Essay On Dark Skin

Obsession with fair skin has been present in the history of India going back to the days of the caste system. Throughout the Indian subcontinent's settlement history, many of the conquerors hailed from areas of relatively fair complexion and arrived with a sense of superiority. This has in turn associated lightness with superiority, wealth, and desirability. The bias against dark skin is perpetuated by the media, specifically the film industry of India, as well as the pharmaceutical industry. As such, skin bleaching has such increased to allow people to reach this desirable skin shade. The unhealthy affinity that society has developed for lighter skin that it increases self-esteem issues among all members of the Indian community, support discrimination in relationships, and

This, in turn, becomes a mindset that encourages self-hatred and shame about something that cannot be changed or is dangerous to try (Utley and Darity134). Perpetuation this bias is present in schools, medicine, or areas of employment. Individuals with darker skin present deep self-esteem issues because of different treatment that is clear in day-to-day life. Through an interview conducted with a focus group about skin color and relationships, one interviewee spoke about her dark-skinned cousin: "during my cousin's puberty years her mother would take her to 100s of doctors for acne and to make her fair . . . it affected her psyche while growing up; she was told to apply turmeric and sandal on her face to make her grow lighter, fairness creams were such a rage, and actually, all the market products available were used on her. I saw her go through it . . . all of this was painful for her and she went through hell- it's crazy and unfair" (Mishra 747). These sentiments echo across many households as some individuals' emotions become deflated and discriminated against, affecting their mental perceptions. In addition, many interviewees discussed thoughts that were