What is the one thing you dream of achieving? Is it a successful career? Is it a career in hair styling? Is it a career in the movies? Is it a career as cabin crew? Maybe you’d like to be a sports commentator? Or are you more oriented to the life of a house-wife? (I will never ever say home-maker, even if you hold a knife to my jugular vein) Is there a boy whose attention you wish to catch? Whatever your life’s ambition, it is achievable in six weeks or less. No hard work necessary. No annoying brokers either. All you need is a tube of fairness cream. The obsession for fair skin is the only politically incorrect thing that Indians will not take to the streets for. Everything else must be attuned to the Indian culture, may it be nudity, sexual orientation, pre-marital sex, Valentine’s Day, etc. But this preposterous theory that the Indian cosmetic industry propagates, that fair skin is the only thing that stands between you and success goes unchallenged. But what drives this giant machinery that churns out such ridiculous ads by different names? You. You.. Even You.. Especially You. That’s right, by continuing to use Skin Whiteners, Perfect Whiteness, Fair & Lovely and such ridiculous products, you’re a part of the system that says that it is acceptable to attribute light colored skin to all things good and dark colored skin to shame, ugliness and humiliation. It is little wonder that the countless matrimonial advertisements seeks “wheatish skin/fair skin” among many other laughable qualities (god-fearing, homely etc). In Bollywood, we have ambassadors for everything.. polio awareness, AIDS, child education, animal welfare etc. However these same actors silently promote a seemingly innocuous form of racism. While these fairness ads are a dime a dozen, two have been the most disappointing.
Case 1: John Abraham promoting fairness creams for men while the woman he’s dating isn’t exactly snow white.
Case 2: Now I admit, this one’s not for a fairness cream. But cmon, look at her.. she practically looks Caucasian.
Now some enterprising TV soaps have taken advantage of this stigma against dark skin, producing serials like Saat Phere, Bidaai. I am willing to ignore the fact that the complexion of the protagonist of Saat Phere lightened by several shades by the 100th episode and Bidaai stopped being about skin colour after the first 50 episodes or so. While some TV series take to Uglify-ing women by adding several 100 pounds or adding braces and big pair of frames.. a new TV series by the name of Laagi Tujhse Lagan has decided to do it by blackening her up. Quite often south Indians are butt of jokes among North Indians. They’re called Madrasis, Idli Sambar and .. wait for it.. Kallus (darky’s). This stereotyping of Dark being Ugly will continue to persist until women like you decide to go up in arms about it the same way they do about eve teasing, child marriage, dowry and the works. And maybe you should spare a thought before you reach out to buy the next tube of skin cream. What’s wrong with a darker shade of wheatish?
What about me you ask? I am doing my bit to further the cause by reserving a special brand of ridicule and disdain for those who use fairness creams.
oh yeah me too on the disdain thing…
As someone who has worked for one these brands, I can tell you what the new mentality has become. People associate the word fair skin and fairness to all the negative sentiments that empowered women have displayed disdain over. So, we are told to use terms like, skin lightening, avoiding skin pigmentation, avoiding dark spots, avoid sun exposure (that’s a good one, plays on the Indian reasoning “Dhoop mein kaale ho jaaoge”), etc. There are about 20 such terms that can be used now.
All ways to throw darts and arrows poisoned with self doubt at the duskier beauties of our country, tricking them into the same quagmire as before. And yes, all of us need to be ashamed about this, because like you said and someone managing these brands said, people still ARE crazy about wanting to be fair.
Can’t we legally sue these brands? On skin color discrimination or anything else on these lines. 😀
Brands like the one you have worked for, thrive and flourish because there’s a market for it. Do you reckon a bronzing spray or a tanning parlour would find much success in India? No matter how much we try to pin blame on these companies, they’re merely playing on a bias that is deep rooted in our culture.. Every scripture, folk lore and mythology has described the lovelies, may they be apsaras or princesses, as women with fair (unblemished) skin. Who describes Goddess Kali as beautiful? Krishna, Rama have all been “dark lords”, so to speak. And not blue-skinned as Amar Chitra Katha and a million ancient paintings would lead us to believe.
Nope. These terms they use are out of legal bounds. that’s why they use them.
another colonial hangover ??
Honestly, i had never thought much about it until i read your post. thank you. for u made me see something i was completely oblivious of! and its all around me. from my 3 year old niece to my educated colleagues.
such ads should be banned!
Hi Chicklet,
Frankly I don’t think about it myself. I have been darkish all my life and was forced to play Gandhi as a child in every fancy dress competition because of my short hair and dark skin. It was annoying, to say the least. But these ads.. that promise the sun, moon, stars, love, happiness and success. they drive me crazy with fury.
Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
This ad really is one of the best and captures the above sentiments beautifully. Have a look:
http://kimbubu.multiply.com/video/item/46
The ad that was linked in SK’s comment — Onslaught, is a part of Dove’s international campaign. While the content of the ad is nice, and sends a much-needed message about body image issues, please consider this: The company than produces Dove — Unilever, is the same company that produces produces (and therefore markets, releases ads, etc) the Fair and Lovely cream.
Just a little something to think about.
And yes, yes, I know, in this consumerist world, whatever sells goes. But trying to win over the competition by saying that “Our company promotes a healthy body image” on one hand, and then going on to sell Fair and Lovely in India seems a little two-faced, methinks. Actually, A lot.
Dove ads:
Onslaught: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epOg1nWJ4T8
Evolution: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knEIM16NuPg&feature=fvst
Fair and Lovely ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRt8E8sfiSw