INDIAN FIXATION WITH THE COLOUR OF SKIN IS DEEPLY ENTRENCHED!

• One of the most commonly observed aspects of Indian society is our fixation on fair skin, especially concerning females as compared to males. This phenomenon has been observed over the last few decades which hasn’t seen any reduction but only appears to have gained strength by the day. Did someone mention colonial hangovers? Of course, the whites left behind not only our obsession with fair skin but also certain psychologically deep-entrenched belief systems despite the country progressing amazingly in all respects. Mind you, India today is one of the top five economies aiming to break into the top three in the next couple of years. Not only that, but we aspire to be counted among the most developed nations by 2047.

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• The moot point to ponder over here is how skin colour continues to be a matter of great importance when our legacy and heritage always celebrated/celebrates dark skinned Gods with such devotion, love, and affection. Our fixation with fair skin goes beyond the normal showcasing of insidious prejudice where people with dark tones are viewed with condescension, if not overtly, but covertly for sure. Remember, Fair and Lovely was rebranded as Glow and Lovely a few years ago. Was that some kind of national inflection point? Nothing has changed on the ground. As reported recently, no less than the Kerala chief secretary was subjected to unwanted colour prejudice. Remember, there are only 36 chief secretaries in govts across this vast country.

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• Calling it a powerful job is an understatement. That all the authority at her command neither protects her from being called black nor from feeling hurt because of this, speaks to the seemingly higher power of prejudice, stereotypes, and racism, which grows by getting internalized. At the same time, this IAS officer also shows how to take on skin colour fetishists. Not just by hitting the delete button but also by proclaiming loudly that black is beautiful, black is gorgeous. As you are aware, bullying children for skin tone is a given fact. Many an Indian will only appreciate her own skin when she lands among Whites. And what about wheatish? The foxy matrimonial column staple sums up our obsession with grading skin colour like a paint company palette card.

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• Hence the importance of public stances such as the chief secretary’s. For a young girl being told not to play in the sun or to go to the back row of a dance performance because of her complexion, having public role models who look like her matters. The thing about colourism is that, unlike many other forms of social injustice, it’s our near and dear ones that hit us the hardest: our own family, our teachers. And mostly, we don’t even talk to the other girl or boy who shares our friendship and complexion about what we’re going through. Nonetheless, there’s no psychological safety in silence. Cruel nonsense must be called out for what it is, as the Kerala chief secretary did recently with such poise. Societal prejudice towards skin colour should be nonexistent. Let’s make conscious efforts to eradicate this malaise for good.