‘Been told I’m ugly since age 12’: Suhana Khan pens powerful post against colorism

Entertainment

Even before she takes her first step in Bollywood, Suhana Khan has managed to carve her own identity on social media. With over 1 million followers on Instagram, she is no less than a social media celebrity. More than painting a pretty and flawless picture online, she is utilizing her social media presence to propagate a strong message, i.e ‘End Colorism’.

In a hard hiding Instagram post on Wednesday, Suhana opened up about her struggle with colorism, the comments she has received on her skin color over the years and pointed out Indians’ obsession with fair skin. Suhana wrote that she has been told that she is ugly because of her skin tone since she was just 12 years old. Pointing out that people come in different shades and no matter how one tries to distance themselves from melanin, they simply can’t, she added, ‘Hating on  ‘your own people’ means that you are painfully insecure.”

Busting the myth that ‘fair is lovely’, Suhana further continued that she is sorry if social media, Indian matchmaking and even people’s own families have convinced them that if they are not 5 ‘7 and fair, then they are not beautiful. In a reassuring tone, she concluded that she is 5’3 and brown and she is extremely happy about it.

View this post on Instagram

There's a lot going on right now and this is one of the issues we need to fix!! this isn't just about me, it's about every young girl/boy who has grown up feeling inferior for absolutely no reason. Here are just a few of the comments made about my appearance. I've been told I'm ugly because of my skin tone, by full grown men and women, since I was 12 years old. Other than the fact that these are actual adults, what's sad is that we are all indian, which automatically makes us brown – yes we come in different shades but no matter how much you try to distance yourself from the melanin, you just can't. Hating on your own people just means that you are painfully insecure. I'm sorry if social media, Indian matchmaking or even your own families have convinced you, that if you're not 5"7 and fair you're not beautiful. I hope it helps to know that I'm 5"3 and brown and I am extremely happy about it and you should be too. #endcolourism

A post shared by Suhana Khan (@suhanakhan2) on Sep 29, 2020 at 9:10am PDT

While Suhana garnered praises for advocating that ‘beauty has no skin colour’, Twitterati was also quick to remind her that her father Shah Rukh Khan endorses fair and lovely and what she is saying is sheer hypocrisy.