Brown against brown: Pakistan's fairness complex

[Spring Onion]

The same psyche of mocking is being called racism.

If majority do so, that doesn't make it right. All are racists.

this is indeed NOT right but we all are racists one way or other

 

[PoKeMon]

this is indeed NOT right but we all are racists one way or other

Then take it as a jibe on ourselves - me and you included.

 

[Spring Onion]

That's what I am telling my friend @Providence.

In India and Pakistan, girls are victim of these racists. They are subtly forced to use measure to change their skin tone to have better chance in market of marriage and success.

Well in India these girls may be becoming fair skinned for success but here in Pakistan it is not for sake of success in profession but mostly girls want attention.

and i tell you one more thing in Pakistan in most of the arrange marriages girls are NOT rejected for skin color though mothers of bridegrooms do search for fair skinned gals

 

[PoKeMon]

That's a different matter.

Do you think I've not seen racism from some of your countrymen, some Pakistanis and especially all those Burmese in this forum?

I've seen the stereotype that all Bangladeshis are very 'dark-skinned', which shows their complete lack of knowledge and character.

I have never stereotyped this behavior to any specific nationality. Whe I said "5 ft kalia", let me tell you, I have seen this phrase against BDeshis a lot.

The fact that we all are victim of racism, that's why we feel offended when someone call us dark?

Why "dark" is an abuse?

Well in India these girls may be becoming fair skinned for success but here in Pakistan it is not for sake of success in profession but mostly girls want attention.

and i tell you one more thing in Pakistan in most of the arrange marriages girls are NOT rejected for skin color though mothers of bridegrooms do search for fair skinned gals

Ma'am, may be professional success is not something much sought by pakistani girls YET, and they are more busy with good husband hunting.

But in India, being fairer help you fly high in office, atleast makes your task easy. You know first impression and the weight of the word coming out of "white" mouth?

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

That's what I am telling my friend @Providence.

In India and Pakistan, girls are victim of these racists. They are subtly forced to use measure to change their skin tone to have better chance in market of marriage and success.

Well things like this happen all over the world in different ways. It isn't limited to men. If you heard my wife (who is Chinese) talk about stuff like this you'd be beyond shocked.

 

[PoKeMon]

Well things like this happen all over the world in different ways. It isn't limited to men. If you heard my wife (who is Chinese) talk about stuff like this you'd be beyond shocked.

Wives are always shocking irrespective of nationalities.

 

[Omega007]

The award of the most obsessed with whitening their skin does not go to the Pakistanis or Indians.......................it's the South East Asians, especially Vietnamese and Singapore girls (and the Japanese and Koreans to some extent) who take the cake.

 

[Providence]

That's what I am telling my friend @Providence.

In India and Pakistan, girls are victim of these racists. They are subtly forced to use measure to change their skin tone to have better chance in market of marriage and success.

@Peter C
SO those fcukers are racists. I can't comment on those societies but in general in not so racists countries, women buy skin whitening cream because they want a shade lighter then what they currently are.

It is something to do with ideal self and actual self. There is difference. One is about the "desirable" and another "desired"

Desirable is about how the world should be ( things like racism and stuff ) and another is what people want for themselves personally. ( usage of whitening creams )

There might be an overlap between whitening cream users and racists but the root cause is different.

 

[PoKeMon]

SO those fcukers are racists. I can't comment on those societies but in general in not so racists countries, women buy skin whitening cream because they want a shade lighter then what they currently are.

It is something to do with ideal self and actual self. There is difference. One is about the "desirable" and another "desired"

Desirable is about how the world should be ( things like racism and stuff ) and another is what people want for themselves personally. ( usage of whitening creams )

There might be an overlap between whitening cream users and racists but the root cause is different.

Some victimize others and some becomes victim of themselves.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Basically don't take it to extremes.

In Hong Kong you have some women who like to "tan" themselves EXCESSIVELY and I mean excessively. Then you have others who whiten excessively.

Both extremes are not good.

 

[ArsalanKhan21]

This phenomena of preferring fair skin is not isolated to South Asia. Near 45% population of Brazil is Black but if you watch Brazilian television and movies you will think that Brazil is as white as Sweden ! The Blacks and other darker races are rarely shown in shows or tele-novelas or dramas on TV or movies in Brazil.

 

[saadee]

People claim racism is a western phenomenon and that its roots sprouted there. However, we forget the subtle, latent racism that flies by every day in our own society. It has merely been overshadowed by Pakistan's other, bigger problems, like terrorism or corruption.

So, how does this subliminal racism show? The answer is simple and well-known; although it is sometimes evident in the attitudes of people towards one another, one key marker of it is reflected in the constant commercials advertising various 'fairness creams'. The main incentive shown in these ads for consumers is the promise of a fairer complexion, of beauty and lifelong partners. Here, the underlying takeaway message that we, Pakistani girls, keep getting bombarded with is that this product should be sitting amongst our everyday cosmetics.

I won't blame the makers or the salesmen. Not entirely.

I blame the mindset behind our perceptions of beauty, where, for some odd reason, despite our "brown" genes, grandmothers and other female relatives in particular struggle to understand that being "fair" is not and should not be the goal. And that being dark is not a flaw.

In a country where it is genetically common to have dark skin, the fact that people see that as a problem does not make sense.

It is quite ridiculous to see that even now, when aunties are out hunting for potential wives for their sons, the fairer one always captures their eye because in their mind that is beautiful. It makes you almost forget what century you're living in. Our society appears to have no qualms about being stuck in the past.

Back to the bewildering issue of genetically brown-skinned people having a problem with other brown-skinned people, where did this start from and why does this problem still exist? And most of all, why don't we criticise our society and the people around us for being party to this trend?

We could criticise the companies for creating these 'fairness creams' or blame the West all we want for introducing us to racist ideologies. We could even lambast the media for catering to and perpetuating this mindset. But a more honest effort would be to zero in on the problem where it is easier to fix – and that is ourselves.

We have let this disgusting notion run amok in our society; no one questioned this sickness or wondered out loud why we have a problem with our own skin colour. Rather, the popular use of skin-lightening products has only encouraged this unhealthy, archaic ideal.

Why are we not helping our people understand and see that we must fight off this thinking and make them see and understand what they are promoting and how damaging it is?

As a girl brought up in this society, I can safely say that this mindset which I would call a sickness has done irreparable damage to our thought processes.

It keeps pressuring women into thinking our skin colour is eventually the key to a better life. It has taught men that it is "fair" women who are more attractive. And it has taught society that such thinking is acceptable. But, it is not.

What it has really done is create, maintain and promote a false model of what is good in life itself.

Brown against brown: Pakistan's fairness complex - Blogs - DAWN.COM

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The idea suggested in above article is quite evident on this very forum where even in an anonymous environment, people take a jibe on others with racist remarks.

No wonder even in their own country such people will show their racism toward a majority of brown which according to the article is "genetically common".

Not everyone has genes from Arab.

Have you ever thought why there are too many tanning spas all over the western countries? They are not happy with their color either.

 

[PoKeMon]

Have you ever thought why there are too many tanning spas all over the western countries? They are not happy with their color either.

Bro, please read my all comments in this thread and you will find that my opinion is not biased.

Regarding tanning, thats not racism since tanned people dont see un-tanned as less human.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

This phenomena of preferring fair skin is not isolated to South Asia. Near 45% population of Brazil is Black but if you watch Brazilian television and movies you will think that Brazil is as white as Sweden ! The Blacks are other races are rarely shown in shows or tele-novelas or dramas on TV or movies.

The lack of black faces in the crowds shows Brazil is no true rainbow nation | Felipe Araujo | Comment is free | The Guardian

 

[saadee]

My nani once said this to me toop chay na khaid bera taar ja ay terra chai Dee Patti verga moon ho Jana teera

Bro, please read my all comments in this thread and you will find that my opinion is not biased.

Regarding tanning, thats not racism since tanned people dont see un-tanned as less human.

I swear I am not accusing you for being a racist.