Are we seriously not inclined towards white skin? Do we literally say ‘what a beautiful baby’ to a fair child? Don’t we differentiate between fair student and someone with dull complexion?
Like these, there are a number of questions that do arise in my mind. Can we just name this as racism? Obviously not on a large scale but definitely in our daily lives we do practice some kind of colourism or racism.
In the modelling industry, possibly they do not consider the skin colour of the model but still in the film industry actresses want to become fair and for that they tend to have a number of supplements. They even have a lot of surgeries or treatments so that they can become fairer. Can’t we love ourselves the way we are? Or we really need to change our complexion, our features in order to look beautiful?
In the society now-a-days, people want to have a beautiful partner HAVING FAIR COMPLEXION. Also, they want their partner to be perfect in every manner. Why? Can’t we accept them the way they are? Is it really not important that they should respect you, be loyal and love you? I think this is more important but people have a mindset that people having fair complexion are much more beautiful than the person having dull complexion.
There are many companies who make such creams, gels and what not, for lightening of skin making them 2 to 3 tone fairer. People, especially women, tend to put up a lot of makeup so as to look fair. This is the scenario in most of the regions globally.
You must have heard about the recent news popping up again and again. While this Corona pandemic is going on, doctors tend to intentionally kill the black people and there were protests which are still going on. People in today’s time, are much more aware about the fact that skin colour doesn’t need to be fair to be a good person.
Recently, there is some news. A large number of Americans (including the white people) are protesting against the brutality and racial injustice done by police in the country. There is a new national poll which shows that around 59 % of the Americans (including 52 % of white voters) believe that the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police in Minneapolis was part of a broader pattern of police violence at a large extent toward African Americans. The movement that is taking place was named as ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.
In India, people have a sickening obsession towards fair skin. According to Ms. Arundhati Roy, “Indian racism towards black people is almost worse than the white peoples’ racism.” In India, where we worship ‘Kaali’, we worship ‘Krishna’, South Indians are being mocked by North Indians for their dark skins which further humiliates Africans for the same reason.
But there is always a flipped side of the coin. There are still some industries which consider talent over fair face, still some people who do not consider the skin colour. There are people who love themselves and others the way they are.
Within ourselves, we do know what can be the solution to this. Any solution for this requires commitment and participation by each and every people without considering their cultural origin. It is important to speak up. While arguing over a topic you should make sure to not call the other person a ‘racist’. Instead, just don’t agree and tell them the reason why you don’t think so.
Don’t teach your children these two factors, fair and dark skin. Instead, they should know how to differentiate between good and bad people. The reason is ‘what we learn from childhood stays with us till death’. It becomes our mindset.
The main point is you should not become discouraged if someone calls you black. We should know that people and the society will take decades to understand the impact of racism or colourism.
Let’s fight racism and change the minds!
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