Exploring Beauty Standards Worldwide
We all know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder; this adage, however, takes on a more literal meaning when we consider the diversity in opinion about what makes a person “beautiful” around the world.
I was recently interviewed by San Francisco-based Lifestyle & Travel magazine ~ Jetset Times ~ on a piece about beauty around the world and the underlying meanings behind #beautystandards. My responses were then included in their article covering Desi Beauty In India.
Jetset Times: How do the Indian beauty standards that are set for you, as someone living in India, make you feel like a woman?
Tanya Fontes: We live in a society where we are constantly probed by the thought of beauty standards and how only if we possess a certain box of traits, are we deemed beautiful. More often than not, I find myself over analysing everything ~ from my outfit to my waist size ~ even when I know that it shouldn’t matter. These standards of beauty are so deeply internalised that our minds are conditioned to harass ourselves!
Not judging ourselves based on age, shape, size, or skin colour has barely scratched the surface but with voices of protest getting louder, there is a brighter tomorrow to look forward to. A day where our voices drown out patriarchal expectations of beauty.
Jetset Times: Are there any changes you would like to see in the Indian beauty community? And, how can you make that change?
Tanya Fontes: I am fortunate enough to be born in a country so splendidly diverse and it is time Indians embrace those differences to be united. For years, big names in the game have been exploiting our differences and playing on our insecurities, all to gain mere profit margins.
The 21st century needs to be the era of a revolution where we stop defining a woman by her physical characteristics; we are more than the colour of our skin or the hair on our upper lip. And while external features may be gratifying at first glance, we need to emphasize what lays within!
Jetset Times: What is your most favourite and least favourite beauty trend? And why?
Tanya Fontes: Favourite: The rosy and peachy lip shades that are in right now. It has such a natural and subtle beauty to it.
Least favourite: Full coverage foundations ~ even if you don’t need it. It is just disheartening to see women covering up naturally beautiful and glowing skin.
Access the complete article here: https://jetsettimes.com/beauty-standards/exploring-beauty-standards-worldwide-desi-beauty-in-india/
I hope you have enjoyed reading these influencer notes as much as I did writing them. 🙂
Yes! It’s essential to understand that each individual comes from a different part of the country, and therefore their ethnicity gives them a singular look.
Thank you for sharing, Sarita.
Amen! It’s imperative to embrace who we are, and identify relatable beauty icons to use as inspiration.
Thank you for sharing, Paramvir.
No single “beauty checklist” can be applied to the “Indian Women” general prototype. To Define Is To Limit!!
Thank you for sharing, Aakashi.
This is so toxic, because none of us talk about this ~ we tend to all feel the pressure and we’re all sanctioning this culture!
Thank you for sharing, Prarthana.
I believe the biggest problem is that women are made to feel from very early on that their body is not just theirs, but the property of everyone around them.
Thank you for sharing, Shaonli.
Just conversing with so many women has made me realise that this isn’t about personal failures in any respect; it’s about a much bigger, systemic problem.
Thank you for sharing, Gunjan.
The Indian community believes the paler you are, the more beautiful you are. And this is where things get confusing!
Thank you for sharing, Reema.
In our culture, the glorification of fair skin extends far beyond mere vanity ~ it is connected with self-worth, intellect and privileges.
Thank you for sharing, Jahnvi.
It is time to change the discussion and ask why so much of our mental energy is feeding into the beauty norms of bullsh*t, defined by today’s media.
Thank you for sharing, Sukhchint.
We need to take the silence away from such subjects and have open discussions on how this skin tone and body size-based discrimination cuts deep.
Thank you for sharing, Ekta.
Desi girls have a propensity to live under a lot of scrutiny for their body type – be it dark, large, hairy or blemished.
Thank you for sharing, Shaira.
You wake up to people looking flawless on your feed and then scrutinize yourself. How can’t one make comparisons?
Thank you for sharing, Tina.
You are an awesome beauty! And, we came to the conclusion that we all play a part in the persistence of these beauty ideals.
Thank you for sharing.
The phrase “beauty standards” has negative connotations because it is so subjective. I think everyone in India aspires to be fair-skinned and thin.
Succumbing to such beauty standards is restrictive to our freedom and destructive to our self-esteem.
Every country has its own beauty and its own unique beauty standards. For me in particular, it’s very much about being healthy and treating my body well.
Thank you for sharing, Sandhya.
Everywhere we look, there are reminders to lose weight and ‘get skinny’ fast! Trying to control our weight has become such a norm in society that a lot of people don’t even know when they are taking it too far…
Thank you for sharing, Nandhini.
In the past few years there have been some fascinating experiments done to see how the rest of the globe interprets beauty. Nowadays, women buy everything from skin-lighting creams to real human hair in order to be beautiful. And if that wasn’t enough, they go under the knife to achieve their ideal physical appearance.
Thank you for sharing, Shobha.
India has strict beauty standards that girls are held to from a young age. It’s rather sad that there is a considerable amount of pressure from a woman’s family to look a certain way.
Thank you for sharing, Vaibhav.
Perhaps the most significant indicator of beauty in India is fair skin. There are countless beauty brands to choose from, as well as DIY tutorials on social media that offer skin whitening tips and tricks. In India, the link between fair skin and beauty is undeniable!
Thank you for sharing, Krishna.
I would love to see fashion and beauty campaigns challenging the norm. It would also be great to see women embrace their bodies (instead of fighting against them) wanting to make them stronger and healthier. xx
I hope this post exposes more people to opinions and points of view that they might not otherwise have had the opportunity to understand, and that could really influence, in a positive way, their worldview and the way they see themselves.