Colourism and shadeism is a grim reality of our society that discriminates against people on the basis of darker skin tones. For instance, a Bengal textbook shockingly used a dark-complexioned man’s picture to teach ‘U for Ugly’, leading to the teachers being suspended. It is incidents like these that made people online demand a ban on fairness creams and products last year.
A male Indian Redditor started a conversation questioning why ‘fair skin’ is seen as the hallmark of good appearance. He narrated instances of how his extended family members put him down by commenting on how ‘dark’ his skin had become, and how the nickname “kaalia” was reserved for other kids in school who also had a duskier complexion.
A rant about Indian families’ obsession with fairness from india
Many Desis related to the incidents and shared their own unfortunate experiences with such shadeism.
1. Hearing bizarre comments on your skin color since your childhood can be scarring!
2. And the bizarre nushke and unsolicited advice that is thrust upon us to become fairer, never ceases for some of us.
3. The never-ending discussion on becoming ‘tanned’.
4. Some suggested the way forward from this.
Have you ever been mocked or discriminated against on the basis of your skin tone? Share with us in the comments section.
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