Fair and Lovely or Fair and Trapped? A Reflection on Colorism and Identity

The cable is out, so I’ve traded the Olympics for Asianet—a familiar comfort to many Malayalee families abroad. If you know, you know: a stream of melodramatic serials, intense plot twists... and endless commercials.

Today, one ad stood out: “Fair and Handsome.”

A counterpart to the widely known “Fair and Lovely” skin-lightening cream, this product now markets itself to men. If you're unfamiliar with Indian media, let me catch you up—lighter skin is heavily marketed as better skin. It has been for generations.

The Obsession with Fairness

While some cultures flock to beaches to tan, many in the Indian community avoid the sun—hoping not to darken. The message is clear: the fairer you are, the more desirable, beautiful, and worthy you appear.

Growing up, I was told I was “wheatish.” Not fair. Not dark. Just in between. This classification system—Fair, Semi-Fair, Wheatish, Dark-Wheatish, Dark, Black—is not scientific, but deeply cultural, and often deeply painful.

And here’s the problem: we are assigning worth to skin tone.

When Beauty Standards Wound

What happens when beauty is only skin deep?

We risk becoming whitewashed tombs—appearing beautiful on the outside but empty inside. The obsession with fairness masks a deeper issue: insecurity, shame, and a loss of identity rooted in image, not in Imago Dei—the image of God.

I grieve for the generations of girls and women who’ve been told they are “too dark.” I grieve for the boys now told they must also be lighter to be loved.

Reclaiming Our Identity

The marketing industry thrives on our insecurities.
It tells you: “You can pay to be prettier.”
“You can lighten your skin, and lighten your shame.”

But Scripture tells a different story:

“For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” —Genesis 3:19
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” —Psalm 139:14

We are earth-colored and God-designed.
He chose your skin tone, your culture, your heritage. Your beauty is not for sale—it’s been declared by your Creator.

A Prayer and A Celebration

May we stop trying to erase the fingerprints of God in our appearance.
May we celebrate the colors of the earth by honoring the people God has created in every shade.
And may we remember:
Your worth isn’t in being fair and lovely—it’s in being known and loved.