Radha found this article about "looking Indian." This really proves that you can't go by appearances to figure out who is Indian and who is not.
The article is about a pale, blonde girl competing in a Miss India competition in New Zealand. Though she doesn't look it, she is half Indian. Some people were shocked and upset that she was accepted into the competition and that she made it as far as she did (second runner up).
I could see having a concern that there is already a struggle to help young Indian women to know that darker skin and dark hair is beautiful. Beauty does not have to match up a European standard.
But that is a general idea to try to spread around in culture, not something to use against one young woman whose heritage is Indian even if she doesn't look it.
http://www.theimproper.com/13701/entertainment/jacinta-lal-call-too-white-to-compete-for-miss-india
We watched a tv program awhile ago about ethnic miniroties in the UK changing their appearance for what the deemed to be necessary for them to move in the white world. Which is interesting when many brits complain about the levels of non whites in the country. There was a woman on the program from Bangledesh, with her husband.. she wanted paler skin and was constantly teased for her 'dark' skin.. her husband was very much 'white' and her kids would get so upset at her need to be whiter.. .such a shame.
ReplyDeleteDoes this have anything to do with your blog?? hmm.. lets see,,,, I didnt read it yet just wanted to get that down lol sorry :D
I think that many women from ethnic minorities do try to lighten their skin, which is a shame. I have a fairly dark skin for a white English man, and in summer I often get a tan from hiking. Many of the people at our Hindu temple have Punjabi ancestry, and I find it rather odd that a lot of the women have paler skin than I do, whereas all the men have considerably darker skin. I am sure that many of the women never go outside without a factor 50 sunblock!
ReplyDeleteagree with all those who say, hindus do want to have a paler skin. It is the general consensus, yet unspoken. Yo whities/others go for indian hindus, for this is an eternal and cosmic faith, totally colorblind.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Blue is reserved exclusivly for Vishnus avatars like Rama and Krishna.
Being me and only seeing the world from my own perspective, I will never know what that pressure is like. I have extremely pale skin and freckles. Most of the time I like it, but sometimes I get back photos where I look like a ghost.
ReplyDeleteHere in America, tanned skin is highly valued and people risk skin cancer to go to tanning beds to get hit with UV rays to make their skin darker.
Personally, as a woman who enjoys the beauty of other women, I think the most beautiful women in the world are Indian.
Funny that blue skin hasn't become a desirable trait, eh? We could do it with makeup. Wouldn't that be odd? If everyone was trying to make their skin bluish?