"Unfair Shades : Subjective choice or Blatant discrimination?" By Praharshita of B.Sc MBTC First Year 

Picture Credit: Praharshita 

What it would be like if I was a little teen girl whose dark-toned, black skin or whatever name they give, in a world of discriminators, light-toned lovers. A place where from local barbershop to shining city's billboard to hospital banners, the only one I see is light-toned to the extent of another race.

Will I ever see someone like me more often? To feel like I belong, must I always feel inferior or excluded? In a world influenced by idiocracy, filled with passive aggressions and holding blatant prejudice—unaware yet completely aware—what it is like to be treated special?

Can I ever be? No—not at least like the white-skinned, long-haired girl in class liked by every guy, admired by girls, and appreciated by teachers just for her mere existence, for doing the bare minimum. Not at least like the random girl at a relative's wedding praised by aunts, romanticizing her personality—even if it was their first meeting—saying there's something magical of having lighter meat covering the body.

Not at least like their favorite news reporter. I am not allowed to be special like the ones I see in TV ads or the main characters on the big screen with someone dark always shown inferior to them—as if being light-toned is the default mode to be the good one.

It makes me feel like a side character in my own life, just like the actress who receives hate for doing no wrong but committing the 'sin' of being dark. If my peers are just kids without full emotional awareness, then what about adults? Why are they worse? Why don't they stop? Do they have even an ounce of sympathy or emotional intelligence?

Maybe they do when my parents worry about my marriage and set aside more money for my dowry. Or maybe it's when people sympathize, saying, 'You should've been lighter and your brother dark, as it's less bad for a male to be dark, God was unfair to swap it.'

God is unfair? As if He spoke to them personally about white being superior. No, it's not God who's unfair. It's you. It's the society, the messed-up world still clinging on internalized oppression.

What court should I go for my unpaid emotional labor?"