LAHORE –
“Colorism,” the idea that light-skinned people are considered more “beautiful” than their darker-skinned peers, is a centuries-old concept that the world refuses to let go.
The obsession with fairness is widespread across South Asia as much as it is in other parts of the world. Every third commercial on TV provokes the desi audience to feel more uncomfortable in his or her skin tone as advertisements for ‘whitewashing’ products silently breed low self-esteem in large batches.
While the “gora craze” plagues our people in general, celebs should know better than to endorse fairness products.
Following the recent debate around celebs profiting off skin-lightening creams, a question started trending on Twitter which led many, who don’t endorse such brands, to speak up against them.
BBC Journalist Haroon Rashid tweeted a query yesterday afternoon saying, “Can you name me Bollywood/Pakistani stars who have never endorsed a skin lightening product?”
The first Pakistani celebrity to respond to this was the popular actor Mahira Khan who said, “Been refusing since I was a VJ till now. Never endorsed a skin lightening product.”
https://twitter.com/TheMahiraKhan/status/1268874608872218626?s=20
Singer Momina Mustehsan also tweeted in response to Khan’s statement as she revealed that had refused such offers as well. “Same here! Always turned down all fairness product endorsements. The amount of melanin in your skin has nothing to do with how beautiful you are. If we all responsibly refuse whitening endorsements, it might cause a shift in the market. We have the power to change the narrative,” claimed Mustehsan.
https://twitter.com/MominaMustehsan/status/1268873678902755328?s=20
Many other celebs, including Sanam Saeed, Ayesha Omer and Hareem Farooq admitted to have never endorsed such products.
https://twitter.com/sanammodysaeed/status/1268908669590286337?s=20
https://twitter.com/ayesha_m_omar/status/1268930784636948480?s=20
https://twitter.com/FarooqHareem/status/1268916828228718595?s=20
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