Somewhere between groggy sleep and consciousness of those annoying sounds you can always hear right before you fall asleep, my phone started buzzing with that wretched bright white light I so hate. A hazy unknown number stared back at me. The text was a Sher, or more like the PJ Shers. It read:
“Tumhe yun sajta sawarta dekh bola tumhara aaina;
Tumhe yun sajta sawarta dekh bola tumhara aaina,
This fairness cream is made in china!”
I did not know what to do about it. I mean c’mon:
A) This person, whoever it was, thought it was funny.
B) This person, whoever it was, thought I would find it Funny.
C) This person was clearly a friend of mine.
That was a disturbing thought. So what if I have a dark skin, should I really “take it easy” and laugh with these clearly racist ideas or should I Finally stop being so resilient and question this mentality. Indian racism is so deep rooted in the society that one can’t even sense it!
I’ve encountered a million “concerned” friends/relatives/relatives of friends who Assume my skin colour is a monumental problem in my life and that they MUST aid me with possible “solutions” for the same. From suggestions for home “remedies” to fairness creams, these most wonderful people have pitied me in every wonderful way of theirs possible. What is the need for pity, I ask? How hard is it to comprehend that a person can be dark skinned and extremely satisfied with it?
I would really like to know who came up with this brilliant idea of fairness creams and moreover who went ahead and advertised them in such Wrong ways. I would definitely give them a piece of my mind.
Anyhow, I replied to my texter buddy asking them who it was.
My phone buzzed again. “Well wisher ji”
I gave up.
