Dark-Skinned South Asians Are Sharing Selfies With The Hashtag #UnfairAndLovely

"I'm always fetishized for my skin colour and it's something that has bothered me for ages."

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Nirali Shah
Nirali Shah
BuzzFeed Staff, India

Hello, fellow South Asians. Have you been victimised by relatives and strangers for having dark skin?

Have you, at any point, been fed some nonsense about a lotion making your skin fairer and thereby helping you get a job, a husband, and the Kohinoor back?

Three students from the University of Texas decided that they'd had enough. Along with Reclaim the Bindi Week, 8–14 March is also being celebrated as #UnfairAndLovelyWeek.

Dark-skinned South Asians are now sharing selfies along with stories of living in a world that is "shadist".

"Love who you are: beautiful without being fair," says Shoshi.

"I wanted fair skin and blue eyes," says Nyeshah. "I have indeed lightened up, skin tone wise. But I am at a point in my life where I have learned to embrace what I was born with and accept and love my culture."

"I tried many skin-lightening creams and bleaches just to make myself look and feel prettier," says Divya. "But with the help of this movement, I'm starting to love my skin color and the beautiful culture and history behind it."

"I'm always fetishized for my skin colour and it's something that has bothered me for ages. I have been taunted and put down for being Indian, and this is why I believe it is so important that South Asian people everywhere should embrace their culture."

To be featured on their Instagram account, you can DM @reclaimthebindi with your pictures and the caption you'd like to pair it with.

Or just use the hashtag #UnfairAndLovely.

Follow them on Instagram here.

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