tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post3725067467348708262..comments2023-11-21T04:06:19.668-08:00Comments on Sense & Sensuality: Sarojini Sahoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06356168164108611237noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-23472634696375242002010-05-03T17:50:51.148-07:002010-05-03T17:50:51.148-07:00Thankyou for your article. I am an Indian gal been...Thankyou for your article. I am an Indian gal been brought up in Indian and aswell as America. I had to suffer through the whole discrimation idea when I was in school. It's so hard to believe that I was called ugly just for having dark skin. My own paprents believe in the fairness equals beauty. Our society, media the entire mindset has done a fantastic job of brain washing people to think dark skin is ugly. No question asked.<br /><br /> I am a dark skinned, beautiful gal.. not to barg too much about it. I am going to college in Texas and I am studing to be a speacial education teacher. I am well read, well travelled and ready to share my gift with the world. Espcialy India!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-72592950424663248122010-02-05T09:14:56.568-08:002010-02-05T09:14:56.568-08:00FLOWER AS WELL AS THE LEAVES ARE BEAUTIFUL....FLOWER AS WELL AS THE LEAVES ARE BEAUTIFUL. DAY AND NIGHT WAS CREATED BY THE SAME CREATER.rajan sooryadhasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-50614753171072065232010-01-27T10:57:59.739-08:002010-01-27T10:57:59.739-08:00Wow I love this entry, kudos! I'm actually doi...Wow I love this entry, kudos! I'm actually doing some research on Indian/ Bengali feminists for my dissertation and your's is a name that has come up a fair few times, so I'll be sure to quote some of your work. Even being brought up in England, there is still this ideology of fair and dark skinned girls in Asian families.<br /><br />Regards,<br />M.S.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-9839649534272092102010-01-06T08:59:47.749-08:002010-01-06T08:59:47.749-08:00Dear Sarojini,
I just wanted to thank you so much...Dear Sarojini,<br /><br />I just wanted to thank you so much for writing the article on racism.<br /><br /> My husband and I adopted a little girl from India 4 years ago. She is our treasured jewel. We love her so much. I am always worried about her though and how the world will treat her because she has dark skin. We live in the United States so although racism is alive and well here there will probably be more opportunities for her as you noted in your article. We discuss with her how the world is in regards to racism and particularly how the world sees us as a family. She is very perceptive already at 6 years old now. Most of the racism we've experienced has to do with us being an interracial family. Some of it is just curiosity but can be quite invasive. My husband and I are fair skinned although I have dark eyes and hair and get the hmmmm look. People stare at us regularly although I've gotten used to it and just smile and stare back on a good day. :) <br /><br /> My daughter's Aunt and Uncle here in the states adopted 3 children from India. When they first adopted their oldest child (she's 14 now) we were pleasantly surprised at our deep connection with our niece who is also from Orissa. We love her very much. She is the reason we made the decision to adopt from India. We are about to adopt our second child and will travel soon to India we hope once our final paper work is through. So our daughter has cousins that she adores and spends a lot of time with and hopefully soon will have a sister. Her sister will be 4 by the time we travel. So she will be experiencing some serious transitions. It will be challenging on so many levels. <br /><br />The more information I have on the issues of racism the better I can explain to my daughter about the world we live in. So again thank you for your writing and I am now a fan of your work.<br /><br />All the best,<br /><br />LucyLucy Martineznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-3623246706546856532009-12-01T15:45:40.713-08:002009-12-01T15:45:40.713-08:00fascinating look. it is odd that gods and goddesse...fascinating look. it is odd that gods and goddesses are dark yet social selection at the moment is towards lighter.<br /><br />still in American and Canadian movies, it is sadly common for villains to be darker toned or not present or token present. it is as if the world is popualted by blondes according to Hollywood.<br /><br />somewhere I read (now, if this is accurate or not) that females trend towards males darker than them and males towards females lighter.Pearlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05251168248457758117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-23339587947595365572009-10-25T23:13:59.198-07:002009-10-25T23:13:59.198-07:00Its that skin colour plays an important role in ou...Its that skin colour plays an important role in our thought process from time immemorial...I would love that people have shed their absurd feelings about dark complexions and love for fair skin..But its very difficult to imbibe in their minds....Draupadi was dark but many more female characters for whom wars were fought were fair skinned....Tanning and working in open fields do take its toll on skins but the races inherit their colours most of the time..When on a sea beach and under sun I also get tanned and become dark but in a fortnight I get my normal skin colour...Socially it does matter..Its going to matter till the parents of the prospective marriageable boys and girls give importance to it...In Germany,in 1969 the mother of one of my customers was fascinated by my brown skin..So its in the eyes friends and not really in the skin...Krishna K Dhandhaniakrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06995753339734523309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-52470333741117301292009-10-06T18:37:11.050-07:002009-10-06T18:37:11.050-07:00Nice blog pertinent questions. I would not call it...Nice blog pertinent questions. I would not call it racism but<br />discrimination. It is there in all societies they are there in many<br />different forms. I am not saying it is a good thing but it requires<br />effort on the part of individual first and then society and then<br />perhaps nation to get rid of it. You have certainly created an<br />awareness. And as you pointed out it is I feel more in our country<br />than anywhere else maybe because we have greater variety in<br />everything. So maybe India could teach the world a thing or two about<br />abolishing discrimination A tall order that is with our caste,<br />colour,money power and what not not ! Keep on the good work! best regdGopa Nayakhttp://www.facebook.com/people/Gopa-Nayak/1292482712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-59035762054005585932009-10-06T15:25:42.958-07:002009-10-06T15:25:42.958-07:00Why, why, why must I always be the one to expose t...Why, why, why must I always be the one to expose the stpidity and racism of the above explanation??? <br />Scifiwritir, Indians' dark skin isn't and was NEVER a result of working outdoors! Most have dark-skin naturally. That abominable explanation is implying that the elites in most cultures originate with light skin. It's also insinuating that light-skin is more original or 'comes first' before dark skin. THIS IS A LIE! Firstly the upper-class of ancient India had dark skin like most Indians. The lighter skin of some upper-castes of Indian today is due to a slight difference in their ancestry and people just don't know what it is because common sense ought to dictate that no dark-skinned nation or civilization would originate with an upper-class that doesn't share their natural complexion. That's just the natural of genetics! Second thing. Dark-skin is just as "original," genetic, and natural as light-skin. Associating light-skin with staying indoors is incorrect because you can have dark-skin indoors too obviously. ANY shade no matter how dark is inherited through genes. So any skin-color associations with class would have to be due to racism. Let me rephrase that: the upper class being one particular color would have to be due to one ethnic group subjugating another. People like Scifiwritir unthinkingly use this explanation because they're taking for granted that many upper-classes worldwide are lighter-skinned than the common people of their nation. But most of it is because of European colonialism and marginalizing one race below another. Not because lighter shades are more original than darker shades. Classism however does not default to any particular skin-color hierarchy nor did it begin with light-skin nations ruling over dark skinned ones unless someone wants to support white supremacy.liznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-4912486411929184532009-10-05T10:51:36.898-07:002009-10-05T10:51:36.898-07:00Another issue is the class one. A fair woman shows...Another issue is the class one. A fair woman shows a man doesn't have to have a wife who works in the sun. He has servants for that. So that contributed to the brainwashing about color. In all cultures. (Never underestimate the power of wealth and appearance of wealth to affect people's idea of beauty.) While, on the other hand a man who is too pale implies he is indoors too much and too sickly -- not able to go outside and be strong. <br /><br />In the west, this habit of equating the light skin with the woman of wealth continued from the time of the troubadours (a swarthy shepherdess lass, etc ) through Victorian Europe. Then being darker to some extent began to imply wealth because it meant one could go off for a holiday while everyone else (because they were poor) had to endure the cold winter. <br /><br />So the class thing definitely got mixed in their somewhere..in all cultures. <br />-CScifiwritirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15928979612174904822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-16280684868580347262009-10-05T05:51:13.265-07:002009-10-05T05:51:13.265-07:00Dear Madam, Namaskar. In my opinion, on the plea o...Dear Madam, Namaskar. In my opinion, on the plea of skin Colour Discrimination in India You have perhaps intended to bring out the inner, psychic hypocrisy in our thought process. It is very candidly manifested else where in our society. And more over this double standard or hypocrisy is not gender biassed. I mean not only males bear this stigmatic tint, the females also very openly behave as biassed by the skin colour of girls in particular. This is revealed in all categories of females. In case of even debutant young mothers after the birth of their first child( if a daughter), they love to boast of the colour of the child( if white skinned), in case of the arrival of a new bride for the first time people(even the mother in law) love to raise her veil to have a look at her skin colour to post their maiden comment(fully driven by the colour of the skin). But most important point to me is Hypocrisy or Double Standard of our people. In case of Marathas, Biharis are aprtheid and they say it proudly. In Chak De India film, the coach says to the players to identify herself as an Indian first. If we think of ourselves in a bigger and broader perspective of identity, may be we will be less possesive and orthodox and hypocritic in our behaviour and response to the outer world.<br />Anyway this post is surely a serious research work by a balanced thinker & writer(I dont think you a feminist writer at all, as you never evaluate women, never compare women).<br />Thank you<br /><br />Pabitra Kar<br />BhubaneswarUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16042913845924509470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-5174819570846255122009-10-01T10:45:13.576-07:002009-10-01T10:45:13.576-07:00According to Maclver and Page the term race when p...According to Maclver and Page the term race when properly used refers to a biological category. It refers to human states that owe their differences from one another specially their physiological differences to a remote separation of ancestry. <br /><br />Franz Boas defined race as a scientific concept applies only to the biological groupings of human types. <br /><br />Horton and Hunt defined race as a group of people somewhat different from other groups in a combination of inherited physical characteristics. <br /><br />Ralph Linton, an American anthropologist made a three-fold classification in The Study of Man. According to him the subdivision of Homo sapiens are breeds, races and stocks. Today breeds are encountered rather infrequently in some small primitive tribes or in some isolated mountains, though variants exist in such a group. A race consists of a number of breeds which share certain physical characteristics. The individuals constituting a race will have fewer characteristics in commonSunil Goyalhttp://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/profile.php?id=100000032821922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-20924116524083187922009-10-01T10:41:38.263-07:002009-10-01T10:41:38.263-07:00People ask for SURF, keeping in mind the 'qual...People ask for SURF, keeping in mind the 'quality' of the product. Is 'white skin' a quality of human nature? Have you gone through the complete article? It has more aspects of racial discriminations besides this white skin.Sarojini Sahoohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06356168164108611237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-58304603240257249622009-10-01T10:36:00.188-07:002009-10-01T10:36:00.188-07:00You are right madam, But may be its like you go to...You are right madam, But may be its like you go to a shop to buy washing powder and you ask for "Give me 'SURF'". Humans marry dark skinned human being as well as white skinned. But its all about the practice we have made during the years that comes first...Subhrakanta Pattanayakhttp://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/subhrakanta.pattanayaknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-79885850503660079542009-09-28T08:52:22.678-07:002009-09-28T08:52:22.678-07:00Obviously we r highly infected with racial out loo...Obviously we r highly infected with racial out look. More precisely as u know since time immemorial generations 've fallen a pray to d "Menia of Traditions'.So in my opinion the causes 4 abov...esaid dilemma- 1. Basically escapist tandency of Indians. 2.Not making our mental make up -Time contemporary.Kishore Diwasehttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1400231969&ref=mfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-29220732987078733612009-09-28T08:49:08.427-07:002009-09-28T08:49:08.427-07:00It matters not only in India..The discrimination d...It matters not only in India..The discrimination due to colour of the skin..but its there everywhere...Ads for marriages are missing so they dont catch one's eyes..I for sure shall not include this qualification as a criterion for any of my descendents an issue....At least not the way its written causing insult of coloured skins.....Its lack of total courtsey to human beings.Krishna Kumar Dhandhaniahttp://www.facebook.com/krishnakumar.dhandhanianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-52810587627774963192009-09-27T19:12:44.719-07:002009-09-27T19:12:44.719-07:00The topic about racism has double standards and we...The topic about racism has double standards and we do call it racist or not according to our convenience. And that’s the truth.Ashis Pahihttp://www.facebook.com/people/Ashis-Pahi/717493495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-65967072961744495422009-09-27T19:01:07.835-07:002009-09-27T19:01:07.835-07:00Those are valid points and similar ones to ours in...Those are valid points and similar ones to ours in the USA. We have many Mexicans and Cubans now running to the USI think I am amazed because I have AOL and I also have Hughesnet. If I need help from AOL...I call India and they help us ...and if we have a tech issue with hughesnet or want to pay our bill...we call..not Indonesia ...but darn I can't think of it now...Philippines I think it is and they service us...Isn't that amazing.....and we have thousands just laid off just during the Obama Administration....<br /> <br />It is all crazy and mixed up out there...all political and seems to have to do with monetary gain by everyone but the people.... <br /> <br />So yes it all puzzles me as well. Here i n Louisiana Obama taxed the shrimpers in the Gulf of Mexico so high they all had to close and the government is taking them and now the shrimp is coming from China....all our shrimpers are out f work and some have gone to California looking for work .......yes it is Worldwide...crazy ..no one understands it ...at all....here....we just watch the news to see what is going to happen next....Karina Kleskohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11465952544354545680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-29344953834182899032009-09-27T10:22:45.015-07:002009-09-27T10:22:45.015-07:00Kalimullah
Colors used symbolically in wording ha...Kalimullah<br /><br />Colors used symbolically in wording have nothing to do with the reason why dark-skin is stigmatized. Those examples you gave are from English which is a European language. We must not mistake or take for granted that we use European associations and phrases that use black negatively. Other cultures didn't necessarily use black in a negative way including ancient India, as Sahoo pointed out with Hindu gods and godesses, Ancient Egypt and others.liznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-84214165056571816882009-09-26T02:05:17.080-07:002009-09-26T02:05:17.080-07:00Your post can be compared with your previous post ...Your post can be compared with your previous post “Historical role of gender in language “. To my humble opinion, previous post can be considered as academic discussion, for something called masculine instead of feminine, it has no significant effect.<br />But here color of skin or simply color is very important. I am not advocating or happy for this situation, but it is a sad fact that black color is associated with bad things. Blackmail, Black money etc.<br />If former president bush and former foreign minister are standing and bush declares 9/11 as black day, what she feels, imagine what type of predicament is produced.Kalimullahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06280814705278142487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-84494866206830518362009-09-24T14:12:31.920-07:002009-09-24T14:12:31.920-07:00A very pertinent post. This requires a thumbs up.A very pertinent post. This requires a thumbs up.amithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11970018791398011127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-35712496732915074872009-09-24T05:10:33.368-07:002009-09-24T05:10:33.368-07:00According to me,inner beauty reflects on the perso...According to me,inner beauty reflects on the personality of a person,irrespective of gender and color of a skin.Vinashaay sharmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14896278759769158828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-69938253815441729262009-09-24T04:58:14.298-07:002009-09-24T04:58:14.298-07:00we are growing and living in society, where our th...we are growing and living in society, where our thinking are narrowed. We praise the outer beauty not inner. So, we admire white skin girl by looking her outer body.Real beauty lies in her behaviour and deeds. If one will marry a fair looking girl, all will admire. If marry a black coloured girl, people,laugh at him. This is our sensibility, emotion. It cann't change so easily.-Nibaran JenaNibaran Jenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13459780303735342657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-13461345603121944452009-09-23T10:59:51.968-07:002009-09-23T10:59:51.968-07:00You have raised valid questions, But I think in ge...You have raised valid questions, But I think in general we believe white color is better than black and we are not going to change this thinking in near future.<br />Europeans has done heinous crimes and atrocities in past with black African. As a result a wave of sympathy, they have given equal rights, and you see Black men and women on respectable positions in glamour world.<br />I remember your post entitle as “The historical role of gender in language”. Here you can heard the world some very bad day as “Black day”, Black Law”, and enormous bad thing are still associated with word Black. It is still in their subconscious that black is very bad thing.<br />So the mentality in our cinema, and drama, every bad character in associated with black color.<br />As for as the fair color bride is concerned, it is misconception, they have no idea what will be the problems after marriage.<br />I think this thinking is among uneducated peoples.<br />As you mentioned south and north, I don’t think it is racial issue. It is all over the world. <br />When Abraham Lincoln was president, a bloody was fought between south and northern states of USA. Abraham Lincoln forces defeated southern forces. Similar stories in Nigeria, Sudan and many other counties. The root cause is not color or race but other issues.<br />I can guess one reason, maybe I am wrong or may be some additional other reasons. Northern people are physically strong than southern people. They feel threaten by north.<br />Good thinking always makes a person good looking.Kalimullahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06280814705278142487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-87180476161286465182009-09-23T10:36:03.896-07:002009-09-23T10:36:03.896-07:00विश्व में रंग तथा नस्ल भेद के आधार पर मानवीय दृष्ट...विश्व में रंग तथा नस्ल भेद के आधार पर मानवीय दृष्टिकोण में अंतर सनातन काल से चला आ रहा है .अष्टावक्र मुनि से लगाकर कौटिल्य तक, अब्राहम लिंकन व गाँधी से लगाकर नेल्सन मंडेला तक . सभी ने इस नीती का कटु विरोध किया है .फिर भी यह सत्य है कि मानवीय इन्द्रियां सदैव "अच्छे" के पीछे भागती हैं अर्थात आँखे अच्छे पदार्थ देखना पसंद करती हैं , नाक अच्छी सुगंध सूँघना चाहता है , कान कर्ण-प्रिय संगीत सुनना पसंद हैं इत्यादि .चिट्ठे के इस आलेख में डॉ सरोजिनी साहू ने मनुष्य जगत का रंग के प्रति मनोवैज्ञानिक भावों का विश्लेषण बोलीवुड एवं शादी के विज्ञापन आदि के उदाहरण के माध्यम से एक सार्वभौमिक समाधान की तलाश कर रही है जिसके द्वारा विश्व -बंधुत्व की भावना को बढावा दिया जा सके.दिनेश कुमार मालीhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281453196523014918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34294300.post-30429349383931433022009-09-23T08:09:40.392-07:002009-09-23T08:09:40.392-07:00Try marrying off (arranged marriage) a dark skinne...Try marrying off (arranged marriage) a dark skinned daughter and you would get rebuffed by Tom,Dick and Harry.The skin tone improvement creams or creams viz., fair and lovely are selling like Viagra or Hot Dogs in India.kuldiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06708014384601756638noreply@blogger.com