COMPLEXION

COLOUR  FACTOR

Dr. T. Rama Prasad

                                                    "DARK IS LOVELY and FAIR IS ANAEMIC !"
                                                                                      --  T. Rama Prasad

                Whatever we say,  complexion seems to have its complexities as evidenced in the case of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis, killed by a white police officer.  It almost lead to a civil war in the US in June 2020 and is upsetting the prospects of the American President Donald Trump winning the second term.  The skin colour is an external and important factor in racial discrimination -- colourism.  It is an obsession -- white is desirable, black is bad -- why did we portray black is bad in our films like Dum Maro Dum, Raman Raghav 2.0, Kaminey and Saitan by showing drug paddlers as African nationals  ? 

         

The Caucasian view of the West that dark coloured people are inferior is rubbed on to India, though the history of Indian art reveals that Thota Vaikuntam painted the figures of women as beautiful dark complexioned characters.  India is full of charming shades of dark pigment -- let us be boastful of it.  It is the film industry and the cosmetics industry that is to be blamed for the psychosis of fair skin.

 For a very analytical article on this subject go to:  https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2020/jun/09/worshipping-white-in-america-and-india-2154037.html .

            It is surprising and staggering !  Firstly, as a research study has been done by researchers abroad (University of  California and University of Notre Dame) on the subject of complexion of Indians .. secondly, the study found that darker-skinned people in Delhi extended relatively stronger support to political (election) candidates having darker skin.  A dark-skinned candidate appears familiar to the dark-skinned voter when they think about choosing someone who will represent their interests  (Business Line, July 19, 2017 -- http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/columns/indian-elections-and-skin-colour/article9775950.ece ).

DARK IS ALSO BEAUTIFUL

            The complexion of most of us of Dravidian origin, in southern India, is on the darker side. WHAT IF ?    Nobody seems to be asking this question though it is often quoted that "BEAUTY IS SKIN-DEEP."   Dark skin is tacitly accepted as inferior. It is a deeply ingrained (not just skin-deep) idea promoted by films, ads in media and the Rs.3,695 crore market of 'FAIRNESS PRODUCTS', with messianic zeal, in India. 
           

The country is so wired to this hype that one is blind to the beauty of the common complexion here. Many of the dark-skinned people are more handsome than many with fair skin. Miss Angola 2011, Leila Lopes became the second black African woman and the fourth black woman in the world to win the Miss Universe title at the Miss Universe 2011 competition held at Sao Paulo in Brazil.  

SKIN  CANCER

            The good news for us is that dark skin helps protect against effects of the sunlight such as skin cancer and premature aging. Skin cancer is more prevalent in Caucasean people with light skin colour. In the Western countries, people take 'sun bath' (exposure to sunlight with minimal clothing) to make their 'pale anaemic' skin look a tad darker and beautiful..

HOW  FAIR ?  

            A look at the matrimonial ads indicates how imbalanced the mind is set on complexion. This 'fairness phenomenon' has pervaded into areas of jobs, promotions, professions, etc. It looks that everybody is "fair" in the jobs pertaining to public relations and hospitality in various fields like business establishments, hotels, planes and even in hospitals.

            The bias is evident from an odd comment by the US Vice-Consul, Maureen Chao who was reported to have uttered the words “DIRTY AND DARK TAMILS" on August 12, 2011 !!    Later, she expressed deep regret over her comment, and the American Consulate in Chennai termed the comment as “inappropriate” (TNIE, 14 August 2011).    Sometimes the dark racial discrimination peeps out of the white make-up !

            

FOOLING  THE  PUBLIC

         

What a wonderful world this would be if ‘WYSIWYG’ is applicable to the alluring ads in TV !  (‘WYSIWYG’ is an acronym in computer glossary for “What You See Is What You Get” which means that what you see on the computer screen is exactly how it will come out as a print on hard copy.)    Sure, it would be wonderful if our “dark hard copy” faces get transformed into “fair soft copy” faces, within three weeks of massaging the miracle creams, like the ones on the TV ad screen.

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has recently (2014) issued a new directive that advertising should not directly or implicitly show people with darker skin as having disadvantages.  The cosmetic conglomerate advertisements constantly remind the public that fair complexion is an important factor in the 'marriage market' and the job market.  The Rs. 3,695 crore (2014) “fairness”  Indian market and many global skin care firms which ride on the ‘fairness’ platform have started using words like “glowing skin”, “clarifying cream” and the like instead of “fairness”.  Following that quintessential Indian desire,  preference for fair skin has become such a deeply ingrained idea that it would take a long time of efforts to change the mindset. 

Despite the advertising "reforms", the market for the "fairness products" would continue to be a booming one, thanks to our gullibility. I shall write about the tricks of the trade later. This business will go on until an affirming and accepting culture on complexion sets in the society.

Blissfully ignorant of 'fairness business'.