marriage material. Being fair-skinned only means you are kinda low on melanin.
Your skin color is not erasable. This is a part of you so embrace it and love it.
