[Applause] so when I was younger I would spend my
so when I was younger I would spend my
so when I was younger I would spend my summers in India and I would always
summers in India and I would always
summers in India and I would always spend a lot of time watching TV and when
spend a lot of time watching TV and when
spend a lot of time watching TV and when I was I was watching TV I’ve always come
I was I was watching TV I’ve always come
I was I was watching TV I’ve always come across ads like these the products like
across ads like these the products like
across ads like these the products like fair and lovely for those of you who
fair and lovely for those of you who
fair and lovely for those of you who don’t know our fair and lovely is its
don’t know our fair and lovely is its
don’t know our fair and lovely is its most popular skin cream in India so it’s
most popular skin cream in India so it’s
most popular skin cream in India so it’s a fairness cream and I know a lot of you
a fairness cream and I know a lot of you
a fairness cream and I know a lot of you think that doesn’t concern you and you
think that doesn’t concern you and you
think that doesn’t concern you and you don’t really know what the significance
don’t really know what the significance
don’t really know what the significance is and I was just like you at that age
is and I was just like you at that age
is and I was just like you at that age like six seven eight I was just like oh
like six seven eight I was just like oh
like six seven eight I was just like oh it’s just an ad who cares but as I grew
it’s just an ad who cares but as I grew
it’s just an ad who cares but as I grew older I became more aware of my
older I became more aware of my
older I became more aware of my surroundings I started to realize that
surroundings I started to realize that
surroundings I started to realize that these ads very much echoed what the
these ads very much echoed what the
these ads very much echoed what the society around me was saying so for
society around me was saying so for
society around me was saying so for example my Indian relatives what I would
example my Indian relatives what I would
example my Indian relatives what I would say things like oh my God look how
say things like oh my God look how
say things like oh my God look how lovely she look she looks so fair and
lovely she look she looks so fair and
lovely she look she looks so fair and all the Bollywood movies I saw always
all the Bollywood movies I saw always
all the Bollywood movies I saw always had white looking Indian actors and
had white looking Indian actors and
had white looking Indian actors and actresses and that did not help me my
actresses and that did not help me my
actresses and that did not help me my self-confidence and so I start to wonder
self-confidence and so I start to wonder
self-confidence and so I start to wonder if other people felt like me and so I
if other people felt like me and so I
if other people felt like me and so I started to research on this topic of
started to research on this topic of
started to research on this topic of fairness creams and this is what I found
fairness creams and this is what I found
fairness creams and this is what I found to my research I found that amongst
to my research I found that amongst
to my research I found that amongst Indian consumers fairness is still the
Indian consumers fairness is still the
Indian consumers fairness is still the key attributes on skin creams over more
key attributes on skin creams over more
key attributes on skin creams over more attainable factors like moisturizing and
attainable factors like moisturizing and
attainable factors like moisturizing and sunscreen and even more intriguing and
sunscreen and even more intriguing and
sunscreen and even more intriguing and bizarre fact is that the BBC once
bizarre fact is that the BBC once
bizarre fact is that the BBC once supported the skin care skin fairness
supported the skin care skin fairness
supported the skin care skin fairness creams sold more than coca-cola in South
creams sold more than coca-cola in South
creams sold more than coca-cola in South Asia
Asia
Asia so basically fairness creams are more
so basically fairness creams are more
so basically fairness creams are more popular than coca-cola so I thought to
popular than coca-cola so I thought to
popular than coca-cola so I thought to wonder why do we have this problem so
wonder why do we have this problem so
wonder why do we have this problem so let’s go back to fair and lovely this is
let’s go back to fair and lovely this is
let’s go back to fair and lovely this is what it says on their website
what it says on their website
what it says on their website they said the aim is to give hope and
they said the aim is to give hope and
they said the aim is to give hope and confidence to women so they can live a
confidence to women so they can live a
confidence to women so they can live a happy and successful life okay so let’s
happy and successful life okay so let’s
happy and successful life okay so let’s look at one of their ads
so but those I know a lot of you don’t
so but those I know a lot of you don’t speak in these so I’ll explain it to you
speak in these so I’ll explain it to you
speak in these so I’ll explain it to you basically what the ad says is there’s a
basically what the ad says is there’s a
basically what the ad says is there’s a darker skinned woman who’s unhappy with
darker skinned woman who’s unhappy with
darker skinned woman who’s unhappy with her life and her dad’s unhappy with her
her life and her dad’s unhappy with her
her life and her dad’s unhappy with her because she didn’t she’s not have son
because she didn’t she’s not have son
because she didn’t she’s not have son and she doesn’t have a job so she goes
and she doesn’t have a job so she goes
and she doesn’t have a job so she goes out and says I’ll be the I’ll be the son
out and says I’ll be the I’ll be the son
out and says I’ll be the I’ll be the son of the family and so she uses fair and
of the family and so she uses fair and
of the family and so she uses fair and lovely becomes fair and gets a job as an
lovely becomes fair and gets a job as an
lovely becomes fair and gets a job as an air hostess and all of a sudden her
air hostess and all of a sudden her
air hostess and all of a sudden her whole life changes in her and yeah it’s
whole life changes in her and yeah it’s
whole life changes in her and yeah it’s it’s it’s very interesting at and it’s
it’s it’s very interesting at and it’s
it’s it’s very interesting at and it’s definitely giving hope and confidence to
definitely giving hope and confidence to
definitely giving hope and confidence to women by saying you have to be fair to
women by saying you have to be fair to
women by saying you have to be fair to be successful
be successful
be successful unfortunately India isn’t the only
unfortunately India isn’t the only
unfortunately India isn’t the only offender of this problem this is an ad
offender of this problem this is an ad
offender of this problem this is an ad from Thailand for the products nose and
from Thailand for the products nose and
from Thailand for the products nose and it shows a woman in blackface which is
it shows a woman in blackface which is
it shows a woman in blackface which is already offensive in itself and she says
already offensive in itself and she says
already offensive in itself and she says and compare who wants to be a star and
and compare who wants to be a star and
and compare who wants to be a star and she compares herself to this lighter
she compares herself to this lighter
she compares herself to this lighter skinned actress and she says they will
skinned actress and she says they will
skinned actress and she says they will make me a faded star so she uses snows
make me a faded star so she uses snows
make me a faded star so she uses snows becomes fair and says eternally white
becomes fair and says eternally white
becomes fair and says eternally white I’m confident
I’m confident
I’m confident so it’s it’s problems like these that
so it’s it’s problems like these that
so it’s it’s problems like these that sort of put in our minds that fairness
sort of put in our minds that fairness
sort of put in our minds that fairness equals beautiful and while it’s easy to
equals beautiful and while it’s easy to
equals beautiful and while it’s easy to say that Oh Thailand and India
say that Oh Thailand and India
say that Oh Thailand and India developing countries so they would have
developing countries so they would have
developing countries so they would have like infinity complexes it’s not it’s
like infinity complexes it’s not it’s
like infinity complexes it’s not it’s not that that the case because I’m
not that that the case because I’m
not that that the case because I’m pretty sure many of you heard of this
pretty sure many of you heard of this
pretty sure many of you heard of this term be haka and this is what it’s
term be haka and this is what it’s
term be haka and this is what it’s called in fairness creams a call in
called in fairness creams a call in
called in fairness creams a call in Japanese and I know a lot of you don’t
Japanese and I know a lot of you don’t
Japanese and I know a lot of you don’t think it’s a problem I asked my friends
think it’s a problem I asked my friends
think it’s a problem I asked my friends this question what do you think about be
this question what do you think about be
this question what do you think about be happy and they said oh it’s not a
happy and they said oh it’s not a
happy and they said oh it’s not a problem
problem
problem my parents buy it I just be happy to me
my parents buy it I just be happy to me
my parents buy it I just be happy to me but the thing is be haka when put into
but the thing is be haka when put into
but the thing is be haka when put into can’t reform literally translates into
can’t reform literally translates into
can’t reform literally translates into English to mean beautiful white so it’s
English to mean beautiful white so it’s
English to mean beautiful white so it’s sort of ideas like these that tell us
sort of ideas like these that tell us
sort of ideas like these that tell us that we don’t know it but subconsciously
that we don’t know it but subconsciously
that we don’t know it but subconsciously we’re being told that white means
we’re being told that white means
we’re being told that white means beautiful and that we’re being told to
beautiful and that we’re being told to
beautiful and that we’re being told to believe that we need to buy these
believe that we need to buy these
believe that we need to buy these products to make ourselves look more
products to make ourselves look more
products to make ourselves look more beautiful and what this causes is that
beautiful and what this causes is that
beautiful and what this causes is that for me personally I always thought that
for me personally I always thought that
for me personally I always thought that because I’m sort of dark-skinned I
because I’m sort of dark-skinned I
because I’m sort of dark-skinned I always thought that oh I I can’t be
always thought that oh I I can’t be
always thought that oh I I can’t be successful I can’t be beautiful because
successful I can’t be beautiful because
successful I can’t be beautiful because I don’t have well the media expects of
I don’t have well the media expects of
I don’t have well the media expects of me and this makes a lot of people want
me and this makes a lot of people want
me and this makes a lot of people want to buy more products and spend more
to buy more products and spend more
to buy more products and spend more money on these products which in reality
money on these products which in reality
money on these products which in reality don’t really work the true and sometimes
don’t really work the true and sometimes
don’t really work the true and sometimes the products do the opposite of what you
the products do the opposite of what you
the products do the opposite of what you wanted to do and these are some things
wanted to do and these are some things
wanted to do and these are some things that happen to people who’ve used too
that happen to people who’ve used too
that happen to people who’ve used too many of these products rashes patches of
many of these products rashes patches of
many of these products rashes patches of skin unwanted hair growth those white
skin unwanted hair growth those white
skin unwanted hair growth those white spots an example actually is the
spots an example actually is the
spots an example actually is the Japanese company cannibal was sued by 14
Japanese company cannibal was sued by 14
Japanese company cannibal was sued by 14 Japanese women because they had spots
Japanese women because they had spots
Japanese women because they had spots like those due to their skin whitening
like those due to their skin whitening
like those due to their skin whitening product so what can we do to solve this
product so what can we do to solve this
product so what can we do to solve this problem well I would love to say I have
problem well I would love to say I have
problem well I would love to say I have this amazing solution that can get rid
this amazing solution that can get rid
this amazing solution that can get rid of skin whitening products Oh forever
of skin whitening products Oh forever
of skin whitening products Oh forever but I can’t because these products are
but I can’t because these products are
but I can’t because these products are in such high demand that we can’t just
in such high demand that we can’t just
in such high demand that we can’t just say to ban them I mean they’re helping
say to ban them I mean they’re helping
say to ban them I mean they’re helping the market who’s gonna like listen to me
the market who’s gonna like listen to me
the market who’s gonna like listen to me and stop buying such products but the
and stop buying such products but the
and stop buying such products but the only thing I can tell you to do and hope
only thing I can tell you to do and hope
only thing I can tell you to do and hope that you did too is talk about it
that you did too is talk about it
that you did too is talk about it research about it and make this problem
research about it and make this problem
research about it and make this problem more make make people aware of this
more make make people aware of this
more make make people aware of this problem
problem
problem luckily there are some people we can
luckily there are some people we can
luckily there are some people we can talk to or look up to like this woman
talk to or look up to like this woman
talk to or look up to like this woman right here
right here
right here have you time Manny well started this
have you time Manny well started this
have you time Manny well started this campaign in India called the dark is
campaign in India called the dark is
campaign in India called the dark is beautiful campaign and don’t get turned
beautiful campaign and don’t get turned
beautiful campaign and don’t get turned off by the name it doesn’t it’s not a
off by the name it doesn’t it’s not a
off by the name it doesn’t it’s not a she said it’s not a campaign against
she said it’s not a campaign against
she said it’s not a campaign against fair skin it’s a campaign that
fair skin it’s a campaign that
fair skin it’s a campaign that celebrates diversity and beauty of all
celebrates diversity and beauty of all
celebrates diversity and beauty of all skin colors so if you can follow people
skin colors so if you can follow people
skin colors so if you can follow people like her and become like ourselves we
like her and become like ourselves we
like her and become like ourselves we can make our own utopia and get rid of
can make our own utopia and get rid of
can make our own utopia and get rid of the idea that fair skin equals beautiful
the idea that fair skin equals beautiful
the idea that fair skin equals beautiful so I’m gonna leave you with a quote by
so I’m gonna leave you with a quote by
so I’m gonna leave you with a quote by another inspirational woman Gandhi an
another inspirational woman Gandhi an
another inspirational woman Gandhi an actress I’m okay I’m a brissie who
actress I’m okay I’m a brissie who
actress I’m okay I’m a brissie who started to love your natural skin tone
started to love your natural skin tone
started to love your natural skin tone campaign which has become prominent in
campaign which has become prominent in
campaign which has become prominent in Hollywood as well and she said say no
Hollywood as well and she said say no
Hollywood as well and she said say no the skin toning and skin bleaching or as
the skin toning and skin bleaching or as
the skin toning and skin bleaching or as I would say it preach against bleaching
I would say it preach against bleaching
I would say it preach against bleaching thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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