Over the centuries, the Asian mindset has developed lowly standards of beauty we all are familiar with. Fair skin tone, slim and tall features are still considered as the beautiful features among girls and those who do not fit among these standards are still struggling for an identity in the society.
However, now the progressive society has been voicing to break the stereotypes and to dent the so-called ‘beauty standards.’
Indian tennis star Sania Mirza is the latest name on the list, who has protested against ‘beauty standards’ set by the society and has called for them to be redone.
The player who has won six Grand Slam titles in her career, has recently shared an advertisement video of a beauty care brand which highlights false beauty standards set by society for women. The video also depicts how women are tested on the basis of those standards at the time of marriage. Taking the opportunity, Mirza penned her personal struggle with dark tone and wrote, “At 8 years of age, I heard people tell my parents ‘Don’t let her play out in the sun if she gets dark who will marry her’.”
The tennis player continued to write on her Instagram post, “How I wish I could go back in time and show this film then and ask aakhir kitni khoobsurati kaafi hain?,” she questioned. “I am glad I stepped out in the sun because it made me who I am. The tan lines, the biceps, not meeting societal beauty standards, it was totally worth it.”
The champion, who is now married to Pakistani cricket star Shoaib Malik, urged people to raise their voice against false beauty standards and said, “As a daughter of this country, I urge each one of us – parents, brothers, daughters, future-in-laws, to speak up and step up.”
The mother of two-year-old Izhaan also lauded the advertisement on her Twitter handle and wrote, “Wish I had this film to show those who told me I wouldn’t find a husband if I got dark playing in the sun. Glad I have it now.”
