Life & Style

#UnfairAndLovely: Fighting dark skin prejudice one selfie at a time

Check out these stunning pictures that prove beauty is not limited to being white

Entertainment Desk March 11, 2016

Check out these stunning pictures that prove beauty is not limited to being white. PHOTO: INSTAGRAM

All South Asian girls are familiar with the pressure of being fair. Whether it is society, parents, relatives or friends – most South Asian girls have been victimised for having dark skin at least once on their life.

Mahira questions Pakistan's obsession with fair complexion

For this reason, many women use fairness creams, like Fair and Lovely, not to mention various other methods to lighten the colour of their skin. However, recently people have started to speak out against such ideals of beauty.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCHEaEgmuus/

Three students from the University of Texas are fighting this cultural appropriation via their Instagram pages. Using hashtags #reclaimthebindi and #UnfairandLovely, these girls are celebrating dark-skinned beauty.

Ali Xeeshan: Promoting diverse beauty standards one shoot at a time

March 8 to 14 has been announced as #reclaimthebindi week and now also #UnfairandLovely week.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCTi9cREMZd/

Girls are sharing their selfies on Instagram as this movement gives them the courage to accept their colour without modifications. Check out some of the stunning pictures that prove beauty is not limited to being white:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCs0VrkEQ75/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCjFhHWEMfR/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCvhKRLRBId/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCDQ7QUic8-/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCL41uCwtlU/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCVAS2LkU5R/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCtxU_gI39L/

Thai skin whitening ad provokes race storm

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCRNan_EMcB/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCeIN50I30_/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBDjPRJI30c/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCshuxNJPf_/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCcYvalmObu/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCrv_caPgnS/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCWAaTyMjRn/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCxKyq8GOfz/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCmFPN9I3wP/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCfhzPBMCpx/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCv__w0L1yD/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCwaL5Sxcy8/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCk87ASo34r/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCaUkCXqzIL/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCpmAy5g_Cs/

COMMENTS (20)

nope | 8 years ago | Reply @John: please kill yourself

gp65 | 8 years ago | Reply @Last Man Alive: That is fine. TO each his own. How many Indian women have you met?

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

gp65 | 8 years ago | Reply @Samy: The tag Unfair and Lovely is a pun on the fairness lotion Fair and Lovely

@psri | 8 years ago | Reply @Samy: the unfair and lovely campaign is a play on words... There is a widely used whitening product called 'Fair and Lovely", which is what Indians use to whiten their skin.

Last Man Alive | 8 years ago | Reply As a man I don't find indian women lovely at all.

Anonymous | 8 years ago | Reply @Subhan: they're freakin' beautiful.

Anika Zahir | 8 years ago | Reply I adore this project. I was lucky enough to be raised by a wise Mother who taught me to love my brown skin. Growing up in the Uk where we were sometimes seen as lower because of our brown skin I appreciated my Mums guidance. It means I am confident in my skin and actually love to tan and go darker in the summer. Asians that use these creams have serious complexes about them selves.

Zaida Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply The pics looks stunning. Go girls !!

Samy | 8 years ago | Reply First of all, its not called "unfair" but its called "Tan" so tan and beautiful shouldbe the approach. Unfair is something different more as in unjust. Worldwide, beauty is appreciated in all skin colors so this fair complexion thing is only a commercial aspect. But probably due to psychological reasons our men are trained to like fair skin more. One more thing I noticed that being tan is still very lovely but it doesnt mean that you have to expose your cleavage to gain attention to balance the tan skin. just be yourself and be confident. thats it.

Shavonne | 8 years ago | Reply @Brainy Bhaijan: Lighter skin is still widely-preferred in Singapore. It actually doesn't all come down to just economics.

Django | 8 years ago | Reply They had to reveal their bosom to make themselves attractive. This shows being dark is a disadvantage. You cannot deny it.

Cjs | 8 years ago | Reply Literally stunning it's crazy how stunning

Subhan | 8 years ago | Reply @sterry: I dont mind people getting comfortable in their skins. I mind when people show skins to others to prove they are comfotable in their so and so...

sj | 8 years ago | Reply If only the dark skinned women knew how attractive they are....white is bland

sterry | 8 years ago | Reply @Subhan: What do you mean? Isn't it good that Indian people are embracing natural darker skin tones instead of using phoney creams? Unfortunately, people in Karachi who migrated from India have the same mindset about dark skin too. It has to stop.

Ahmed | 8 years ago | Reply @Subhan: unfair and hypocritical?

Brainy Bhaijan | 8 years ago | Reply Its all economics. White skin color is linked with financial prosperity. When these eastern regions become as developed as their western counterparts, all this inferiority complex would vanish away into thin air. For example, color complex is an issue in Indonesia but not a problem in Singapore. When Pakistan and India become as prosperous as say Canada, then the color-scheme based discrimination would become meaningless.

Bunny Rabbit | 8 years ago | Reply Cliched !!! dont see anything constructive coming out of this .

John | 8 years ago | Reply What the heck! That's truly hideous :O

Subhan | 8 years ago | Reply Unfair and vulgar

Replying to X