Lets look in the mirror, erase our own prejudices

Protesters and members of the Army National Guard kneel together during a demonstration against the custodial killing of African-American national George Floyd, in Los Angeles

The resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, with the death of George Floyd in the USA, providing the spark has spread across the West.

We have seen so many demonstrations across other nations, calling out police brutality.

The death which started over 20 dollars, has become a sounding board for the collective awakening of global conscience. It calls for a flattening of the racial inequality curve, the doing away of discrimination and bridging of divides based on caste, gender and colour.

Here, in India it is our look-in-the-mirror moment, as colour plays a huge role in our society, too. This paper reported about how actor Abhay Deol is questioning whether now is the time for celebrities to stop endorsing fairness creams. It is time for our society to recalibrate attitudes.

We still have to ask ourselves why matrimonial advertisements stress the word, fair. In a digital world, we see less of the traditional matrimonial ad. Yet, in other avatars too, we do see the word fair.

There is the shameful at times couching of the word dark to dusky. While dusky is a legit word, it is the intention of how it is used, as it dark is incorrect but dusky acceptable, that is unsettling.

How, many times have you heard she is -dark but beautiful-, in a sentence? Our norm or coveted is still fair. Subconsciously through conversation, movies, visuals this is the message we are passing on to the next generation.

It should not take us George Floyd or Black Lives Matter to see what is ingrained in us, and try to root out our prejudice.

One big step towards this is to stop the subtle or not-so-subtle endorsement of this attitude through whatever medium and have the courage to call out those who still perpetuate it.

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