It wasn\u2019t until I traveled to India for the first time that I fully realized how arbitrary beauty standards really are. While the United States was in the midst of a tanning craze, I discovered in Jaipur, Rajasthan (a state in the Northwestern part of India) that women (and men) were desperate to lighten their skin tone.<\/p>\n
When I told a Rajasthani friend of mine that, in the United States, most white people wanted to darken their skin to resemble a tan one would get from a day at the beach, she laughed in disbelief. Then, she explained to me that most young women like her used lightening creams and other products, such as those made by the popular brand “Fair and Lovely,” to lighten their skin. For Indian men, there is a similar line of products known as \u201cFair and Handsome.\u201d In Rajasthan, it\u2019s also common to see women\u2019s (and some men\u2019s) faces entirely wrapped up in large handkerchiefs not only to block the dusty and polluted air from getting into their lungs, but to stop the sun from darkening their skin. Another common sight is women wearing long gloves that extend to their upper arms to protect this skin from the sun as well.<\/p>\n
This fascination with fairness has, of course, many detrimental effects, including convincing women and men that there is only one standard against which to measure beauty and, thus, that those people who do not conform to this standard cannot be considered beautiful. Unfortunately, the power of the \u201cFair and Lovely\u201d and \u201cFair and Handsome” ad campaigns is also prodigious as famous and admired actresses and actors star in these commercials and appear in other advertisements to sell these products.<\/p>\n
To combat the negative effects of this \u201cfascination with fairness,\u201d the actress, director and social activist Nandita Das featured prominently in a campaign called \u201cDark is Beautiful\u201d with the tagline \u201cStay Unfair, Stay Beautiful.” Das, who earned her Master\u2019s degree in Social Work from the University of Delhi, is passionate about numerous social issues, including AIDS and violence against women. Interestingly, Hindustan Unilever Limited, the creator of the \u201cFair and Lovely\u201d and \u201cFair and Handsome\u201d products, advances the idea that \u201c90 percent of Indian women want to use [skin] whiteners because it is aspirational, like losing weight. A fair skin is like education, regarded as a social and economic step up.\u201d Das corroborates this with her own personal experiences as an actress in Indian films, saying that \u201cespecially when you are playing the middle class, educated character,\u201d makeup artists and cinematographers will generally urge you to lighten your skin tone if it happens to be a bit darker. Therefore, we can clearly see that this bias against dark skin is even more dangerous than its status as a mere \u201cbeauty standard\u201d would suggest; the fact that fair skin is connected to one\u2019s socioeconomic status and education level is troubling indeed and indicates deeper forces at work than a simple aesthetic appeal.<\/p>\n
Read the dialogue below carefully between Nandita Das and a reporter from the Hindi-language newspaper, Dainik Jagran<\/em> (\u0926\u0948\u0928\u093f\u0915 \u091c\u093e\u0917\u0930\u0923). *Note: this dialogue is not a transcript of one that took place in real life; it is an imaginative take on the social issue of bias against darker skin tones.<\/p>\n \u0938\u0902\u0935\u093e\u0926\u0926\u093e\u0924\u093e\/\u0930\u093f\u092a\u094b\u0930\u094d\u091f\u0930: \u0928\u0902\u0926\u093f\u0924\u093e \u091c\u0940, \u0906\u092a\u0928\u0947 \u0907\u0938 \u201cDark is Beautiful\u201d (\u0917\u0939\u0930\u093e \u0930\u0902\u0917 \u0938\u0941\u0928\u094d\u0926\u0930 \u0939\u0948) \u0915\u093e campaign (\u0906\u0902\u0926\u094b\u0932\u0928) \u0936\u0941\u0930\u0942 \u0915\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u093f\u092f\u093e ?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Samvaad-daataa\/Reporter: Nandita ji, aapne is “Dark is Beautiful” (Gehra Rang Sundar Hai) kaa campaign (aandolan) shuruu kyoon kiyaa?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Reporter: Nandita ji, why did you start this “Dark is Beautiful” campaign?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u0928\u0902\u0926\u093f\u0924\u093e \u0926\u093e\u0938: \u092e\u0948\u0902\u0928\u0947 \u092f\u0939 campaign (\u0906\u0902\u0926\u094b\u0932\u0928) \u0936\u0941\u0930\u0942 \u0915\u093f\u092f\u093e \u0915\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0902\u0915\u093f \u092e\u0948\u0902 \u0907\u0938 \u0917\u0939\u0930\u0947 \u0930\u0902\u0917 \u0915\u0947 \u0916\u093c\u093f\u0932\u093e\u092b\u093c \u092c\u0941\u0930\u0947 \u090f\u0915\u0924\u0930\u092b\u093c\u0947 \u0938\u0947 \u0924\u0902\u0917 \u0906 \u091a\u0941\u0915\u0940 \u0939\u0942\u0901 \u0964 \u092c\u091a\u092a\u0928 \u0938\u0947 \u0939\u0940 \u0932\u094b\u0917 \u0905\u092a\u0928\u0947 \u092c\u091a\u094d\u091a\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u094b \u0915\u0939 \u0926\u0947\u0924\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0915\u093f \u201c\u0917\u0939\u0930\u0947 \u0930\u0902\u0917 \u0915\u093e \u0939\u094b\u0928\u093e \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u093e \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948; \u0926\u093f\u0928 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u092c\u093e\u0939\u0930 \u092e\u0924 \u091c\u093e\u0913,\u201d \u0935\u0917\u093c\u0948\u0930\u0939, \u0935\u0917\u093c\u0948\u0930\u0939\u0964 \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0928\u092f\u0940 \u092a\u0940\u0922\u093c\u0940 \u0915\u094b \u0926\u093f\u0916\u093e\u0928\u093e \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f \u0915\u093f \u0905\u0932\u0917 \u0905\u0932\u0917 \u0924\u0930\u0939 \u0915\u0940 \u0916\u0942\u092c\u0938\u0942\u0930\u0924\u0940 \u0939\u094b\u0924\u0940 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0905\u094c\u0930 \u0928\u093e \u0938\u093f\u0930\u094d\u092b\u093c \u092c\u093e\u0939\u0930 \u0915\u0940 \u0916\u0942\u092c\u0938\u0942\u0930\u0924\u0940 \u092d\u0940\u0964\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Nandita Daas: Maine yah campaign (aandolan) shuruu kiyaa kyoonki main is gehre rang ke khilaaf bure ektarafe se tang aa chukii huun. Bachpan se hi log apne bacchon ko keh dete hain ki “gehre rang ka honaa accha nahin hai; din me baahar mat jaao,” vagairah, vagairah. Hume nayi pirhi ko dikhaanaa chaahiye ki alag alag tarah ki khubsoorati hoti hain aur na sirf baahar ki khubsoorti bhi.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Nandita Das: I started this campaign because I’ve gotten sick of this negative (or “bad”) bias against dark (skin). From childhood, people tell their children, “It’s not good to be dark (skinned); don’t go outside during the day,” etc., etc. We should show the new generation that there are many types of beauty and not just outer (superficial) beauty either.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u0938\u0902\u0935\u093e\u0926\u0926\u093e\u0924\u093e\/\u0930\u093f\u092a\u094b\u0930\u094d\u091f\u0930: \u0906\u092a\u0928\u0947 \u0905\u092a\u0928\u0947 \u0928\u093f\u091c\u0940 \u091c\u093c\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0917\u0940 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u092f\u0939 \u201c\u0917\u0939\u0930\u0947 \u0930\u0902\u0917 \u0915\u0947 \u0916\u093c\u093f\u0932\u093e\u092b\u093c \u092c\u0941\u0930\u0947 \u090f\u0915\u0924\u0930\u092b\u093c\u0947\u201d \u0915\u093e \u0905\u0928\u0941\u092d\u0935 \u0915\u092d\u0940 \u0915\u093f\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0948 ?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Samvaad-daataa\/Reporter: Aapne apne niji zindagi me yah “gehre rang ke khilaaf bure ektarafe” kaa anubhav kabhi kiyaa hai?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Reporter: Have you ever experienced this “bias against dark (skin)” in your personal life?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u0928\u0902\u0926\u093f\u0924\u093e \u0926\u093e\u0938: \u0939\u093e\u0901, \u092e\u0948\u0902\u0928\u0947 \u0915\u0908 \u092c\u093e\u0930 \u092f\u0939 \u0905\u0928\u0941\u092d\u0935 \u0915\u093f\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0964 \u0906\u092e \u0924\u094c\u0930 \u0938\u0947, \u091c\u092c \u090f\u0915 \u0905\u092d\u093f\u0928\u0947\u0924\u093e \u092f\u093e \u0905\u092d\u093f\u0928\u0947\u0924\u094d\u0930\u0940 \u0915\u094b\u0908 middle class (\u092e\u0927\u094d\u092f \u0935\u0930\u094d\u0917) \u0935\u093e\u0932\u093e \u0915\u093f\u0930\u0926\u093e\u0930 \u0928\u093f\u092d\u093e \u0930\u0939\u093e\/\u0930\u0939\u0940 \u0939\u0948, \u0924\u094b back stage \u0935\u093e\u0932\u0947 \u0932\u094b\u0917 \u0909\u0928\u0938\u0947 \u0915\u0939\u0947\u0902\u0917\u0947 \u0915\u093f \u201c\u0924\u094b\u0921\u093c\u0947 \u0917\u094b\u0930\u093e\/\u0917\u094b\u0930\u0940 \u0939\u094b \u091c\u093e\u0913 \u0924\u094b \u092c\u0947\u0939\u0924\u0930 \u0939\u094b\u0917\u093e\u0964\u201d \u0932\u094b\u0917 \u092f\u0939 \u0915\u0939\u0924\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0915\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0902\u0915\u093f \u0935\u0947 (\u0935\u0939) \u0938\u094b\u091a\u0924\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0915\u093f \u201cclass,\u201d \u201c\u0936\u093f\u0915\u094d\u0937\u093e\u201d \u0914\u0930 \u201c\u0917\u094b\u0930\u0947\u092a\u0928\u201d \u091c\u0941\u0921\u093c\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0964 \u0932\u0947\u0915\u093f\u0928, \u092f\u0939 \u0938\u091a \u092c\u093f\u0932\u094d\u0915\u0941\u0932 \u092d\u0940 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948 \u0964\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Nandita Das: Haan, maine kai baar yah anubhav kiyaa hai. Aam taur se, jab ek abhinetaa ya abhinetri koi middle class (madhya varg) vala kirdaar nibhaa rahaa\/rahi hai, to back stage vaale log unse kahenge ki “tore gora\/gori ho jao, to behtar hoga.” Log yah kehte hain kyoonki ve (voh) sochte hain ki “class,” “shikshaa,” aur “gorepan” jure hain. Lekin, yah sach bilkul bhi nahin hai.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Nandita Das: Yes, I’ve experienced this several times. Usually, when an actor or actress is playing some middle class character, people back stage will say to them, “If you become a bit fairer, it will be better.” People say this because they think that “class,” “education” and “fairness” are connected. But, this is absolutely untrue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u0938\u0902\u0935\u093e\u0926\u0926\u093e\u0924\u093e\/\u0930\u093f\u092a\u094b\u0930\u094d\u091f\u0930: \u0906\u092a\u0915\u094b \u0915\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0902 \u0932\u0917\u0924\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u093f \u091c\u093c\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0926\u093e\u0924\u0930 \u092d\u093e\u0930\u0924\u0940\u092f\/\u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0941\u0938\u094d\u0924\u093e\u0928\u0940 \u0932\u094b\u0917 \u0917\u094b\u0930\u0947\u092a\u0928 \u0915\u0947 \u092a\u0940\u091b\u0947 \u092a\u0921\u093c\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 ?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Samvaad-daataa\/Reporter: Aapko kyoon lagta hai ki zyaadaatar Bhaaratiya\/Hindustaani log gorepan ke piche pare hain? \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Reporter: Why do you think that most Indian people are crazy (lit., lying\/falling behind “x”) for fairness?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u0928\u0902\u0926\u093f\u0924\u093e \u0926\u093e\u0938: \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u0932\u0917\u0924\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u093f \u0907\u0938\u0915\u0940 \u0905\u0932\u0917 \u0905\u0932\u0917 \u0935\u091c\u0939 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0964 \u090f\u0915 \u0939\u0948 \u0939\u0941\u092e\u093e\u0930\u0947 \u0926\u0947\u0936 \u0915\u0947 colonial (\u0914\u092a\u0928\u093f\u0935\u0947\u0936\u093f\u0915) \u0907\u0924\u093f\u0939\u093e\u0938, \u091c\u093f\u0938\u0915\u0947 \u0905\u0928\u0941\u0938\u093e\u0930 \u0905\u0901\u0917\u094d\u0930\u0947\u091c\u093c \u0905\u092a\u0928\u0947 \u0930\u093e\u091c\u094d\u092f \u0915\u094b \u0905\u094c\u0930 \u0938\u092b\u093c\u093e\u0908 \u0926\u0947\u0928\u0947 \u0915\u0947 \u0932\u093f\u090f \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0915\u0939 \u0926\u0947\u0924\u0947 \u0925\u0947 \u0915\u093f “\u0924\u0941\u092e \u0939\u0940\u0928 \u0939\u094b \u0914\u0930 \u0939\u092e \u0909\u091a\u094d\u091a \u0939\u0948\u0902\u201d; \u0914\u0930 \u0907\u0938 \u0938\u0902\u0926\u0947\u0936 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0938\u0942\u0930\u0924 \u0915\u0940 \u0939\u0940\u0928\u0924\u093e (inferiority) \u092d\u0940 \u091c\u0941\u0921\u093c\u0940 \u0939\u0948 \u0964 \u092c\u0942\u0930\u0940 \u092c\u093e\u0924 \u092f\u0939 \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u093f \u0939\u092e\u0928\u0947 \u092f\u0939 \u092e\u093e\u0928\u0938\u093f\u0915\u0924\u093e \u0907\u0938 \u0926\u0947\u0936 \u0915\u0940 \u0906\u091c\u093c\u093e\u0926\u0940 \u0905\u094c\u0930 globalization \u0915\u0947 \u0938\u093e\u0925 \u092d\u0940 \u091b\u094b\u0921\u093c\u0940 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948 \u0964 \u0926\u0942\u0938\u0930\u0940 \u0935\u091c\u0939 \u092f\u0939 \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u093f \u0932\u094b\u0917 \u0939\u092e\u0947\u0936\u093e \u091a\u093e\u0939\u0924\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u091c\u094b \u0909\u0928\u0915\u0947 \u092a\u093e\u0938 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u0948 \u091c\u0948\u0938\u0947 \u0915\u093f \u0905\u092e\u0947\u0930\u093f\u0915\u0928 \u0932\u094b\u0917 \u091a\u093e\u0939\u0924\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0915\u093f \u0935\u0947 (\u0935\u0939) \u091c\u093c\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0926\u093e \u0917\u0939\u0930\u0947 \u0930\u0902\u0917 \u0915\u0947 \u0939\u094b\u0902 ; \u0935\u0948\u0938\u0947 \u0939\u0940 \u092d\u093e\u0930\u0924\u0940\u092f\/\u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0941\u0938\u094d\u0924\u093e\u0928\u0940 \u0932\u094b\u0917 \u091c\u093c\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0926\u093e \u0917\u094b\u0930\u0947 \u0939\u094b\u0928\u093e \u091a\u093e\u0939\u0924\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0964\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Nandita Das: Mujhe lagta hai ki iski alag alag vajah hain. Ek hai humare desh ke colonial (aapniveshik) itihaas, jiske anusaar angrez apne rajya ko aur safai dene ke liye hume keh dete the ki “tum hiin hain, aur hum ucch hain”; aur is sandesh me soorat ki hiintaa bhi juri hai. Buri baat yah hai ki humne yah maansiktaa is desh ki aazaadi aur globalization ke saath bhi chori nahin hai. Dusri vajah yah hai ki log hamesha chahte hain jo unke paas nahin hai jaise ki American log chahte hain ki ve (voh) zyaada gehre rang ke hon; vaise hi Bhaaratiya\/Hindustaani log zyaada gore honaa chahte hain. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Nandita Das: It seems to me (I think) that this has many different reasons. One (reason) is our country’s colonial history, according to which the British, in order to justify their own rule, told us that, “You are inferior, we are superior”; and, inferiority in terms of appearance is connected with this message. Another reason is that people always want what they do not have, like American people want to be darker; in the same way, Indian people want to be fairer.<\/span><\/p>\n \u0938\u0902\u0935\u093e\u0926\u0926\u093e\u0924\u093e\/\u0930\u093f\u092a\u094b\u0930\u094d\u091f\u0930: \u0905\u091a\u094d\u091b\u093e, \u092c\u0939\u0941\u0924 \u0926\u093f\u0932\u091a\u0938\u094d\u092a \u0939\u0948 \u0964 \u092e\u0947\u0930\u093e \u0906\u0916\u093c\u093f\u0930\u0940 \u0938\u0935\u093e\u0932 \u092f\u0939 \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u093f \u0906\u092a\u0915\u0940 \u091c\u0935\u093e\u0928 \u0932\u094b\u0917\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u0947 \u0932\u093f\u090f \u0915\u0941\u091b \u0938\u0932\u093e\u0939 \u0939\u0948 \u0924\u093e\u0915\u093f \u0935\u0947 (\u0935\u0939) \u090f\u0915 \u0926\u093f\u0928 \u092f\u0939 \u092e\u093e\u0928\u0938\u093f\u0915\u0924\u093e \u091b\u094b\u0921\u093c \u0938\u0915\u0947\u0902? \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Samvaad-daataa\/Reporter: Acchaa, bahut dilchasp hai. Mera aakhiri savaal yah hai ki aapki javaan logo ke liye kuch salaah hai taaki ve (voh) ek din yah maansiktaa chor saken?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Reporter: I see, very interesting. My last question is: do you have some advice for young people so that they can one day abandon this mindset?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u0928\u0902\u0926\u093f\u0924\u093e \u0926\u093e\u0938: \u0939\u093e\u0901, \u091c\u093c\u0930\u0942\u0930 \u0964 \u092e\u0947\u0930\u0940 \u0938\u0932\u093e\u0939 \u092f\u0939 \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u093f \u0924\u0941\u092e \u0932\u094b\u0917\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u094b advertising \u0907\u0924\u0928\u093e \u0927\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0928 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0926\u0947\u0928\u093e \u091a\u093e\u0939\u093f\u090f \u0915\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0902\u0915\u093f advertising \u0935\u093e\u0932\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u093e \u0915\u093e\u092e \u0924\u0941\u092e\u094d\u0939\u0947\u0902 \u0935\u093f\u0936\u094d\u0935\u093e\u0938 \u0926\u093f\u0932\u093e\u0928\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u093f \u0924\u0941\u092e \u0915\u093e\u092b\u093c\u0940 \u0938\u0941\u0928\u094d\u0926\u0930, \u0916\u093c\u093e\u0938, \u092f\u093e \u0915\u0941\u091b \u092d\u0940 \u0939\u094b, \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0939\u094b; \u0905\u092a\u0928\u0947 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0935\u093f\u0936\u094d\u0935\u093e\u0938 \u0930\u0916\u094b \u0914\u0930 \u0924\u0941\u092e \u0920\u0940\u0915 \u0930\u0939\u094b\u0917\u0947 \u0964\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Nandita Das: Haan, zaroor. Meri salaah yah hai ki tum logon ko advertising itnaa dhyaan nahin denaa chaahiye kyoonki advertising valon ka kaam tumhe vishvaas dilaanaa hai ki tum kafi sundar, khaas, ya kuch bhi ho, nahin ho; apne me vishvaas rakho aur tum thik rahoge.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Nandita Das: Yes, of course. My advice is (you people) should not pay so much attention to advertising because the advertisers’ job is to convince you that you are not beautiful enough (or) special (enough), or whatever it may be; believe in yourself and you will be alright.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you’d like to know more about this topic, check out the video below, featuring actress Nandita Das speaking about this issue:<\/p>\n\u0936\u092c\u094d\u0926\u093e\u0935\u0932\u0940 \u0915\u0940 \u0938\u0942\u091a\u0940<\/h2>\n
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