Colour Discrimination

I think choices are subjective. I'm not sure if it is right to ask "why this is so?". It will be like asking "Why most people love icecreams more than biscuits?", "Why all children love to read comics than history?" That is how this world works. It is just NATURAL! It's not only guys, even women feel the same. Any woman on any day will find Hrithik Roshan more handsome than Rajinikanth. Just interchange their complexions and you see the difference! I, personally, have been attracted to both fair and dark women. So, I never look particularly for fair or dark bride, when I decide to find for myself. If I do, I would miss many beautiful missies..lol

hi dear sviswan fair skin mean not too dark, not too white medium color and i think its ok it may be initial demand as only color does not make complete look its whole face, rather whole personalities, i have seen quite white face but they are not attractive, and on the other side dark faces but attractive and eye catching so i think its true that Beauty lies of beholder so dont worry, ask ur hubby or ask friends, like Me, LOl take care

This one fact, together with many others, endorses how we are still inherently 'racial' color wise and I guess otherwise as well! You have indeed pointed out a very grave issue. This fact, predominantly exists in the lower stratum of the society where dowry and other evil practices are still prevalent. Excluding the glamor world and higher middle class and higher class ppl, this gets serious when in rural India a fair girl ends up paying less dowry than a dark skinned girl, even if the latter is more beautiful or efficient! It's all in the mentality of the people and these are the same people who would rather prefer a boy child to a girl one!! Here, I would like to share a fact. Sviswan, in reality a dark skinned person would have a better skin even when aged in comparison to a fair skinned person. It has to do with melanin balance of the skin, which the dark people retain till long. Obviously, the dark skinned or black people have a better skin anytime. *laughs*

WEll they arent marring for love! and really fair or dark if they love the woman it wont matter. And I just dont know why there should be a difference. are the men that picky? they shouldnt be and do they still have to marry who is picked for them from birth?

That is sad.What does your complexion have to do with a good marriage?Everyone has their vision of beauty but you may find the you perfect match and he/she may look completely different than what you were picturing.I have always been attracted to red haired men but my true love may or may nor have red hair.Who knows. and it is dangerous to have it known that people of a certain complexion won't be able to get married or be able to be happy.That would send the wrong signals to young darker young women and men. Here in the States, the ideal woman is usually portrayed as a blonde. But there are Many beautiful brunette women here. And these " ideal" brides may not be the type a guy is looking for.there are many men who prefer brunettes so i am assuming there are men who like darker skinned women in India.

Dear SV, nice discussion. I know there was a time when women was choosen just like you choose some kind of commodity in the market....remember when people came to see girls for marriage what they asked....zara chal kar dekho, zara gaa kar dekhao,zara nach kar dikho.....what the hell????????, thank god time is changing and I am sure soon this "FAIR" will also change because fair people here in western countries are crazy about our India wheatish colour complex, besides dark girls have very sharp feature, like saloony from saath phere.......black is beauty and 95% world has already accepted this fact. It is only our old generation who still add fair to their demands....because our generation is educatied and it already knows that inner beauty is more valuable than outer colour and beauty.

I think that people who really get to know others do not notice color so much. I do not experience this, as I am in the US, and average to fair skinned and our culture is different. I think the discrimination here is whether you are "height and weight appropriate" ( read that as 'not fat').I think that you have made an interesting cultural observation.

Well people are getting wiser about color that it is not what makes the outside matters but what comes from the inside. A fair colred bride that causes problem is not worth it. Marriage is not about show but by result. (good ones)

Excellent Post SV! You are on the dot. Everyone looks for fair colour. Men may be looking for fair coloured wife and vice versa. People has been tuned to such a mentality...that they always demand a 'fair colour' or fair skin girl for the bridegroom. Do you know 'Fair & Lovely' cream sells like hot cakes in the market, the compnay sells it because the company knows the mentality of we people. Everyone wishes to look fair. It is very difficult to change to mind set of people. In my opinion, on the other hand they should look our for virtues and qualities in a person (read bride), rather than going for a fair skinned person. I may tell you that my colour is vary fair and my wife's colour is wheatish. But on the very first occasion/meeting we were told about this thing by girl's (now my wife) parents..our reply was - we are looking for someone who can adjust in our home and who could be compatible to the boy i.e. boy. We were not looking for any fair colour girl, as such. For us, a good natured girl was more important than anything else. Our marriage proved successful and we do not discuss at all anything about our skin colour with each other. If a girl and a boy can adjust to each other after marriage, skin colour does not matter at all.

This is interesting. I think fair complexion ladies have not spent much time outside in the hot sun. Ladies with darker complexions must have spent plenty of time in the sun. It is funny that many film stars have a dark complexion and yet men like to choose a wife with a fair complexion. I used to like having a tan and getting a darker complexion but not anymore now that the possibility of skin cancer is a concern. I have a very pale skin and I wish I had a naturally tanned looking skin.

That is also happening even in my country... there are a lot of actors and actresses who are doing everything just to have a whiter or fairer complexion... they seem to think that that will give them an advantage... even the men seem to prefer women with such a complexion But i still prefer one's original or natural complexion... my sking is light brown... and i don't want to make it any lighter... color is only skin deep... what's important is one's attitude and outlook in life...

same thing going on here in our country, too... the fairer you are - the better-looking you are... that's how everyone seems to think.. and yes.. the fairer skinned actresses, are the ones who sells - in movies, and tv, modelling.. but in the 'marriage market' - not sure... i dun think guys are really into 'skin tone',.. maybe just the looks.. i am not fair-skinned myself,.. and proud of it.. .. and... i'm happily married, too.

As they say, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder! someone might find dusky complexion beautiful and another prefer fair........myself am very dark in color and am getting married soon! he finds me beautiful and does not prefer fair women. Every person has got different taste......I think it is common in india because of the arranged marriages, but if they are left to choose, you might be astnoshed how people go different ways colourwise. It is the heart that matters and not physical appearance.......the inside beauty!

oh.. this is indeed a pathetic situation that we face today. being fair in the indian society means a lot, especially in the matrimonial market. just goes to show that beauty is after all only skin deep... The amount of money and time people spend in their desire to become fair is really crazy. NO wonder these fairness cream manufacturers are laughing all the way to their bank! I just hope that people see sense soon. After all, why bother so much over the colour of your skin???

Now the colour descrimination is fading gradualy, fair complexon is no more importance, as money has dominated the caste, colour,creed ..... in the marriages.

Since I did most of my academic research in language studies, I noticed this "complexion" issue in the different forms of literature, where desirable maidens were supposed to have "pearly white teeth" and "ruby red lips" and pale skin along with other stereotyped characteristics (tiny feet?) that no real woman ever had, especially not in those days. The said thing is that even now so many women ruin their health and empty their pocketbooks trying to live up to this "ideal" which really never existed. It is what we call a double standard, and you are right, it is not about race. It seems to take place within many individual races, though. Maybe it is because since scientifically the darker skin genes are dominant, society reaches out in the other direction and looks for something they can regard as more rare or exotic.