The belief that fair skin defines beauty continues to influence social attitudes, relationships and opportunities in Pakistan. However, activist Fatima Lodhi is challenging this deeply rooted mindset through her campaign, Dark Is Divine, which encourages people to embrace their natural skin tones and reject colour-based discrimination.
In a podcast titled “Who Decided Dark Skin Isn’t Beautiful?”, Lodhi opened up about her experiences with colourism, childhood rejection and the criticism she faced while challenging society’s conventional beauty standards. She also discussed how families, advertisements, bullying and unrealistic expectations surrounding marriage affect women’s confidence and self-worth.
Dark Is Divine: A Campaign Against Colourism
Lodhi launched the Dark Is Divine campaign in 2013 to challenge the perception that fair skin is essential for beauty and social acceptance.
She explained that colour-based discrimination was widespread in society, but people rarely acknowledged it as a serious social issue. Her campaign aimed to question unrealistic beauty standards and encourage a broader understanding of beauty.
According to Lodhi, the journey has not always been easy because colourism remains a sensitive subject. Nevertheless, she continued raising awareness and challenging the narratives that make people feel inadequate because of their complexions.
Childhood Rejection Shaped Her Understanding of Discrimination
Sharing her personal experiences, Lodhi revealed that skin colour was never a subject of concern within her family. However, her experiences changed when she started attending school.
She recalled being overlooked during selections for school performances and tableaux, alongside other dark-skinned friends. According to her, teachers did not consider them sufficiently cute because of their complexions.
These experiences affected her during childhood, when she did not always have the confidence to question discriminatory behaviour. Instead, she often remained silent and struggled emotionally with the treatment.
Lodhi explained that similar experiences continued during her university years. Criticism and hurtful comments, including those from people close to her, made her realise how deeply colourism had become embedded in everyday interactions.
Over time, she recognised that the problem extended beyond her personal experiences. Many other girls were facing similar treatment.
Fairness Advertisements and Society’s Unrealistic Expectations
Lodhi also criticised the beauty industry’s historical promotion of fairness products. She recalled an advertising culture in which television commercials repeatedly suggested that using whitening creams could transform someone’s life.
These advertisements often connected fair skin with marriage prospects, professional promotions, confidence and greater opportunities.
She questioned why confidence was presented as something that depended on complexion. According to her, confidence is a basic right that should never be determined by someone’s appearance.
She also highlighted how conventional beauty standards extend beyond skin colour, placing expectations on women’s eye colour, hair length and body shape.
Family Comments Can Damage Confidence
The activist emphasised that colour-based discrimination can begin inside the home. Some girls face comparisons with their sisters, while hurtful remarks about their complexion can make them feel less attractive.
Lodhi believes families should provide the foundation for confidence and self-acceptance. However, when children experience discrimination at home, they may struggle even more when facing bullying and criticism outside.
She also highlighted the pressure surrounding marriage, where fair complexion is often treated as a desirable quality. Such expectations can reinforce the belief that darker-skinned women must change their appearance to gain social acceptance.
Can Society Raise a Generation Beyond Appearance?
Lodhi stressed that challenging colourism requires changing attitudes at individual and family levels. She also highlighted the importance of recognising the experiences of girls who lack the platforms or confidence to speak against discrimination.
Through Dark Is Divine, she hopes to encourage conversations that question established beauty standards rather than reinforce them.
Her message is particularly important for younger generations growing up amid social comparisons and unrealistic expectations. Ultimately, Lodhi’s journey highlights a simple question: why should anyone’s complexion determine their beauty, confidence or worth?
By promoting self-acceptance and challenging colour-based stereotypes, she hopes to encourage a society that values people for who they are rather than how they look.
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