The killing of George Floyd in the United States has led to major protests across the world. Hitherto marginalised communities are calling for the end of systemic racism that has infiltrated every industry and individual around the world. At first glance, Indians may not seem personally affected by these racial protests, however, colourism is embedded deep within our society as well.
“Colourism” is defined as “prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group”. Discrimination on the basis of colour is inherently wired in Indians. It is now finally time for a change. With powerful corporate giants like Hindustan Unilever Ltd changing their branding from “Fair & Lovely” to the more inclusive “Glow & Lovely”, things are on the right track. If you would also like to change your thinking and approach towards this situation, here are some simple things to do:
- STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE TAN
Change must begin from within. Stop being the only person covered from head-to-toe on the beach, in order to avoid the darkening of your skin colour. Use sun-block to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun’s UVA and UVB rays, but appreciate the Vitamin D and healthy bronze-coloured glow that accompanies being outdoors in the sun.
- NEVER COMPLIMENT KIDS ON SKIN FAIRNESS
There are numerous well-meaning grandparents, aunts and uncles that believe having a fair baby is an accomplishment, and enjoy harping on the fact. However, this practice is harmful as it instils a sense of superiority in these babies from a young age, who then go on to discriminate or hold sway over other people who don’t have the same colour of skin. For that matter, you must stop complimenting people on their light-skin in general — it is not a meritorious achievement!
- BOYCOTT SONGS THAT ENCOURAGE RACISM
Numerous Indian folk songs and traditional folklore are centred around fair-skinned protagonists. This has encouraged inherent colourism in the songs and stories of Bollywood and other mainstream media as well. It becomes a vicious cycle that keeps reinforcing an idealised standard of beauty, which everyone then aspires to achieve. This practice must end for the collective progress of our society.
- DON’T USE PRODUCTS THAT MAKE SKIN ‘LIGHTER’
The first step has already been taken with the change of name of most skin-lightening products, but rebranding does not change the nature and intended target audience of these products. Every citizen of our country should be comfortable in their own skin. The only way to achieve that is to boycott these products completely.
- ACCEPT THAT BEAUTY COMES IN ALL COLOURS
Ultimately, each of the steps outlined above will only work to get rid of colourism, if there is a sea-change in the mindset of every person. The supposedly accepted standards of beauty are thrust upon us through advertisements, magazines, TV shows and cinema. The fact that these standards frequently change show that beauty is indeed timeless, only trends change. Back in the 1990s, the global beauty standard called for pale and stick-thin models. Now, with the Kardashian clan gaining immense popularity, the standards have changed to a darker and more voluptuous kind. This only shows that beauty and attraction can never be defined by one single standard. Once we collectively change our thinking to accept and appreciate every colour, shape and size, we will truly allow ourselves to move ahead as a society.
Next time, think twice before you worry about your own skin colour or that of your children. The world can only change when you change yourself first.
The writer is a lawyer who pens lifestyle articles on her successful blog www. nooranandchawla.com. She can be found on Instagram @nooranandchawla.