The Fair and Handsome ploy

By Sanket ‘who thinks fairness creams are sick’ Kambli

An advertisement on FM radio 98.3 men shocked me. The ad spoke about how men need to have their own fairness cream. Yes! I am talking about the Men's Fairness cream. The fairness fetish is spilling over to the guy’s side. Already there have been blatantly persistent attempts to downgrade women of dark complexion. And now these over smart marketing noses are spilling this fairness fetish over the other side. But should we really blame the marketing executives who are just doing their jobs, when it runs in our culture that fair is beautiful, these guys are probably only making not so few bucks out of the inferior complexes that we have inherited from the society. Why is it that, many of us forget, that one can be beautiful even if one is dark, and unattractive even if one is fair. So why do we lay such a premium on fair skin. Still, many spend hours trying to lighten their skin and wishing that they had lighter skin, and thousands of rupees on products that claim to lighten our skin. More damaging than the time and money spent, is their inbuilt belief that they are in some manner inferior because they are not ‘fair’. For some, this complex dissipates as they grow older and wiser, discovering numerous abilities and talents, but unfortunately, others never seem to be able to let go this feeling of inadequacy. And it is not surprising that, when you take a look at any matrimonial ad, and the text will in all probability say ‘looking for a convent educated, fair, beautiful girl…,blah, blah.....Then why wouldn't a girl, or say, a guy, with dark skin will want to lighten it?