I am still waiting for the rain to come my way. I wouldn't mind if this rain is in terms of showers of luck if it is not to be in terms of showers of water. At the moment both ends seem pretty dry and barren. But I have hope inshaAllah and firm belief that it will come some day soon.
PLoS has a good piece of correspondence in this issue that talks about the obsession of the South Asians with fair skin. The authors tell us that
I think they are right on target in telling us that a crave for fairness has its roots in our colonial past. We have not been able to shed this obsession with colour. But if you look at it the whole world is involved in this obsession in one way or the other. If we want our women to be fair and white as milk the westerners would like them to acquire a darker complexion. The cosmetic industry is playing a vital role in spreading these images of women the world over. As has been asserted by the writers,
The letter can be read here.
PLoS has a good piece of correspondence in this issue that talks about the obsession of the South Asians with fair skin. The authors tell us that
...In South Asia there is a widespread preference for fair skin and this has been exploited by the manufacturers of fairness creams. White skin has a colonial connotation of power and superiority. The emergence of a paler global entertainment industry has served as a fillip to the marketing of an international beauty ideal. Beauty pageant winners in India are all extraordinarily tall and breathtakingly slim, have light honey-colored skin, and peddle Western ideals of beauty. South Asian culture has carried within itself a capacity for female objectification. Matrimonial columns and Web sites reveal the influence of a young woman's skin color on her marketability to marriage partners...
I think they are right on target in telling us that a crave for fairness has its roots in our colonial past. We have not been able to shed this obsession with colour. But if you look at it the whole world is involved in this obsession in one way or the other. If we want our women to be fair and white as milk the westerners would like them to acquire a darker complexion. The cosmetic industry is playing a vital role in spreading these images of women the world over. As has been asserted by the writers,
...Promoting a particular body image or behavior pattern as the preferred one and then selling medicines or products to help people attain the particular ideal may be regarded as disease mongering. Fairness cream manufacturers have exploited the preference for fair skin, portrayed it as a necessary prerequisite for success, and promoted the use of their product to achieve the ideal. Controlled studies on the efficacy and safety of fairness creams are lacking...
The letter can be read here.
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