Beauty Is in the Eye of the Colonizer: South Asian-Canadian Women’s Narratives of Shadeism

Abstract

The present study investigates the experiences of second generation South Asian-Canadian women with shadeism. Two narrative interviews were conducted and analyzed thematically. Results indicate that collaborators had a desire to be fair that was shaped by their generational and intra-familial relationships as well as the media they were exposed to. This desire led to their use of make-up and skin-lightening creams to achieve fairness. Insecurity about their skin tone had a negative affect on their relationship with themselves and their social networks, including their dating life and friendships.

Keywords:

• South Asian,
• Canadian,
• second-generation,
• shadeism,
• colourism,
• cultural,
• diaspora,
• postcolonial