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Read the following excerpt from an article in a fashion magazine:
'Colorism' is the term describing the preference for lighter skin. Several of the world’s biggest advertising firms have come under severe criticism for selling beauty products that promise whiter skin. What is worse is the manner in which these fairness products are being promoted - the parallel drawn between being fair and being successful; the perfect fair heroine showcased in movies; celebrity endorsements of fairness products; and matrimonial advertisements where everyone seeks a fair bride. This type of advertising has created an inferiority complex among darker skinned women as seen in the rising sales of fairness cosmetics. This form of biased advertising has come under harsh criticism. Are we as a society encouraging and supporting 'colorism'? Write a paragraph in 100-120 words to analyse the given argument.
You could think about what alternative explanations might weaken the given conclusion and include rationale / evidence that would strengthen/counter the given argument.
Answer:
Argument FOR the subject of the statement:
The desire to be beautiful is natural. What is not natural is determining that only one type of skin colour is beautiful. We need to be inclusive of all skin tones and look at the diversity of beauty. Every skin colour shade is beautiful. Additionally, beauty is only 'skin deep'. We need to stop equating light-coloured skin with beauty because ‘black is beautiful’ too. 'Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and therefore is a very subjective matter. Discrimination on the basis of skin shade is therefore not logical. Many such discriminations have been defeated over the past decades. We should stop encouraging ads that promote colorism. Let us not regress but rather progress. Real beauty is the personality and the qualities of a person. The focus should lie on being beautiful from within, rather than obsessing over outer appearance. (140 words)
Argument AGAINST the subject of the statement:
We as a society have always been obsessed with fair skin tone and it is time to put a stop to this. This prejudice has been around for way too long, including in our books, movies and real life. We find a wonderful example in the children’s fairy tale ‘Snow White’, where her mother the wicked queen asks the magic mirror, “Who is the fairest of them all?” and the mirror replies saying that Snow White is the most beautiful, thus stressing on inner beauty rather than outer appearance. Fair skin instills confidence and sets one up for success. Fairer people seem to get better jobs, deals and life partners, so it's natural that people will desire to be fair. If some people want to use beauty products to make their skin lighter they should be allowed to do so without criticism as it is a matter of personal choice. (150 words)
