On Fairness Cream

I found it bemusing that Bipasha Basu's then boyfriend did an advert for fairness-cream. I found it bemusing that international brands are taking so much interest in the Indian fairness-cream market. The size of the Rs. 1100 Crore complexion-conscious Indian market is worth a thought. For all the talk about India making its mark on the global platform and all that, there are still some things that just haven't changed.
For one, our need to ape the west is so strong, that I am writing this weblog entry in English. And fairness generates a *huge* premium in the marriage market.
For another, we still think it's alright to hold an individual responsible for their height, complexion, family and other complex nuances that was no fault of theirs whatsoever.

I don't per se have a problem with people using fairness cream. Well, may be I do. The thing is, if something, even purely cosmetic, makes you feel better about yourself intrinsically (a la MJ), then you should do it. But if you're making hazardous, temporary cosmetic changes because said changes will improve your standing or value, in the perspective of others (a la Rakhi Sawant), then I have a huge problem. You can't fully blame people for wanting that though.

The crux of the problem, is the societal pressure on women (and now increasingly on men) to be gora. I don't get why it's so important for someone to be fair to have value in the marriage-market. What is all that hype about appearence being only skin-deep, and love being about the inner-person? All nonsense. You know the most ironic thing, though? In the western world, where gorapan is the norm, Indian women are lusted after because they are dusky. It's just that the latin americans and the Hispanics are proud of their color. We, as a culture, are not. And much as a lot of us would like to believe that we're moving away from giving importance to fairness, the Rs. 1100,00,00,000 (yes, nine zeroes. I could buy about twenty A380s with that much) will lead one to believe otherwise.

The vox populi view on fairness products can be divided broadly into four categories.

1) It's a good thing: This group believes that everyone must be fair, and that fairness products remove the divide that is caused between dark and fair. Firangbhakts.

2) It's wrong: This group strongly advocates that skintone is a non-issue, and that it is racially abusing yourself to use these products.

3) Well, what can we say: My group. Strongly opposed to the need to be fair, but recognizing that until such time that society stops giving it so much importance, it may be important for someone's self confidence to use these products.

Groups 2) & 3) often see the other as an infinite negative spiral.

4) It's okay for women: This is the most detestable, yet most common group: Why men, they ask. Their sexist justification that fairness is more a virtue for women doesn't fly with me. I don't get how it's okay for women to want to be fair, but not for men. I think they read too much M&B, where all the hunks are tall, dark, handsome.

Okay, so my point is, that the fairness cream market isn't as large as it is because people want to be fair, as much as it is because people want other people to be fair. The problem is that complexional profiling is accepted in India. The problem is that nobody sees the problem. The general public is okay with the notion that fair is better than dark.

I'm not trying to be preachy here. I'm just saying we're a great country and we'd be greater still if we had some subtle paradigm shifts on this front.