Three years ago, my daughter who was in kindergarten asked me, “Amma, Why am I brown in color? I don’t like the color brown, I want to be fair”! I was upset and confused and didn't know how to convince my 4 year old. I asked her whether she like chocolates. She said yes! I asked her why? She said it’s tasty. I then asked her, “We don’t dislike the chocolates because of the brown color…Do we?”
I knew this question would pop up someday because she goes to a multicultural school. Recently a friend of mine told me about her agonizing experience in an Indian school at the upper primary level. Her son was being bullied, isolated and called names because of his dark complexion. These children represent the mindset of several people. We complain about racism in every part of the world. In a country where a large population have shades of dark skin, the fair skinned are considered superior. TV Ads compel us to use fairness creams to become attractive and successful.
Technically this discrimination based on the skin color is called Colorism.
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| Our own color palette |
I can personally relate to colorism. It actually affects a person’s self-esteem. Being born to a very fair mother and a colored father, we had our own color palette in the family, and I was on the darker side. As any other loving parents, Achan and Amma would tell me how beautiful I was. Since the reassurances of our parents are not always enough, I also grew up wanting lighter skin. How does it happen? It is Peer pressure, Societal Prejudices, Cosmetic Promos and Media; that stand collectively responsible.
Scientifically, the pigment melanin produced within the cells called melanocytes determines the skin color. Melanin is produced to protect the skin from harmful UV radiations, and there is a direct connection between geographic distribution of UV radiation and distribution of skin pigmentation.
So what can be done?
Campaigns like "Stay Unfair stay Beautiful", by renowned actress activist Nandita Das is a right step in this direction.The campaign is against this toxic belief and one of the agenda is to battle the violence of unfair advertising. When Indian actors Kangana Ranaut and Ranbir Kapoor refused to endorse fairness products, they became part of this campaign in their own way. Demanding a change in the media is not enough. The demand must come from within ourselves. We teach our kids so many things, so why don’t we teach them how to value all shades of skin. We should encourage a spirit of acceptance, appreciation and love for all in our kids.
So what do we do here? We must first sort out our own feelings in this regard. Before we heal the world, let us heal ourselves. We need to stop attributing fairness to success.
Remember Naomi Campbell is the richest model of all times, Oprah Winfrey & President Barack Obama are perhaps the most famous Americans ever. India's most successful Cricket captain MS Dhoni, PT Usha & Leander Paes, Tiger Woods, Pele, Micheal Jordan, Lupita Nyongo, Ussain Bolt. They are all dark and yet successful!.”
As Shilpa Shetty rightly said "I flaunt my complexion , and i'm proud of it."
