Why is Indian society so obsessed with fair skin?
by 
AntigoneRising
ANSWERS: 20
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I'm not sure, maybe it's a similar situation to England. In the Victorian years pale skin was beautiful; white powder would be worn, and veils to stop the sun tanning them, and often women wouldn't leave the shelter of the house, in order to maintain their palour... Different people find different things attractive, and maybe this is a more common view in India that has got a bit of a reputation and is a little stereotyped. But overall... I don't know = ) x
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Because Indian history has had a succession of fair-skinned invaders from the north pushing darker-skinned people southwards. Fair skin is therefore associated with power and success. These invasions are almost inevitable because of the shape of India - a narrowing point close to the equator with a huge continent to the cold north. Were geography different, with Asia along the equator and India much further south. pointing to the south pole, the invaders would have been dark skinned and darkness would be good. So, the one-word answer to your question is Geography, and the three word answer Geography and History.
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Because they want to look white.
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I am not sure but maybe Indians who were invaded by British long back ..are still under the influence of color because they were discriminated for the same at that point of time..and they still have the feeling that fairer one is better they are... especially girls are still discriminated for the same.
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I dunno - probably the same complicated reasons that cause fair-skinned Americans to spend a ton of time and money at beaches and tanning salons trying to look darker... We live in a Fallen World, but thats
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The Indian Film Industry is to be blamed to a large extent. The most beautiful actresses considered are those who have fair skin. Also ads like fair and lovely, which portray that the girl becomes successgul in life as soon as she starts using the fairness cream and was nothing but a loser before that, influence a large number of the population. Media has the biggest effect in India, considering that almost every house has a television, but not every child has access to education. And therefore, most of the population belief what they view everyday in their house on television.
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Its not only Indian society that likes fair skin. Yes they are unnecessarily obsessed with it. It started in ancient times when there were no invaders or anything. Scriptures related to ayurveda show recipes that make your skin lighter. Today, women in India try various natural/man made methods of lightening skin colour such as face packs, creams, bleach, etc. Its unfortunate. But true. Its just an inherent thing, made stronger by fair skinned invaders. But see most humans consider fairer skin to be more beautiful: http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200705/tows_past_20070528.jhtml
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Same reason why we are obsessed with dark tans! Quite funny really. Especially when you think that there are probably a few racists out there who also want to change their skin colour. It takes a hell of a lot of hard work to bring up children so nature makes us desperate for sex and babies. But then nature wants us to bring up the strongest kids available so she makes us as fussy as possible to achieve these aims, hence our obsession with wealth, strength, skin colour, beauty, fighting, anything else that can distract us and waste our time ...
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The Far East Asians also revere fair complexion. This stems from long time ago when the peasants and laborers worked outside on the rice paddies and got dark and tanned while the rich nobility stayed indoors and remained fair skinned. Hence being dark became associated with being poor. But Indians, unlike far east asians, are born naturally dark so I don't think this analogy works here.
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Many cultures are. The East-Asian preference for light skin has already been mentioned. After the Black-Is-Beautiful era of the 60s and 70s I was dismayed to learn that many (not all) African-Americans even today consider light skin more beautiful than dark skin, and use some negative descriptors for dark skin that sound pretty unfeeling. So too in the Caribbean, where there's actually a number system for color gradation. I dunno. There are lots of gorgeous dark-skinned people and lots of homely light-skinned people. And vice versa. And of course, beauty is, and has always been, in the eye of the beholder. Another factor might be the observation that mixed-race children tend to be beautiful. Af-Am/Caucasian, Asian-Caucasian, Af-Am/Latino, African/Asian - the blends seem to produce beauty.
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It could go back to the caste system. The Brahmans, or early Aryan people who entered the Indian subcontinent some twenty-five hundred, B.C., became the dominant class. The British "Raj" may also have re-enforced the "whiter is better" mentality. Who knows? It is certainly a psychological and cultural thing rather than a natural biological or sexual attraction. At least that is my view.
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In western culture too, fair skin was earlier considered more beautiful because it depicted royalty. This was until visiting the mediterranean and recieving a tan became a sign of higher social standing. The same applies in India. Being dark is considered a sign of ones social/economic standing.
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fair skin is equated with good looks and i guess if you look good you do not need purpose in life.
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It is in our veins and our parents demand a fair wife and a fair husband. The dark skinned are always looked down.It has been like this since ancient times and we are also going to do the same even now.Just like the dowry!
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Just like any other society fair skin attracts in selection in India too. But in India, if you notice properly you will find the status in the society is more important than the color of skin.
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i m a gree with nuttsy well i never find such prb here the prb is that u belive in magzines and other info belive in practical
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The reason is Deficiency of Philosophical Nourishment.
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Cultural conditioning that appears to favor fair skin.
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A curiosity about something different.
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The same reason American society is so obsessed with tanned skin. The fashion and culture has a stereotypical view of beauty. In Indian society a woman living in a well to do family with servants will not be venturing out into the hot sun and thus will be "fair" skinned. In Western society a woman living in a well to do family with servants will not be sitting in the house doing work. But will be venturing out into the sun and thus will be "tan" skinned,
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