Dark is Beautiful: Challenging Deep-Rooted Colourism

Kerala Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan’s response to a disparaging remark on her skin tone reignited discussions on deep-rooted colourism in India.

• Her post highlights the deep-rooted societal bias against dark skin, especially faced by women across India.

About Colourism

• Colourism refers to discrimination or prejudice based on skin tone.
  • It typically involves biases against people with darker skin tones. 
  • Colourism can be experienced both within communities and across different racial or ethnic groups.

Historical Roots of Colorism: How Darkness Was Made ‘Inferior’

• Colonial Subjugation: European colonizers imposed a racial hierarchy where dark skin symbolized inferiority, while light skin signified power.
• Caste & Class Reinforcement: In South Asia, Africa, and Latin America, fair skin became associated with elite status, while darker skin was tied to labor and lower castes.

Reasons for the Prevalence of Colorism In Today’s World

• Media Influence: Fair skin is portrayed as the ideal in films, ads, and popular culture, reinforcing societal preferences.
• Western Beauty Standards: Globalization has spread Western ideals, favoring fair skin as a symbol of beauty and success.
• Economic Factors: The lucrative skin-lightening product market reflects societal demand for fair skin, tied to better opportunities.
• Media and Matrimonial Ads: The preference for fair skin is pervasive in Indian cinema and matrimonial advertisements, reinforcing beauty as linked to fairness.
• Caste and Regional Dynamics: In some cultures, lighter skin is linked to higher caste status, deepening color-based discrimination.
• Psychological Conditioning: Internalized colorism leads to self-esteem issues and societal pressures to conform to lighter skin standards.
• Historical Narratives: Literature and art have long idealized fair skin, reinforcing the bias against darker tones.

Consequences of Colorism

• Low Self-Esteem: Dark-skinned individuals may suffer from poor body image and self-worth due to societal preference for lighter skin.
• Mental Health Issues: Feelings of inferiority, anxiety, and depression can arise from enduring color-based discrimination.
• Generational Cycles of Trauma: Parents who face colorism may unconsciously pass biases to children.
  • Example: A mother discouraging her daughter from playing outside to avoid tanning.
• Marginalization: Darker-skinned people often face social exclusion and are treated as inferior in various aspects of life, such as in relationships, social status, and work environments.
  • Example: A study in the United States has found that dark-skinned Black men are more likely to be wrongfully convicted.
• Market Exploitation: The skin-lightening product industry, worth billions, thrives on colorist ideals, perpetuating the notion that fair skin is more valuable.
• Unequal Access to Resources: The preference for lighter skin in marriage markets and professional settings often means darker-skinned individuals face disadvantages, limiting their opportunities.
  • Example: Studies show lighter-skinned people are more likely to be hired, promoted, and paid higher salaries.
• Normalization of Bias: The constant portrayal of fair skin as the standard of beauty shapes societal norms and perpetuates bias.
  • Example: Media often portrays fair-skinned individuals in lead roles, while darker-skinned individuals are marginalized or cast in negative roles.
• Intersection with Caste: In countries like India, colorism is often intertwined with caste discrimination, where lighter skin is associated with higher social status and caste, deepening societal divides.

Way Forward For Combating Colorism 

• Education & Awareness: Integrating lessons on diversity and inclusion in schools can help young people recognize and challenge biases early.
  • Example: Adding a chapter on colorism to school curricula (e.g., teaching its ties to slavery, caste, and colonialism).
    • Training teachers to recognize and address colorist bullying.
    • Introduce books/toys featuring dark-skinned protagonists.
• Media Representation: Diverse representation in films, advertisements, and fashion helps challenge conventional beauty standards.
• Empowerment: Social media movements #DarkIsBeautiful (India), #BlackIsBeautiful (global), #UnfairAndLovely (Pakistan/US) encourages people to embrace their natural skin tone and share stories of empowerment.
• Push for Workplace Equity: Example: There is a need to advocate for blind hiring practices, where candidates are evaluated based on skills and qualifications, not physical appearance, to reduce bias and promote diversity.
• Cultural Change: Encouraging society to rethink traditional beauty standards can shift perceptions about skin tone.
  • Example: Dark Is Beautiful is an advocacy campaign that exists to fight against colourism and help people regain their self-worth through workshops and events. challenge the narrative that fair skin is the ideal.
    

Conclusion

The embrace of ‘black identity’ challenges entrenched beauty standards and aligns with global movements, urging a shift from colorism to a celebration of diversity. This act of resistance promotes a broader societal change towards equality and inclusivity.