I grew up in a joint family, and we did not believe in the concept of cousins. And just like a regular joint family, we all loved each other as much as we hated each other.
If someone entered our house when all 4 of us were at home, they would always see 3 of the sisters grouping up against the 4th one, making fun of her casually, just for laughs! There was no fixed target, it was just about the situation. I am the youngest and darkest amongst my sisters and both these things were always the subject of laughter whenever I was on their radar. Sometimes they said I was adopted, sometimes they cooked up stories about how I got exchanged in the hospital with another kid, or that when my mom saw how dark I was, she threw me in the dustbin and my aunt felt pity and picked me up from there. Funny, isn’t it? No!
They always made up different stories, so I knew my sisters were lying. But the basis of all these stories was my skin color.
Meanwhile, my mom tried a hundred home remedies for making me a shade lighter.. Nivea soap, fair and lovely, milk-bread bath and what not! It never occurred to me that I should ask her why does she want me to look different than what I am! Afterall, mothers are sent straight from heaven.. they know it all.. they only think of making your life better and whatever they do is the best for you. Isn’t it? Not necessarily.
I know she loves me, I know she wants the best for me.. but it doesn’t necessarily mean that what she does turns out for the best. She’s only human! She too grew up in a similar atmosphere, she too was conditioned that way!
As a young girl I used to feel that my own mother isn’t ready to accept me the way I am. How could I have learnt to love myself then? My skin color made me feel insecure for years.. oh wait, it’s not the fault of my skin color.. it was these subtle jokes and home remedies that made me feel that way! Trust me, to think you are a failure because of your skin color, something that you can’t work hard on to improve, something that’s natural.. you end up feeling so helpless, so alone.. like a loser!
It took me years to realize that I’m beautiful.. those years, the dozen boys who were attracted to me and were kind enough to let me know, my closest friends and my relationships! I love myself now and I’m extremely comfortable in my skin, thanks to all the people who loved me the way I am.
My sisters have stopped kidding about it and my mom never asks me to do these home remedies now, because they know I love myself. But I still haven’t told them that it’s not ok to joke about someone’s appearance and it’s not ok to try to change someone’s appearance! I know they never meant it to affect me the way it did and if I confront them, they’ll probably not be able to live with the guilt of making me suffer. If I don’t, my young nieces might suffer with low self esteem issues like I did.
I’m sure I’ll tell them some day, but till then I just want to tell you that it’s not ok, it’s not funny, it’s not casual and it’s definitely not cool. To make fun of someone’s appearance is mean and horrible, even if you genuinely love that person. Don’t encourage such behavior, because you’ll never know what your target goes through and for how many years. I was lucky to recover but not everyone has the same kind of luck.
Also, you are beautiful, and it only gets better when you love yourself. Don’t believe anyone who tells you otherwise!
lekhikaonthego 