Let There Be Light!

By Kavitha Emmanuel | Director, Women of Worth

This Diwali let’s take a pledge to esteem all people based on their innate value and not judge them based on their skin colour. In celebrating skin colour diversity we give back to people the dignity they deserve. In the past this was not seen as a serious issue. Dark skinned people were expected to take negative comments about their skin colour in their stride and not make a big deal of it. But this Diwali let’s make a big deal of letting our nation know that radiant comes in every colour. 

This Diwali let’s decide to lead change! 

• Sign the petition 
• Make some noise on Thunderclap 
• Post a respectful appeal to Emami on their Hi Handsome page to lead change 
• Organize a petition signature drive 
• Join us in Mumbai to request Emami to ‘take down’ the Fair and Handsome ad

There’s something we can all do to celebrate 1.2 billion shades!

Join the Thunderclap!

You've probably asked yourself: What is Thunderclap?

Thunderclap is a new website that will allow you to join a group of people and tweet or post a facebook status in support of Dark is Beautiful at the  EXACT SAME TIME, creating a wave of attention. 

Imagine it to be a social network flashmob! 

So, follow the link below and click on Support with Facebook, Support with Twitter, Support with Tumblr - or all three! Then click the Add My Support button. 

On November 7th, a tweet or post will appear on your chosen social media platform urging people to sign the petition to end unfair advertising: change.org/darkisbeautiful. 

So get ready to make some more noise: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/5918-dark-is-beautiful

Dear Malaysia, Will You Dare to Be Colour Blind?

By Sai Tharshini Varathan | A Dark is Beautiful Campaigner

I come from the wonderful and multicultural land of Malaysia. Malaysia is filled with diverse people that are generally friendly. But often, I get to hear a lot of painfully discriminatory comments because of my skin colour, I used to feel hurt and wondered what was so wrong in being dark? 

I was once told to go to the temple and pray for a new face; to ask the Goddess for a better and fairer complexion. Of everything I have been told about my skin colour, this was the comment that really hurt.

The Old Has Gone, The New Has Come!

By Kavitha Emmanuel | Founder and Director of WOW

It’s amazing to see how the Dark is Beautiful Campaign has gone viral. The WOW team was taken by storm. We are grateful to all our supporters for standing up with us to address this age-old belief that ‘fair alone is beautiful’.

Yes, it was our initiative BUT it has now become YOUR campaign.

My Shade of Beautiful

By Rebekah Paul | A Dark is Beautiful campaigner

If only life were as easy as Jimmy Kimmel’s “Meet My Best Unfriend” Facebook Challenge:

“You are dark but photogenic.” – Unfriend

“Your sister is lighter skinned than you, no?” – Unfriend

“You’d have been a great looking guy. Tall, dark and handsome.” – Seriously? Unfriend

“Karuppi” – Unfriend AND Report Abuse

“We’ve written wheat-ish as your complexion on the marriage bureau form” – UNFRIEND… wait… what? I can’t really unfriend my parents now, can I?