The Domination of Fair Skin:
Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
San Francisco State University
Department of Health Education
Culminating Experience
May 14, 2007
Savita Malik, MPH (c)
Picture Citation: www.english.people.com.cn/200505/12/images/c3.jpg modified by Ezekiel
Robles in Photoshop; Fair and Lovely containers
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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Table of Contents
Abstract
3
Introduction
4
Purpose of Study
5
Methods
5
Literature Review
Indian Historical Context
The Impact of Colonialism on Women
Internalized Racism, Classism and the Link to Colonialism
Whiteness and “Colorism” as a Theoretical Framework
7
7
9
10
13
Findings
The Media Ideal of Beauty
The Beauty Industry and the Economic Viability of “Fairness Creams”
The Physical, Emotional and Mental Health Aspects of Skin Lightening
14
14
16
17
Solutions
20
Author Reflections
22
References
24
Appendices
27
Picture Citation: Researcher’s hand modified in Photoshop
by Ezekiel Robles
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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Abstract
Skin whitening creams do big business among women of Indian decent and have serious
mental, physical and emotional health implications for those who use these products. Whiteness
theory and the color complex leading to studies of “colorism” provide a theoretical backdrop by
which to understand some of the root causes of the desire for fair skin. Study methodology
includes media analysis, a literature review with an examination of historical context and
interviews with key informants. The purpose of this study is three fold. First, the aim is to show
the impact of whiteness on Indian women who use skin lightening techniques. Second, this study
examines the negative impact of such techniques both mentally and physically constituting a
large public health issue within this population. Finally, this study explores ways of mitigating
the negative impact that advertising and the use of skin lightening techniques has on Indian
women in the hopes that the public health issue can be reduced.
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Introduction
According to a 2006 edition of Harper’s Magazine, the number of new skin-whitening
products that have been introduced to Asian and Pacific markets exceeds one-hundred and
eighty-nine since 2002 (“Events about Race”). L’Oreal recently signed a major Hindi film star,
Aishwariya Rai to be their South Asian spokesperson and while she is fair skinned, she promotes
skin bleaching creams because “everyone wants to experiment with skin color, hair, everything”
(Oprah, 2005). Skin whitening creams do big business in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan,
India and Malaysia and yet most have been proven to cause great physical harm to those who use
them (Jones, 2004). As authors Goon and Craven argue, “The subject of skin whitening is an
image” and this image has an economic end. Lightening creams account for 40% of all beauty
products sold in India (Goon and Craven, 2003).
Skin whitening practices are rooted in historical and colonial contexts and are gender
nuanced (Goon and Craven, 2003) The skin whitening creams themselves lead to severe physical
deformities (from ingredients such as mercury and hydroquinone which are known to burn skin)
to feelings of inadequacy if one’s natural skin tone is perceived as “dark” (Saifee, 2005). In
addition to physical health consequences, the desire for “whiteness” has major psychosocial
implications including lower self-confidence levels as well as perceptions of inferiority among
Indian women (Saifee, 2005; “India Debates” 2007). The embedded desire for fair skin plays out
among the Indian community in the form of a color bias, which prizes lighter skin over darker
skin. Sonali Johnson, in the Journal of Health Management says that “India's historical
preoccupation with fair skin is in fact racism and sexism expressed through various cultural and
historical mediums and reinforced by the contemporary beauty industry (2002).” This color
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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discrepancy, which is perpetuated through advertising and the widespread availability of
whitening creams, has received much attention from women’s rights groups in India as well as
the rest of the world. This phenomenon is not simply limited to Indian women; many cultures
experience some form of colorism in their daily lives (Jones, 2004). This study limits itself to
Indian women as the researcher herself identifies strongly with roots in India and the struggles of
trying to find place in the United States which is still dominated by a white majority.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is three fold. First, the aim is to show the impact of whiteness
on Indian women who use skin lightening techniques. Second, this study examines the negative
impact of such techniques both mentally and physically constituting a large public health issue
within this population. Finally, this study explores ways of mitigating the negative impact that
advertising and the use of skin lightening techniques has on Indian women in the hopes that the
public health issue consequences.
Key Questions include:
1) What are some reasons why Indian culture favors fair skin over dark skin?
2) What are the effects of internalized racism, colonialism and class difference on the
perceptions of Indian women in relation to dark skin tone?
3) What are some of the gender specific standards that dictate beauty as a fair skin ideal and what
are ways to combat those standards?
Methods
The methods used to conduct this study include a literature review; an examination of the
historical context that places idealizes a fair skin tone, an analysis of the impact of media and
three key informant interviews with practitioners in various aspects of work with Indian women.
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Literature Review and Historical Context
Current literature on skin whitening primarily deals with the direct physical health
impacts of the creams on skin. Very little research has been done specific to the Indian and
Indian American experience with such practices and thus cross cultural connections were made
to highlight the extent of the problem. Literature reviewed included journal articles, theoretical
papers on whiteness and colorism as well as newspaper and magazine articles that documented
the current struggles of women’s groups against these products. In addition, India’s rich history
and propensity for colonist invasion played an important role in shaping the images of women
today. For this reason, the historical significance of the rule by the British specifically, is
incorporated into this study of literature and media.
Media Analysis
An analysis of the media helped to shape the external factors that dictate standards of
beauty. Print resources, video clips and magazine advertisements lent insight into the images that
women get on a daily basis. Matrimonial advertisements were also included in this section as
marriage is still seen by heterosexual Indian families as a key indicator of status and privilege for
women. The experience of bloggers on specific websites, also add a personal perspective to the
issue of skin whitening.
Key Informants
Key informants lent credibility and insight into the experiences of Indian women. As
Indian women themselves, they brought a personal aspect to the study as well as a professional
understanding of larger portions of Indian populations. The significant dearth of information
made the interviews with these three women crucial in depicting a more human side to a
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theoretical frame. Interviews were conducted by telephone and by email over the span of
approximately two months. The conversations were transcribed and condensed versions appear
as Appendices.
Literature Review
Indian Historical Context
History in India contains a myriad of influences from all over the world. From Alexander
the Great’s Greek roots to the Mughal empire and Aryan conquerors, Indian culture has a varied
past. While these cultural forces made lasting impacts on the people and the structures in India,
one of the most pronounced is British colonization. Parts of India were colonized by the
Portuguese, Dutch, French and Danish also. However, the 200 year rule by the British once trade
markets opened up, deeply affected Indian psyche (Dirks, 2004).
During the 19th century, British rule swept over the subcontinent. Leaders upheld
previous Mughal customs and traditions for the first part of their dominance over India. They
found that the early Brahman headed model of society (what is known today as the caste system)
as well as the Mughal ideals of land distribution and administration fell in line with a developing
British capitalist economy. However, in 1757, the East India Company captured Calcutta,
starting a wave of countrywide changes. Between 1757 and 1857, the Company absorbed
roughly 2/3 of the land mass of South Asia in a large scale imperialist expansion (Dirks, 2004)
European commerce and industry fueled economic ventures abroad and a more ethnocentric
vision of India began (Leonard, 1997).
In 1901, H.H. Risley commissioned an all India Census using caste as a primary
category. The British used this census to argue the importance of caste which became an
important method of classification. In Risley’s words, “The principle of Indian caste is to be
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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sought in the antipathy of the higher race for the lower, of the fair-skinned Aryan for the Black
Dravidian.” (Prashad, 2000) Fair skin color and race became a basis for caste difference and
religious differences were seen as supportive of the entire system. The Census was used to
determine where caste groups mobilized, to support the use of segregated land and quotas for
various non-Brahmin peoples and to control electoral representation, appointments to
government jobs as well as entry to educational institutions (Dirks, 2004).
One of the East India Company’s promises was to educate the “natives” of India.
Western literature was touted as superior to Eastern texts and English became the language of the
educated. The ideal was to create “a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in
taste, in opinion, in morals and in intellect.” Once India became a full fledged British colony in
1857, Indians attended British run schools and even held offices in the British Raj (which was
the colonial government in India) (Leonard, 1997).
While many Indians argue that life was good under the British Raj, racism and
discrimination against locals infiltrated all aspects of life. Indians remained at the “subaltern”
(subordinate) level in the British army and never promoted to the rank of captain. Entrance into
the British Indian administration (government level positions) required passing a test that was
only administered in England itself. At the beginning of the colonial period, only 12 of the
available 900 positions were held by Indians. The numbers did not improve even as the
availability of positions increased to almost 2000 (Liddle & Joshi, 1985, Leonard, 1997).
There was little investment in India’s infrastructure, no push toward industrialization for
the rural areas and the welfare of the Indian people seemed secondary. British money appeared in
the economy when costs were low and returns on investments were immediate. The British built
roads, railroads and irrigation canals, but left many of the larger public health issues such as
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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sanitation systems or public works unchanged. The government supported only a few schools
and the majority of the educated population went to missionary or Indian educator run
institutions. The national language became English and people began feeling that British services
surpassed Indian run ones (Chakravarty, 1989; Leonard, 1997). The legacy of colonialism
perpetuated a national identity of subordinate Indians which still today expresses itself through
images of “whiteness” as superior to “darkness (Chakravarty, 1989).”
The impact of colonialism on women
The colonial legacy in India directly shapes the way in which Indian women see
themselves in a global economy. While the appearances of the British government seemed liberal
in scope, women were oppressed under their rule in several ways (Liddle and Joshi, 1985). Prior
to independence, female representation in Parliament was less than 1%. Albeit slow progress, by
1996, representation increased to almost 7% in the legislative body (United Nations Economic
and Social Commission on Asia and the Pacific, n.d.). Aside from the political realm, women
during the time of the British Raj were subjected to imperialist British law that restricted their
freedoms and rights in the marital home. Reinstatement of conjugal rights allowed a man to sue a
woman for failing to fulfill her “sexual obligations” in the marriage. Women, who did not
consummate their marriages, were sent back to their parents, giving them a way out of an
unhappy marriage. The influence of the British put the power and control over women back in
the hands of their husbands, giving them legal recourse against their wives and perpetuating
patriarchal structures (Liddle and Joshi, 1985).
In addition, the argument that the colonizers were mostly men had drastic impacts on
women. The British Army in India provided Indian prostitutes for the white soldiers in their
military ranks. Women were subjected to invasive medical exams, registration and were given
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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accommodations so that they could “service the soldiers.” The rights of the women were not
accounted for and there were several messages sent from one army general to another when
sexually transmitted diseases were contracted that the soldiers were “victims of the Indian
prostitutes.” Repeatedly, women became victimized and objectified under the British Rule. As
authors Liddle and Joshi state, “The impact of foreign domination is an important factor in
women’s subordination, both historically and in the present (18)” Institutions of colonization rely
on access to resources, mobilization, political power and subjugation of indigenous women,
which are all historically male-dominated structures. Shailushi Baxi-Richie, a non-profit writing
consultant and activist notes, “Women have been seen as a commodity that have been traded by
men. Wives and daughters have been a currency traded between men. If you are a light-skinned
woman, you are more likely to attract more power or money in a man (personal communication,
April 20, 2007).” Indian women therefore, experienced a greater oppression through the British
rule than men, and are dealing with the long term implications of their objectification (Kanuha,
2004).
Internalized racism, classism and the link to colonialism
Fair skin within Indian society is linked to class and privilege. Fairer skinned people
(namely the British upper class) were not exposed to the sweltering Indian summer heat. The
redevelopment of class barriers by the British called attention to social privilege, access to and
exclusion from resources and opportunities deeming the lighter complexion to be the dominant
force. Class and skin tone therefore have played a vital role in the organization of economic,
political and social power (Dirks, 2004). Skin color also affects women more than men. The
affects of skin color in terms of beauty appear to be stronger for females than males, regardless
of racial or cultural background (Sahay and Prian, 1997; Badruddoja, 2005). In addition, the
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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model for female beauty is often based on a “white woman” model. The lighter skinned woman
is thought to be more beautiful (Badruddoja, 2005).
Internalized racism within Indian society shows strong links with the notion of a color
complex. Among African-American populations, the color complex refers to lighter skinned
Blacks rejecting Blacks who are darker (Russell, Wilson & Hall, 1992). This complex reveals
itself in a variety of situations from work environments to social situations. This phenomenon
within the Indian community dates back to agrarian society when Indigenous people could erase
the stigma of dark skin by marrying their colonizers (Goon and Craven, 2003; Jones, 2004). The
intermarriage increased the social status and class standing of darker skinned individuals leading
to a gain of privilege (Kanhua, 2004).
As Vanessa Jones of the Boston Globe notes, “The color complex is the legacy of a
jumble of issues, colonialism, class, and a Hollywood culture that exports a white-skinned,
blond-haired ideal.” (2004). One very distinct example of the complex reveals itself through
matrimonial advertisements. The leading Indian newspapers as well as the ethnic weeklies in the
United States contain ads of people looking for mates. One perusal of a newspaper targeting
Indians living in the Untied States, India Abroad, explores the depth of the color lines that
influence relationships and ultimately marriage. Five advertisements on the front page have skin
color designations ranging from “wheatish” to “very fair.” Most of the ads on the following
pages mirror those found on the front page (2007).
The ads undoubtedly reflect a preference for light-colored skin and show the same trend
when looking at ads posted by men. In pulling up the front page of the advertisements in which
men are seeking a bride, the first ad that appears states the following requirements in a potential
mate: “Contact me for more details I am working in a Pharma company and looking for a girl
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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who is not only fair by face but also by thoughts (India Abroad, 2007).” Such advertising
depicts women as objects by which skin tone is the first way in which they are judged.
Self perception of fair skin affects confidence levels of Indian women. Roksana
Badruddoja, sociologist at Rutgers University, conducted a study in which she asked participants
to rate their ability to marry as a consequence of their skin tone. She found that the lighter the
skin tone or perceived skin tone of the individual, the higher their self-esteem and perception of
his or her marriage ability (2005). Smitha Radhakrishnan, a sociologist who studies women in
the upwardly mobile information technology sector of India concurs. She reveals,
….skin color is still one of the fundamental characteristics of woman, taken into
consideration before her education, professional status or personality. [One of her study
participants said] “When people are describing me, they would still say that ‘Neethy is of
wheatish complexion and a bit plump.’ Only after that might they mention, ‘she’s a project
manager with a masters’ degree.’” So, like race/racial distinction in the US and elsewhere, skin
color prejudices exist and probably still affect especially a woman’s life chances in important
ways (especially with regard to marriage) (personal communication, March 3, 2007).
In a study done among South Asian Canadian women, the desire to be lighter skinned
proved more prevalent among the darker skinned participants. In addition, participants with light
complexions had the highest level of body satisfaction (Sahay and Piran, 1997). Racism has
become a part of the Indian psyche. The reality is that an overwhelmingly brown nation looks
down on those that are dark skinned. Indian anthropologists say the preference is ancient, carved
into the culture by waves of light-skinned invaders, most recently the British that left natives
feeling inferior (McPhate, 2005). The levels of internalized racism filter down into the language
as well. The Hindi term for the British invaders is “gora” which literally translates to “white”.
Within India, the word “gora” is revered, expressed through song and film as interchangeable
with the word for beauty.
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Whiteness and “Colorism” as a Theoretical Framework
Central to whiteness theory is the idea that racial categories exist and “shape the lives of
people differently within existing inequalities of power and wealth.” (Giroux, 1997) Theorists
argue that whiteness is not a biological classification but a social construction which provides
material and symbolic privilege to whites and those who pass as white (Thompson, 2001).
Whiteness functions as a marker of power and privilege which in turn, dictates the realities of
racial experience for people of color (Warren, 2003). Waves of lighter skinned conquerors have
reset the standard for attractiveness and as a result, white privilege has benefited the dominant
populations at both a physical and psychological level (Fuller, 2006). Examples of this include
conceptions of beauty or intelligence that are both tied to whiteness or fair skin and also
explicitly exclude brownness or blackness (Thompson, 2001).
Taking the whiteness theory one step further, many Indians in America find the “white is
right” attitude prevalent during crucial years. Bandana Purkayastha, Associate Professor at the
University of Connecticut, conducted a study on how Indian Americans negotiate their ethnicity
in the United States. She notes that while many of her participants see an increase in darker
skinned models and media images, they still experienced a feeling of being outside the white
normative framework (Purkaystha, 2005). Several participants mentioned that they spent
considerable time trying to “clean their faces” to become a lighter shade (33). For women
specifically, the desire to be “white” flows into their relationships with other people of color as
well as the white majority. Study trends included feelings of racism and being an outsider, not
fitting into existing racial categories and feelings of racial marginalization as a result
(Purkaystha, 2005). The face of color tends to stand out when contrasted with a face that has a
marked absence of color (Warren, 2003).
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During a 2003 presentation at Stanford University, Jennifer Hochschild, a Harvard
professor, made the claim that skin color, rather than race, may be a better indicator of status in
the United States. “Across races,” she said, “the darker a person’s skin color, the lower he or is
likely to be on any scale of what ever is broadly perceived to be desirable in the United States.”
(Assisi, 2004). People are treated according to their skin tone; a field which is becoming known
as colorism. Colorism was largely imposed on people of color by white colonists, but has
become internalized within communities as well (Agayamitra, 2006).This tendency to behave
toward members of a racial group based on the shade or tone of their skin has emotional and
social implications.
Spike Lee’s film, School Daze, explicitly depicts the struggle between light-skinned girls
and dark-skinned girls. One memorable scene shows the two groups facing off, calling each
other “tar baby” and “wanna-be white (1988).” The images in the media depict a color complex
that crosses cultural boundaries causing a widespread global phenomenon (Purkaystha, 2005;
Agayamitra, 2006). Within Indian communities, the major female actors in Bollywood (the film
industry in India), for the most part, are not representative of the average Indian woman.
Aishwariya Rai, Kareena Kapoor and Preity Zinta, some of the biggest names in the industry
today have extremely fair skin and two out of the three have naturally blue-green eyes (McPhate,
2005). The implication is that fair skin and light eyes are the representatives of women in India,
when the majority of the population both in India and abroad, do not share these characteristics.
Findings
The media ideal of beauty
In early 2006, Hindustan Lever Limited, the parent company which produces the popular
skin lightening cream Fair and Lovely, produced a series of television advertisements targeting
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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dark skinned women. One of the most notable (and thus controversial) depicts a dark skinned
woman and her father. The father complains to his wife in Hindi “Kash hame ek beta hota.”
Which roughly translates to “Wish we had a son” The daughter overhears this, uses the skin
lightening cream and the final sequences show her landing a good paying job as an air hostess
and treating her parents to a cup of coffee (Ray, 2003; Lestikow, 2003).
This is one of many advertisements that further perpetuate both a sexist and colorist view
of the way women should be. Goon and Craven argue that, “Whiteness is being sold as a
cosmetic product, an ‘effect’ you can buy and put on” (2003). The advertising industry makes
large amounts of money that cater directly to darker skinned women with the assumption that
creams will improve their class status. One recent study of magazine advertisements in four
countries, including India show that the depiction of women focuses on gender roles and beauty
ideals. The study looked at ads from July 2000 to January of 2002 indicated that even in the
recent past, women are still being subjected to a Eurocentric ideal of beauty and was true across
all four countries studied (Mayorova and Kwan, 2003).
References to matrimonial advertisements above also depict a patriarchal view of women
with an emphasis on skin tone and desired education of the potential mate. Below are two
examples of men seeking women from a popular internet matchmaking website.
Example 1: I am a TV journalist and working in no.1 news channel of India. I want to be
the most dynamic and popular news anchor of India. I want to earn a lot of money in my life
through my occupation. My wife must be very fair and beautiful, who can understand and
respect my feelings.
Example 2: I am good and docile in nature. I am basically from very good and well
settled Family with sufficing growth. I got three elder sisters and they got married and one elder
brother. I am a software professional and getting exceptional package. Basically I am looking for
a Girl who looks Fair and beautiful and educated in her professional (India Abroad, 2007)
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The demands placed on women via internet perpetuate the notion that in order to be
marriage material, you must be fair skinned. The adjective “fair” still precedes the qualifications
and education of a woman, further objectifying her (Lestikow, 2003, India Abroad, 2007).
The beauty industry and the economic viability of “fairness creams”
Skin lightening creams do big business both in India and abroad. Creams run between Rs.
32 for a smaller tube and Rs. 70 for a larger one, which equates to between $0.75 and $1.75,
making the creams extremely accessible for most Indians. Between 1998 and 2000, the number
of new fairness cream brands has quadrupled and the market among those who buy these
products has almost tripled in size (Sinha, 2000). The whitening cream Fair and Lovely claims to
possess a customer base of 27 million Indians who consistently use their products (Karnani,
2007). The focus on Fair and Lovely comes from the domination it has over the whitening
cream market. It was launched in 1978 and still holds between 50 and 70% of the skin whitening
market in India. Large multinational firms such as L’Oreal and Revlon recently entered the
market, yet Hindustan Lever Limited, a subsidiary of the parent company, Unilever, maintains
their command both nationally and internationally (Karnani, 2007).
Hindustan Lever Limited is India’s largest company delivering personal products to
consumers and has the largest advertising budget at $29 million annually. It is important to note
the double standard for advertising in India and in the western world. The societal norm that fair
skin is coveted, allows companies such as Unilever to unabashedly promote such creams in all
facets of the media. It also gives license for other companies, Godrej Consumer Products for one
to take the stance that “It’s the people who decide what is more beautiful [fair skin or dark skin].
If a particular consumer believes that fair ad blemish-free skin will make her more beautiful, our
FairGlow would help her get it (Challapalli, 2002).”
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Interestingly, Unilever internationally owns the Dove brand, which recently launched its
Campaign for Real Beauty in European and United States Markets (Campaign for Real Beauty,
2006).This campaign plays into a market that is beginning to reject media ideals of beauty and
even has scientific studies about how women see themselves in ten different countries around the
world (Etcoff et. al, 2004). The dichotomy in how particular brands are marketed ultimately
comes down to the amount of money the multinational corporation can make (Sinha, 2000;
Karnani, 2007). Economically, fairness creams are marketed to the Indian community because
they create a profit of almost a quarter of a million dollars per year in India alone and gives
Unilever a 53% of the fairness cream industry (Challapalli, 2002).
The physical, emotional and mental health aspects of skin lightening
Many skin lightening creams have devastating physical health repercussions. Skin
whitening products work in various ways. Some use acid to remove older, darker skin to reveal
lighter skin underneath. Others inhibit melanin production; the chemical that produces the color
in skin tone and contain mulberry extract, kojic acid, arbutin and hydroquinone (Fuller, 2006).
Most popular bleaching creams contain 4% hydroquinone, a chemical also used in photoprocessing and rubber production that can take off the entire outer layer of the skin. Creams with
these chemicals have been shown to cause itching, burning and blistering also, eventually
leading to darker skin patches where the creams were administered (Abaas, 2006). There is also
some evidence that the long term effects of such creams may cause skin disorders from simple
irritation to skin cancer (Dussault, 2006). Cosmetic creams containing hydroquinone have been
banned in both the United Kingdom and the United States and the FDA hopes to ban the
remainder of the skin bleaching creams (Sinha, 2000).
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Unilever’s Fair and Lovely creams do not claim to use the chemicals listed above,
however, this claim leads to some doubt as to the efficacy of the cream. Dermatologists at the All
India Institute of Medical Sciences question whether the creams actually change the color of
skin. The discrepancy exists in that creams without the harmful substances, do not cause skin to
stop the production of melanin (Sinha, 2000). The implication is that either Fair and Lovely is
using one of the aforementioned chemicals, or the cream is completely ineffective and Unilever
is making huge profits from selling a cream to dark skinned women that proves to be a hoax.
Whitening creams pose a greater risk in countries such as India where there are no central
regulations of the industry. Fair and Lovely along with other creams, soaps and lotions are often
sold in corner drug stores, markets and administered by beauticians. This trend extends into the
Western world as well. An informal analysis of Indian stores in California yielded a 100%
availability of Fair and Lovely creams for purchase over the counter. Such creams are not
considered pharmaceutical products in India or abroad and are therefore not subject to testing
and regulations, making the long-term effects of these products largely unknown (Karnani,
2007).
Mental and emotional health effects appear better documented. Arun Adhikari, executive
director for personal products at Hindustan Lever, said “Historically Fair & Lovely's thoroughly
researched advertising depicted a before and after effect". In reference to the current television
advertisements, Adhikari notes, "[We] show a negative and positive situation. We are not
glorifying the negative but we show how the product can lead to a transformation, with romance
and a husband the pay-off" (Luce and Merchant, 2003). Their website boasts the slogan
“Guaranteed fairness, guaranteed fame (HLL, 2007).” Hindustan Lever's research says 90 per
cent of Indian women want to use whiteners because it is "aspirational, like losing weight". A
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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fair skin is, like education, regarded as a social and economic step up (Luce and Merchant,
2003).
These types of messages, especially when aimed at young women who are already
subjugated in Indian society have a marked negative impact on their emotional health. Fair and
Lovely’s advertising campaigns are racist and perpetuate the notion that fairness is equivalent to
beauty (“India Debates”, 2007). Recent research indicates that the target audience for Fair and
Lovely is predominantly women between the ages of 18 and 35 years old and further evidence
that school girls in the 12 to 14 year age groups widely use fairness creams (Karnani, 2007).
Negative media images have a profound impact on the way young Indian women identify
themselves (Dagar, 2004). Smitha Radhakrishnan reiterates the double standard between men
and women which also plays a role in the emotional development of women.
There is a double standard in the sense that beauty is considered to be much more
important in defining women, as opposed to men. If a man is dark, this can be easily
compensated by other characteristics, such as coming from a good family, having a good job, or
having a pleasant nature. If a woman is dark, however, this is less easily compensated for, and in
the “marriage market,” it will make her a less desirable “product.”
Shailushi Baxi-Richie explains how the advertising of fairness creams has the potential to
diminish self-esteem and is negative in the relentless pursuit of an ideal that is unreachable.
The more women focus on things like beauty and attracting men, the more we are
distracted from the things that are truly important. The less they can focus on things like sexual
harassment, honor killings; the real dangers to Indian women.
Given the questionable outcomes of the use of fairness creams as well as the mental and
psychosocial implications on women and young girls, such products require strict regulations as
well as more research into the long term health effects. In addition, corporations need to be held
accountable for the images they portray, be them sexist or colorist and the social ramifications
explore in more depth.
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
Malik 20
Solutions
Pressure from local women’s groups has targeted the advertising industry in hopes of
putting a stop to skin lightening commercials. In March and April of 2002, the All India
Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) filed formal complaints to Hindustan Lever
demanding they remove the “air hostess” ad, shortly after the campaign was launched throughout
India (Leistikow, 2003). The Association, after receiving no response from Hindustan Lever,
went a step further and appealed to the Human Right’s Commission which turned over the
complaints to the Ministry of Information (Leistikow, 2003; All India Democratic Women’s
Association, 2002). When discussing the ad campaign, Brenda Karat of AIDWA says, “In fact,
it’s a highly racist campaign which equates fairness with beauty….we believe it is demeaning to
women and it should be taken off the air (Ray, 2003).” The advertisement went into Parliament
and was debated in committees. Rita Verma, from the dominant ruling party in India at the time,
feels that there needs to be stricter monitoring of all television advertisement (Ray, 2003). The
pressure from the government forced the company to pull its ads from the air; a small albeit
important victory for the women’s movement.
Organizations in India such as the Centre for Social Research and the Network of Women
in Media, India also influence the ways in which Indian women are viewed and treated. The
Centre for social research conducts a Gender Training Institute where they work to dispel myths
about gender as a limiting factor and target the media as a negative force for women (Center for
Social Research, n.d.). In addition, the Delhi-based Center for Advocacy and Research, an
organization which monitors media accused the industry in general of "unfair trade practices"
and "using a social stigma to sell their products." (Leistikow, 2003). In the summer of 2004, an
organization known as SAFMA held a conference in Nepal specifically around Gender and the
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
Malik 21
Media in South Asia. Forums and sessions were held dealing with the media as seen by
Pakistani, Nepali and Indian people as well as reports of work done to combat stereotypical
media portrayal of women (Dagar, 2004).
The Indian and Western media, both online and print sources are also countering with
discussions and articles about the advertising. The Times of India online ran an article in 2003
declaring that “Dusky is lovely” discussing the need for the fashion industry to look toward
darker skinned women as beautiful also (Nair, 2003). Online blogs also recently became a
popular medium for expressing views on gender, colorism and the responsibility of corporations
for the products they are selling. One blog, titled Sepia Mutiny, makes comments about the
marketing of “Fair and Handsome” creams for men and the difficulty women face in dealing
with the marketing industry. One blogger, Manish, even referenced Naomi Wolf, author of the
Beauty Myth, reiterating that many women’s magazines are funded by cosmetics companies and
are designed to make women insecure (Sepia Mutiny, 2005).
Along with Sepia Mutiny, the business community is also taking notice of unfair
advertising practices. Funny Business, a blog about business culture, debates the practices of
Unilever in the United States versus India. As previously mentioned, the company owns Dove,
whose “Campaign for Real Beauty” features women of all body types as beautiful going against
the portrayed media versions of beauty. The blogger writes that this double standard makes the
company look one way to Western audiences, and another way to Indian ones (Funny Business,
2007). The conversation about fair skin as an ideal is being challenged in a variety of forums.
In addition to print and online sources, there are several radio and documentary film clips
that are addressing this issue. The British Broadcasting Company aired a report on the struggle to
remove Fair and Lovely advertising from the television networks in 2003 during their Women’s
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
Malik 22
Hour programming (Ray, 2003). Deepak Leslie, created a 25 minute film devoted completely to
the issues surrounding fairness called “A Darker Side of Fair,” which has been screened widely
and won film festival awards (2004). In addition to the longer films, filmmaker Geeta Malik,
produced a shorter film called, “Not Fair, Still Lovely”, which looks at the perceptions of fair
skin among second generation Indian Americans in California (2007). Such media outlets fuel
the conversations about colorism and double standards for women and girls, allowing the issue to
reach a wider audience and hopefully, begin to shift away from the dominant paradigm towards a
more inclusive view of skin tone both within the Indian communities and externally between
races.
Author Reflections
From childhood, I have always been acutely aware of my brown skin. I grew up in a
predominantly white community in Colorado making my skin tone extremely apparent. As
ingrained as fair skin being the ideal for beauty is in Indian culture, my family always had a
more progressive outlook. Both my parents celebrated my dark skin (I am darker than my
siblings and both my parents) and even expressed outrage at the industry that was promoting skin
whitening creams. The impetus for this paper and look at the media’s role in perpetuating racist
and sexist stereotypes of women came from a conversation between the women in my family.
My mother, sister and I sat down after my mom saw Aishwariya Rai, a fair skinned, blue-eyed
actress in India advertising fairness creams in an Indian magazine. “How can a fair skinned
woman advertise a cream that she will never use?” my mother said indignantly. “It’s just
wrong.” This conversation grew into a short film created by my sister that will eventually
become a full-fledged documentary and this thesis paper, a look at the public health implications
of an industry that favors “whiteness” as a standard of beauty.
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
Malik 23
I must also say that writing this paper provoked a certain level of emotion within me. I
felt angered at the way internalized racism plagues our communities and fuels divisions among
Indians. I still hear comments from acquaintances like, “Gosh, she’d be so pretty if she weren’t
so dark,” and “I’m so glad I’m naturally fair.” These statements, often said nonchalantly, have a
deep impact on my own psyche. I find myself wondering how a people that has been so affected
by conquerors and fought so hard for its own levels of freedom can still subscribe to the ideal
that many of us could never achieve. It’s an issue that requires honest conversation about our
past, our perceptions of what it means to be “westernized” and the economy that we fuel in
purchasing skin lightening products. I found that taking a long hard look at the impact of the
media created a clearer picture of how women are objectified and denigrated by the patriarchal
dominance. I look much more critically at the images I am fed and hope that there is a way to
pass on this eye to the younger generations of Indian American girls. They should not have to
fight structures on two levels; both the external racism they feel being minority women in a
predominately white society as well as the internal racism perpetuated by older generations who
have the potential to draw the color lines within Indian communities. We cannot continue to
promote an ideal that is both unreasonable and demeaning to our ancestors.
Picture Citation:
http://www.vichy.com/gb/biwhite.
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
Malik 24
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The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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Appendices
Appendix A
Key Informant Interview Questions
28
Appendix B
Transcriptions of Key Informant Interviews
29
Appendix C
Website links to Online Media about Skin Lightening and
Organizations/Movements Against the Industry
36
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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Appendix A: Key Informant Questions
1. How is skin color viewed with the populations you work with? Do you have direct experience
with Indian women that favor fair skin over dark skin?
2. Do you think there’s a prejudice against darker skin color within the Indian community in
America? What do you think is behind this phenomenon?
3. What role do you think colonialism, racism and sexism have on the standards of beauty that
Indian women idealize?
4. How do you feel about skin lightening creams being marketed in India? What about brand
names like L’Oreal marketing to Indian women?
5. Do you feel that there is a double standard for skin color between men and women? Explain.
6. What do you see as some of the health impacts of skin lightening on Indian women? Do you
see health impacts on Indian men as well?
7. Do you feel that the attitude towards skin color is changing within the Indian community? If
so, in what ways? If not, what do you think would force a change in this belief system?
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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Appendix B: Transcriptions of Key Informant Interviews
Informant # 1: Shailushi Baxi-Ritchie, Non-Profit Consultant and Activist (SBR)
Informant # 2: Smitha Radhakrishnan, Sociologist working in gender and race in India. (SR)
Informant # 3: Geeta Malik, film director (GM)
1. How is skin color viewed with the populations you work with? Do you have direct
experience with Indian women that favor fair skin over dark skin?
SBR: Does no direct work with populations. Consultant with organizations; personal
perspective—white skin is a big deal in her family and in her caste/sub caste. Family is Brahmin,
Nagar Brahmin, closely related to Greeks; one of the traits that differentiate them from other
Gujus is really fair skin. Relates to how you are perceived; mother has really fair skin fairer than
her Caucasian husband.
SR: My work deals specifically with the “new” middle class in India—that is, highly educated,
upwardly mobile Indians working in high-end service industries like software. In this
population, I think there is a huge disconnect between what people say and what they do with
regard to skin color. One of the specific characteristics of this group is that they believe
themselves to be fundamentally progressive—they believe in merit-based advancement and
professionalism, but also in preserving the “essence” of Indian culture. So, whenever the topic
of skin color comes up with women, there is a presumption that such prejudices no longer matter,
that “educated” people have risen above this somehow, though they recognize that prejudices
against dark skin for women may persist among less enlightened groups. But, like many similar
beliefs among this group of people, such beliefs do not translate into most people’s realities.
One very astute woman I interviewed explained that skin color is still one of the fundamental
characteristics of a woman, taken into consideration before her education, professional status, or
personality. She said, “when people are describing me, they would still say that ‘Neethy is of
wheatish complexion and a bit plump.’ Only after that might they mention, ‘she’s a project
manager with a masters’ degree.’” So, like race/racial distinction in the US and elsewhere, skin
color prejudices exist and probably still affect especially a woman’s life chances in important
ways (especially with regard to marriage), but this reality is thought to be regressive, and is thus,
not recognized as a reality among educated upwardly mobile groups who do not wish to have
themselves thought of in that way. These constructs also vary according to community and
region, which is still hugely important, even among these highly educated groups. What is
considered a “normal” skin tone in a Tamilian community, for example, might be “too dark” or
even “ugly” in a Punjabi or Marwari community.
GM: I actually do work with a population who's conscious about their skin color--people who
want to be actors! Many South Asian women are hyper-aware of their skin color, and are always
taking steps to make sure they don't get darker than they already are.
I have direct experience with Indian women who prefer fair skin—many of my acquaintances are
always complaining about having dark skin, or who will point out a dark woman and say things
like, "she'd be so pretty if she wasn't so dark."
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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2. Do you think there’s a prejudice against darker skin color within the Indian community
in America? What do you think is behind this phenomenon?
SBR: More subtle prejudice; becomes a factor in the mix when girls are ready to get married.
Never experienced a comment about; angling around her skin color, much darker than her sisters.
Perception—not enough to be
Matrimonial ads—look at what runs in the India tribune. Grooms and grooms families seeking
educated, professional, slim and fair skinned.
Why? Related to money—people who are fair skinned are seen as people of leisure. People, who
work outdoors, are people who are dark. Fair skinned people have means to not work or to work
indoors. Arbitrary standard of beauty that cultures have chosen—communities that tend to range
from light to dark. Strong preference for African American women in that community that are
fair skinned. People decided that was attractive.
SR: There are very important ways in which light skin is equated with beauty in the Indian
American community. That is not to say that dark-skinned women cannot be defined as
beautiful, but in the cases that they are, people will say that she is beautiful despite her dark skin,
not because of it. This is especially critical for women, but I think it affects dark-skinned men
growing up the US as well, and I have witnessed that in my own family.
There are so many things behind this, not just a single thing. But I think the important thing to
consider here is to be careful not to equate skin color preferences in India with skin color
preferences among Indians in America. They are related, yes, but not the same. I would argue
that dark-skinned Indians in the US (both male and female) probably have it even worse in the
US than in India because (Caucasian) whiteness is still the standard of beauty in America, and
we are always implicitly being compared to that, in the same way that light-skinned African
Americans do better in the US than their dark-skinned counterparts. In the same way as some
light-skinned African-Americans have historically been in the position to “pass” as White, lightskinned Indians can also “pass” as Caucasian. The darker the skin gets, this is no longer
possible. Although fairness is still the standard of beauty in India, I don’t think it’s quite the
same as having Caucasian-ness be the standard. You don’t have to be very dark to be “dark” in
the US, but in India, depending on region, family, etc, I would say there are more shades in
which to imagine yourself as beautiful.
GM: Yes, I do think there's a prejudice against darker skin in the community here. You see it
even in the matrimonial ads these days, or on the dating websites, which I would assume are
aimed at people in our generation--Indian-Americans between 20 and 40. They have
categories for skin color on many of those sites. I think it's a carryover from the old prejudices
back in India itself--it's a deep-seated feeling that darker people are of lower castes or do more
menial jobs, while the fair and lovely ones are the higher-ups—office workers, people who don't
have to resort to manual labor for their wages.
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
Malik 31
3. What role do you think colonialism, racism and sexism have on the standards of beauty
that Indian women idealize?
SBR: Women have been seen as a commodity that have been traded by men. Wives as daughters
have been a currency traded between men. Having an attractive daughter is a way of power, of
exerting power. People in power say its important. If you are a light-skinned woman, you are
likely to be able to attract more power or money in a mate. Has to do with what is valued in a
culture and these things were set by men. Did women decide that large breasts and a small frame
are attractive? Sexism is a huge thing. The Indian culture is still very sexist. Women fought to
look like me to compete like
Colonialism and racism are wrapped up as one of the same as India has constantly been
occupied—especially with the British—if you were a light skinned Indian women; you may be
more likely to marry up with someone that has privilege. Fascinated to see how the skin
lightening is perceived in England among Indian and Pakistani people in Britain. Are Indians
trying to appeal to their oppressors? How about in the UK?
SR: This is a complicated question. Colonialism, racism, and sexism are very different things,
though they intersect in important ways. I’ll address this with regard to the specific example in
the next question.
GM: I think colonialism started it back in the day in India, but now it's become a general thing-the western ideals of beauty relate to not only skin color, but weight, hair type, eye color, all of
it. The west is still richer, and the ideal place to live is America, according to Indians. Racism
fits into that as well--again, darker people being thought of as lesser because of more exposure to
the sun, versus the kid-gloved upper class. Sexism is less of an issue, I think, because men are
also complaining that dark skin doesn't allow them to get ahead (there was a recent study done
here in America--MSN, maybe?--that actually said people in general with darker
skin--Mexicans, African-Americans, even Caucasians--have a harder time getting ahead).
The tough thing with arguing colonialism is that many Indians are indeed, naturally fair-skinned,
and may be that way due to Persian blood--Kashmiris, too, are very fair, and many north Indians
in general. This prejudice probably goes back a long, long way (Krishna's dark, but Radha is
fair, etc). Not sure where it all comes from.
4. How do you feel about skin lightening creams being marketed in India? What about
brand names like L’Oreal marketing to Indian women?
SBR: Torn about the issue of skin lightening. Idealist—that’s stupid. Another aspect of changing
your body; if it helps them feel good about themselves, then its in pursuit of some beauty ideal
that is arbitrarily set. Every woman has a right to pursue an ideal that she feels is important, but
torn about the arbitrary standards that don’t serve their interests and can actually be harmful.
There is a point at which it endangers women.
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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SR: It’s important not to jump to the conclusion that L’Oreal and other “global” cosmetic brands
are “importing” ideas about beauty to the gullible Indian masses. Fair skin for women has been
valued in India for many generations. I’m not even sure if it was strictly a “colonial” import
either because fair skin for women often marked privilege (not having to be outdoors to work)
and caste (not being born into a caste that has to work outdoors—this is a simplistic definition of
the caste meanings of skin color, but generally conveys the idea: higher castes stay indoors, do
not do manual labor). There is an historical issue at stake here and I am not an historian, so I
cannot say. I can say, however, that it would be a mistake to simplistically blame globalization
and brands like L’Oreal for making Indian women want lighter skin. I’m not saying L’Oreal is
not culpable in the way that global capital always is, but I am saying that there have been “local”
Indian brands of skin-lightening creams and other “fairness” products long before L’Oreal got
into India.
Marketing in India caters to class segregation. Brands like L’Oreal cater to an upwardly mobile
“global” middle-class who buy these brands to be global consumers. In Indian terms, these
cosmetics are prohibitively expensive, but they sell because using them indicates a participation
in a “global” set of meanings about beauty. The success of Miss India’s in international beauty
pageants was a huge validation of the “global” beauty of Indian women, and brands like L’Oreal
were the biggest beneficiaries of this kind of success. This is pretty well-documented and I
could probably dig up some sources for you if you’d like to investigate this angle more. There
are a host of other cosmetic brands, however, that cater to a much broader section of Indian
society. I have heard stories of desperately poor women without food purchasing a tube of
fairness cream (this is anecdotal, but I would suspect there’s some truth to it). I doubt such a
woman bought L’Oreal. Fairness creams of all sizes, brands, and qualities are available at every
corner store, especially in Indian metros. And even before commercial fairness creams, women
used herbal treatments, such as turmeric, to lighten skin and remove hair. The point is, value for
light skin is very deeply rooted in many aspects of Indian culture—it did not arrive all of a
sudden. This does not, of course, make it okay in any way. It does mean, however, that
addressing the issue in a meaningful way requires us to think much more deeply about the
construction of beauty as it works with class, caste, gender, and age. In India, as elsewhere,
these issues are extremely complex and globalization is just the latest chapter in this long history.
GM: I think it's sickening and wrong. I think companies like L'Oreal and Unilever are equally
wrong in doing this--regardless of where they are based, it's not a good thing. L'Oreal can't get
away with that here in America, but there's a market for them in India.
5. Do you feel that there is a double standard for skin color between men and women?
Explain.
SBR: Generally, there is a preference for lighter skin among both genders. The issue plays out so
much more extremely for women than for men. Women are unable to exercise control over their
situations, so things like, the standard is there across the board. Men don’t surfer the
consequences of not meeting the beauty ideals.
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
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SR: Yes and no. There is no double standard in the sense that I think that fairness is considered
beautiful across genders. In a matrimonial situation, if the groom is “fair and tall,” it means he is
good-looking in the same way that it would mean that for a bride. There is a double standard in
the sense that beauty is considered to be much more important in defining women, as opposed to
men. If a man is dark, this can be easily compensated by other characteristics, such as coming
from a good family, having a good job, or having a pleasant nature. If a woman is dark,
however, this is less easily compensated for, and in the “marriage market,” it will make her a less
desirable “product.”
Of course, all these things get jumbled up when you take the conventional system of arranged
marriage out of the picture. Increasingly, at least, among the group of upwardly-mobile folks
that I study, people are meeting their own mates, usually through work. This means more
intermarrying between caste and region, and may mean that things like skin color, that get a
“value” placed on them in the arranged-marriage system, become less relevant. For example, a
tall, fair guy with a great job, who might have been “arranged” to marry another tall, fair woman
from his same region and caste, may fall in love with a short, dark-skinned woman at work
who’s from another region, and force his parents to accept the match (I actually know two cases
of this exact situation). In this case, where’s the double-standard? Because two people meet and
learn to care for each other outside of a system that puts an absolute “value” on their looks, the
value of socially-sanctioned ideas of beauty diminishes (but that doesn’t mean the couple won’t
go through life without people wondering how the two of them ever got together!).
GM: Yes, but it's disappearing. I've heard from a lot of my guy friends, and even the fact that
Unilever is now making Fair and Handsome, means that men are becoming more conscious of
their skin as well. Even in matrimonials, same things for the guys--they now mention the guys'
complexions as well.
6. What do you see as some of the health impacts of skin lightening on Indian women? Do
you see health impacts on Indian men as well?
SBR: Chemical process can’t be healthy. At the minimum, serious skin reactions, major allergic
reactions and could die at the maximum. Everything has a certain amount of risk. There is a
pursuit of an ideal that is arbitrary and can actually endanger women, its infectious and its not
good in many ways. Individual women, potential negative low self esteem, relentless pursuit of
an ideal you cant reach. The more women focus on things like beauty and attracting men, the
more we are distracted from the things we are distracted from the things that are truly important.
The less they can focus on things like sexual harassment, honor killings and the real dangers to
Indian women. The stuff about dowry, that is really dangerous—the more there is a population
health issue. The more women as a whole they focus on superficial—more true in the United
States.
SR: Although I know that skin lightening is a massive industry in India, I don’t personally know
women who use skin lighteners regularly, so I can’t comment on this.
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
Malik 34
GM: I see more of an emotional impact, because I don't know exactly how dangerous the
physical impact is. I think it causes women to feel that they cannot possibly be attractive without
being light-skinned. I would think the same idea applies to men. Mentally, it works to make
people hate themselves and their backgrounds, and that shame is exactly what the big companies
want them to feel.
7. Do you feel that the attitude towards skin color is changing within the Indian
community? If so, in what ways? If not, what do you think would force a change in this
belief system?
SBR: Our generation of people raised in the U.S., young Indian professionals are not marrying
within their own communities. The standards don’t necessarily hold up. Selling point isn’t that
the skin is so fair in this country. The traditional barriers just don’t make sense any more in U.S.
where dark skin is more prized among Caucasians. As Indians become more visible—there is a
large diversity of skin tones—Parminder Nagra on ER is dark skinned. Kal Penn, fairly dark
skinned. More popular images that emerge of South Asians. Steer people more toward different
ideals about what is desirable.
In India, much more difficult thing to deal with. Tough with Bollywood—can pick the most
beautiful from a pick of 10 or 20 women. The media here is so small, that is a different story in
the U.S. Media really plays a role—the more you see reflections of yourself in the media, the
less. Take the focus off sex, beauty, reflect back the diversity, more people are comfortable with
that.
SR: Yes and no. In India, it is changing in the ways I mentioned in #5 (changing marital
practices amongst a certain class of people). Hard to say how widespread this is—it may not be
too widespread, since the people I work with are a tiny slice of the population, and even among
them, it’s not necessarily the experience of the majority. It’s just becoming more common.
In the US, I think in recent years (and this is full of contradictions too), there’s been a move
towards idealizing “global”-looking beauty. I think there has been a lot of hype about this in the
media in the past 10 years. So, beauty isn’t just blond and blue-eyed, but increasingly, beauty is
ascribed to people who look like they could be a number of ethnicities (i.e. Beyonce, Halle
Berry, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Naomi Campbell). Of course, no “dark-skinned” women in that
bunch, but these aren’t Gwyneth Patrons either. Denzel Washington is considered one of the
most attractive men alive and he’s not a light-skinned African American (not that dark either,
granted). The point is that I think the ideal of beauty in America is changing and becoming a bit
more inclusive (with regard to skin color, that is—body shape is a whole other thing). So, I do
hope that Indian-Americans growing up today will feel more like they can be beautiful in their
own skin, but this is of course an optimistic view, and requires effort on all of our parts. Think
of it as a best-case scenario (of course, if they stop lightening their skin and instead become
bulimic, I wouldn’t say that’s improvement, but one issue at a time, right?).
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
Malik 35
GM: I'm afraid it's only a small segment of the population who are truly disgusted by the practice
of prejudice against skin color. The artists, activists and scholars are aware, but the rest of the
population is simply regurgitating what they've heard all their lives from their parents and
relatives.
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
Malik 36
Appendix C: Website links to Online Media about Skin Lightening and
Organizations/Movements Against the Industry.
Blogs/Online Journals
Cerebration
Online Journal run from newly established online journal that strives to bridge the gap between
academia and non academic circles across cultures.
Run through the Caspersen School of graduate studies, Drew University
www.cerebration.org
Desi Journal
Online journal that reflects the everyday lives of modern Indians living in the Diaspora -- desis.
http://www.desijournal.com/
SAMAR (South Asian Magazine for Action and Reflection)
Online magazine/website with a South Asian focus based in the United States.
Sepia Mutiny
Blog about South Asian Issues
http://www.sepiamutiny.com/
South Asian Review
An academic journal of South Asian literary and cultural studies;
a publication of SALA (the South Asian Literature Association)
http://www.pitt.edu/~cscox/SARlink.html
Organizations
All India Democratic Women’s Association
http://www.aidwa.org/index.php
Center for Social Research
http://www.csrindia.org/d%20gti.htm
Network of Women in Media, India
http://www.nwmindia.org/Newsmakers/index_newsmakers.htm
SAWNET
http://www.sawnet.org/
South Asian Forum
http://www.southasianforum.org/
South Asian Media Net Conference Reports
http://www.southasianmedia.net/conference/Gender_and_Media/safma_workshop.htm
The Domination of Fair Skin: Skin Whitening, Indian Women and Public Health
Malik 37
Videos/Documentaries
A Darker Side of Fair
Produced/Directed by Deepak Leslie
http://www.der.org/films/a-darker-side-of-fair.html
Colorism Exposed
Produced by Chimene Davis and Bonnie Rutherford
http://www.originofrainbows.com/index.html
Not Fair, Still Lovely
Produced/Directed by Geeta Malik
http://www.current.tv/watch/13495984?s1=topVids&list=topVidsByAssignmentGroup&k1=1
Picture Citation: http://www.aidwa.org/