Mirror,mirror on the wall....

We all know what's the next part of that phrase. I wonder why Indians are so obsessed with the concept of fairness. So much so that any light jab at our brownish skin and that's it! The sky falls down! I remember once how actress Aishwarya Rai's skin tone had been lightened using Photoshop and used in a cover page for an international magazine. And all hell broke loose saying that she is famous enough NOT to have her skin tone lightened for the sake of Western acceptance. Ms.Rai also joined in the furore (which was propbably to humour her so-called passionate fans) and lodged a complaint against the magazne company.

 

 

Given the fact that she is an extremely intelligent woman behind that pretty face, I'm sure she wouldn't have lodged a complaint against the company on her own. It's really too silly a matter to over-react that way. Let's face it. Magazines and advertising companies play a lot with photoshop on just about any celebrity they choose. Even Beyonce was made to look like a caucasian once on a mag cover. Did she mind? Grow up,people!

 

By over reacting to such things,we are only serving the purpose of making it known to the world that we are ashamed of our skin colour. That is so bad. Indians have one of the best skin tones in the whole world...because of the genetic potpourri. We're a mix of Caucasian,Asian,African and even a bit of Mongol! A cocktail! The best of all worlds.

 

People in the west spend money and/or hours on the beach to get a 'tan'....to get rid of their milky white pale skin. And look at what we are doing. We have been naturally blessed with a permanently beautiful tan and we're hell bent on turning at least 2 shades fairer! Young boys and girls go to any extents to achieve that movie star look....you want proof? Just look up on the yearly sale of fairness products in India...or better still,just observe the number of fairness cream ads that come on TV. It's crazy!

 

And when we behave so idiotic, the west sits up and takes notice. They too took notice that Indian's have a distinct skin tone and that we're kinda bothered about it. Such observations end up in advertisement misadventures like Ashton Kutcher's latest offering which had to be taken off the airwaves owing to accusations of 'racism'! And did anybody notice that it was only the Indians who created an issue out of it? Though several other ethnicities were also imitated. Is that indicative of something?

 

I'd like to know what's the problem if an Indian man was imitated with a darker skin tone than the standard American. I don't see anything wrong in that. Read this rather intelligent retort on a news site in the comments section: "If we copy the Americans, it's 'Westernisation'...if they copy is, it's 'Racism'...how unfair! LOL"..... couldn't help but laugh! And these holier-than-thou accusers......I wonder if any one of them can come forth and boldly declare that they have never referred to a Westerner as a 'gora' or an Afro-American as a Negro. Duh! Think before you point fingers,people!

 

A humble request to fellow Indians....please don't make a fool of yourselves in front of the world.....you're making fools of the rest of us as well in the process.

 

Thanks.

Falak, Afreen...who is next? :'(

I can't remember when it was that I read about Baby Falak for the first time. All I remember was that when I did, it disturbed me for days on end. Coming from a community that hails, welcomes and celebrates the birth of a girl child, I just cannot comprehend why survival beyond the cradle is a matter of luck for many girl children around India. It is just a plaintive sight of the pathetic state that our society is in. And they say 'India is Shining'! What an irony!

 

 

A child is born into this world not on it's own accord...it is the result of a decision taken by two individuals. Being born as a male or a female is again not it's own prerogative. It is but sheer chance. And science proves that it is the father who is the deciding factor when it comes to sex of the baby (Ref: <<Most mammals have one pair of sex chromosomes in each cell. Males have one Y chromosome and one X chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes. In mammals, the Y chromosome contains a gene, SRY, which triggers embryonic development as a male.>> ~ Wikipedia ). A woman has absolutely no role to play in this aspect. Yet she is targeted and made to take all the blame for 'not producing a male child'! Excuse me....they're just not getting it,eh? That's the problem of the father of the child. As per current norms, it's he who deserves to be beaten and kicked for not being able to 'produce a male child'. x-(

 

 

 

And then came the sad case of Baby Afreen who was punched in the face :'( by her devil of a father for being born as a girl....when she was just 3 months old. The poor thing passed away after a short struggle. Such things pain and disturb me no end. It's my heart that bleeds every single time. When will all this stop? When will men realise the truth? Education is the key to everything. Most people behave this way out of their ignorance about the true facts. Education has to be made compulsory!

 

 

A child is a precious gift from God...whether it is male or female. No faith and no society says that one is superior over the other. If it does,it is wrong. And as sensible individuals, we should not follow it. Was it the child's fault that it became a girl? Or that it was even brought into existence?

 

Please do think about it. About what can be done to stop this inhuman practice. There are so many people out there who would do anything just to have a baby come into their barren lives. And then there's this ugly lot who kill them off!

 

Remember the famous tagline of the movie "Taare Zameen Par"......EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL.