For a Country Obsessed with Fair Skin, the Viral #UnfairAndLovely Campaign Is Shattering Stereotypes

“I am not pretty DESPITE being dark, I am pretty BECAUSE I’m dark. #unfairandlovely,” wrote Sneha Goud on Twitter showing her support towards the ongoing #UnfairAndLovely campaign on social media. Started by three students at the University of Texas, this campaign has brought together many people of colour from across the globe to share one common concern and to break some ridiculous stereotypes.

Pax Jones, Mirusha Yogarajah and her sister Yanusha Yogarajah started this campaign with an interesting photoshoot focused on colourism, featuring the South Asian sisters.

A photo posted by Unfair & Lovely (@unfairandlovely_) on Feb 26, 2016 at 4:03pm PST

Mirusha and Yanusha are engineering students, and together with Pax they are fighting stereotypical beauty standards, while encouraging others to do the same. The photo series was an instant hit on social media and they thought of expanding it into a campaign. That is how the hashtag was born. According to Pax, this campaign is meant for any person of colour with dark skin – Black, South Asian, etc.

“We decided to name the series Unfair and Lovely in order to address the hyphenated identities of people of colour in the West, and colourism in the black and brown communities,” Mirusha told GlobalPost adding that she wanted darker-skinned women to realize that they are beautiful.

No matter what shade of brown you are, you’re beautiful. S/O to the #UNFAIRANDLOVELY! I love myself. ???? pic.twitter.com/7oppsjjJFl

— Davika (@DavikaStaar) February 28, 2016

To read such messages splashed all across social media, in a country like India where many people are obsessed with fair skin, is nothing less than inspiring. We live in a world where if little girls start believing in advertisements for fairness products, they will never hope to get a good job or a successful life without a fair skin.

And it was about time that somebody came forward to challenge these standards in such a strong manner.

mirusha being unfair and lovely with her hyphenated identity #unfairandlovely

A photo posted by Unfair & Lovely (@unfairandlovely_) on Mar 4, 2016 at 2:40pm PST

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I know I’m late but I’m #UnfairAndLovely
I was born brown. I love my skin colors. pic.twitter.com/ulAXs8r1yW

— Homosensual muffin (@sukhysodhi) February 28, 2016

#unfairandlovely cuz our stories and experiences of xenophobia, colorism, and racism matter #Dark&Proud #SouthAsian pic.twitter.com/DbeyaDukpL

— Meet Kapadia (@MeetKapadia12) February 27, 2016

S/O to all the aunties who said if i was fairer id be prettier. #unfairandlovely pic.twitter.com/wFoiIRxRoz

— Dilpreet Kaur Gill (@DilpreetGill5) February 27, 2016

On #unfairandlovely day, to the Aunty who said my fair skinned son was “lucky” to not look like me: SHUT IT! pic.twitter.com/n87BDdrB5q

— Anuja V (@Anuja_V) February 27, 2016

im gonna include a few of my beautiful brown friends yay 🙂 #unfairandlovely pic.twitter.com/bDEpRry9Lx

— ya boy nikhil (@nikhilminaj) February 27, 2016

#UNFAIRANDLOVELY
Thanks to all da inspirational people on my timeline reminding me that everyone’s beautiful always! pic.twitter.com/WUIoGOVhZa

— Rachitha (@rachitha360) February 27, 2016

#unfairandlovely because me being a little dark doesn’t mean I’m ugly. I’m so happy with my skin tone!!! pic.twitter.com/k9ZOAQsCag

— तान्या (@avonsplanet) February 27, 2016

#unfairandlovely HAHAHAHAHA??? pic.twitter.com/8KxNaZZ5id

— Jayvin♌ (@JayvinPillay) February 27, 2016

#Reclaimthebindi Growing up desi, you learn to deal with a lot of things. For a long time, I was so uncomfortable with my skin color. I tried many skin lightening creams and bleaches (fair and lovely being one of them) just to make myself look and feel prettier. I hated getting tans and would do whatever I could to be lighter. But with the help of this movement, I’m starting to love my skin color and the beautiful culture and history behind it ? #unfairandlovely – @_femme__fatale

A photo posted by @reclaimthebindi on Mar 8, 2016 at 4:06pm PST

Kali tikka for a kali girl ??✨ #unfairandlovely #reclaimthebindi #selfie

A photo posted by Lincy (@lincyshroom) on Mar 9, 2016 at 11:11am PST

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