NEW DELHI, India — Colorism is a form of internalized racism that exists within many cultures and is particularly prominent in Southasian countries. There, as is common elsewhere, those with lighter complexions often receive greater opportunities and societal privileges than those with darker complexions. Largely influenced by the caste system and the film industry, colorism in India has become a serious problem for many Indians.
Prejudice Against Darker Skin Tones
In India, the country’s multibillion-dollar skincare industry often avails itself of prejudice against darker skin as a means to sell merchandise. Large, well-known brands such as Unilever Fair and Lovely offer a range of skin-lightening products from face wash and creams to deodorants. As many as half of these products include mercury, a substance so toxic that the World Health Organization banned its use in skincare.
Famous Indian actors like Priyanka Chopra also frequently contribute to the marketing of skin-bleaching products. As an example, Chopra previously appeared in an advertisement for a product called “White Beauty” in which she portrayed a woman who succeeds in seducing a man after using the product to lighten her skin. Though the Advertising Standards Council of India tried banning ads promoting discrimination against skin color, the initiative ultimately failed.
Cultural Bias in India
Cultural bias imposed on women is another factor influencing colorism in India today. Indian women with darker skin face discrimination in nearly every facet of everyday life, including marriage and work.
Consider the case of Muna Beatty. Beatty, a dark-skinned Indian woman, received a marriage proposal from a suitor, which her father then rejected. Upon seeing this, a relative of Beatty’s then exclaimed “How can you decline? What does your daughter possess that makes you think she could get a better proposal? Have you not seen her? She is dark!”
But, Beatty is far from the only victim of systemic colorism. In Western Maharashtra, for example, approximately 100 tribal girls who received government scholarships to train as air hostesses were denied jobs solely on account of their darker skin. As these instances demonstrate, many dark-skinned women are continuously denied economic and social opportunities.
Inspiration From the Black Lives Matter Movement
Taking inspiration from the Black Lives Matter Movement, many social justice activists have voiced concerns over the internalized racism present in India. The “Dark is Beautiful” campaign, started by Kavitha Emmanuel, aims to take restorative measures against the oppression of dark-skinned individuals. One particularly prominent example of the campaign’s success can be found in the case of Shaadi.com, a dating website that filtered women based on their skin complexion. Upon learning of the existence of this filter, “Dark is Beautiful” started a petition which successfully compiled more than 1,500 signatures in favor of its removal from the website. Eventually, Shaadi.com heeded the petition, and the filter no longer exists.
The campaign also led a large push against the way skincare companies advertise their skin-lightening products. The resulting public pressure led Unilever to change the name of its skincare brand from “Fair and Lovely” to “Glow and Lovely.” Going a step further, the company also decided to discontinue products deemed ‘skin-lightening’ or to have skin-lightening agents.
Influencers Against Colorism in India
Instagram influencers have also created a large platform in fighting against colorist practices in India. For example, Muna Beatty created the #ColourMeRight campaign that sparked a wide-reaching global response. This includes encouraging the jewelry company Tanishq to include more dark-skinned women in their advertisements. Additionally, Beatty has also petitioned Lakme, a cosmetics company, to add darker shades in products such as foundations, concealers and powders.
The Black Lives Matter Movement sparked a global response to the prejudices faced by communities worldwide. With the influence and power of this movement, many companies have taken strong measures toward eliminating the promotion of skin-lightening agents. After generations of oppression, dark-skinned communities are finally gaining the recognition they deserve. Hopefully, movements like this will help end colorism in India.
– Aishwarya Thiyagarajan
Photo: Flickr