The number of times I have heard Tamil women say that they want their sons to marry a “fair-skinned” girl, or their son wants to marry a “fair-skinned” girl, is countless! You’d think that this only happened back in the days, but shockingly it STILL happens. Shaming girls with a darker toned skin is something that happens so often in the South Asian community, and is an issue that seriously needs to be addressed.
From a very young age, girls are told to stay out of the sun because “it makes your skin go darker,” and told to wear certain coloured clothes as “it won’t suit your skin colour.” We are living in the 21st century and society still portrays such beauty standards and puts pressure on girls to look a certain way?! This not only makes an individual feel insecure but also demeans their value in society. The insecurities that stem from such opinions are more defeating than you think.
It’s sad to think that in a world where women have become confident and are constantly breaking ‘glass-ceilings,’ that such a trait is the deciding factor when it comes to marriage or dating. Not only this, but it sets a bad image for the younger generations, and they should never feel ashamed to have a darker skin tone. My mother is a woman with a darker skin tone and to me, she is the epitome of beauty and glamour. Girls with a darker complexion are blessed to have such rich skin.
More recently, we are starting to see girls admitting to their insecurities and opening up to their experiences. If we keep addressing this issue, WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE …TOGETHER! There are so many campaigns against colourism, including the most famous #unfairandlovely, make sure to check it out!!
Slightly off topic, but another comment that tends to make girls feel insecure is when people question their body shape. “Why are you so skinny, does your mum not feed you?” or “you should go to the gym and try to lose some weight.” People will always have something to say, so instead of sitting there hating yourself for the way you look, start to embrace your body and love yourself. I’m pretty sure there is someone out there that wants to look like you!
The most alluring thing a woman can wear is CONFIDENCE! There is nothing more powerful than the ability to love the skin and body you’re in. If no one has told you already, let me be the first: “YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!”
Girls … all I have left to say is, you are going to find a real man that loves you for who you are, and a man that will not define you because of your skin colour. Beauty has no skin tone or body shape! Stay strong, stay true to who you are and don’t be afraid to give these people a piece of your mind! Keep breaking those barriers girl!!!
Be CONFIDENT and EMBRACE that skin tone and body shape of yours, because life is too short to be limited by it. Let us be those girls who proudly own their dark skin, trickling with melanin, rejecting society’s beauty standards, empowering one another and most importantly … loving ourselves!!!
#browngirlandproud #ownthatcolour #loveyourbody
