We have come a long way since independence. Racism which was practiced then is still in custom or we can say ruling the system. In our country, there is still a disregard for dusky skin in people’s mindset. Fair complexion is always given preference over the dusky one. We have to agree the reality that no matter how much a dusky-skinned person has achieved, the majority would still go with the fair-skinned.
In a recent interview, actor, Freida Pinto remarked ” people in India are ‘obsessed’ with white skin. She said , “There’s this notion that the fairer you are the easier it is ” . After reading the above comment, I felt shameful for our mentality. Mere feeling ashamed will not sort out the issue, there is a strong need to educate our society about this overlooked attitude. It is pathetic and embarrassing for every Indian that such a statement is given by an Indian herself at international level.
Media should play its role : – The easiest way of influencing and then changing people’s psychology is ‘Media’ . It is reaching everywhere as far as we can see or we need. Specially television is a great source. But it is a shocking fact that instead of removing this racial bias from society they are promulgating it vigorously.It is responsible for developing this kind of mentality in our minds. I must not blame media for the rise of this racism. In fact with people, media too criticized it formerly. But If we note, media who once criticized it, is now itself promoting it as fairness soaps and creams advertisements. Although it is not the cause behind this custom but has surely nurtured it since ages. It is the only one to blame when we come to the question that who actually fixed this idea in every individual’s mind that fair complexion is the attractive one and dusky is out of the league. And if it was so already, It must have tried to remove the biased attitude of society. On the contrary, it firmly implanted the notion of this difference between both skin type and corrupted everyone’s approach towards the dusky skinned people. Media is aware of its range and authority in a country like India where it influences people tremendously to the way they style their hair, they look, they eat, the things they buy, their attitudes. Despite of knowing its supremacy, they are enormously showing these fairness creams and soaps commercials which more and more propagate the discrimination. Not only this, but the dusky-skinned people begin to feel low in society just because they are not born fair! The fair skin is commercialized at such a huge level that sometimes our confidence level tends to suffer. In India where a man looking for a bride always gives preference for white, in jobs like air hostess to news readers, white is preferred, love proposals , marriage proposals often knocks at the door of a fair-complexioned girl, career in showbiz mainly demands fair appearance, parents feel down if their child has a dusky colour and what else can annoy us more than this about the whole concept. Of course these are just one or two of those things that can happen to you if you are one of them, there is still a lot more. Media which is marketing and earning through this notion must employ itself in reducing this tendency of people. I mean what can be more irritating and hateful than this that you are accepted if you have a fair colour and rejected if you are not having that white pigment. Features, flawless skin, face-cut etc are some other things that must be given preference when it comes to beauty. But no, in India we have already developed a disdain and rejection for the dusky that somewhere is responsible for its backwardness.
We all have seen people who despite this brown complexions have attained much name and fame and are still doing great at every stage of life. I want to acknowledge those actors specially the fair ones who say a big ‘No‘ to these fairness commercials. Beyonce knowles, Halle berry, Kajol , Bipasha Basu, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika padukone, Nandita Das, Konkana sen, Lara dutta, Carol grecias, Chitrangada singh etc are great examples of dusky-skinned, yet famous personalities. Therefore we cannot deny the fact, that even dusky skin can look better and appealing. Media can change common man’s psychology and tendency towards skin types only if it puts a ban on all these commercials that exaggerate the white or it may commercialize the dusky saying,” Brown and Beautiful.”
There is a strict need to reform or it would hurt the confidence of millions of us. Today it’s a requirement to come over this obsession of fair and dark. The criteria to judge anyone must be changed else one day it would be a matter of shame at the international level.
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