* re-post & edited from my old blog post.

“You’re really pretty for a dark skinned girl”. I smile politely and say “Thank you” while thinking to myself, “Do people really think it’s impossible for a dark skinned girl to be pretty? The same way it’s impossible to be less ‘attractive’ if you are fair?”.

I have personally never had a problem with my skin colour. I actually love being dark. I think my skin is exotic and I love how it photographs. The problem is I wish everybody else would stop feeling bad for me when I clearly do not feel bad about it one bit. What’s not to love about not worrying when you’re happily soaking up the sun at the beach (which I love to do!) instead of worrying how much darker you’ll look?

The amount of times I couldn’t get a job I wanted (ads) because I was ‘too dark’ for a role of an Indian girl. Yes, too dark, for an Indian girl. Take a second, think about this. Let it sink in. Are you as confused as I am? Or the time a photographer told me that most magazines use fair skinned models only because they model better. Ahh, so let me get this straight, supermodels Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek, and Iman can’t model? Could’ve fooled me!

It was as if people thought beauty comes in a package of fairer skin tones & it was completely out of the question for someone who is dark to be beautiful. I personally feel, it takes way more than skin colour and tones for a person to be beautiful (& likewise, ugly). And quite honestly, I wish more people saw it that way too.

I do admit, I went through a phase where it upset me. But thankfully, I grew up and realized that inner confidence is beautiful and pigmentation is irrelevant. I love the skin I’ve been given to live in. Flaws and all, I think it’s absolutely beautiful & no person, magazine, movie, or anything can make me believe otherwise.

No matter what you look like, no matter your size, shape our skin color, you are beautiful. Remember that! Self-acceptance is the first steps to being happy with yourself. There’s nothing more beautiful than a happy woman.

*I photographed these gorgeous, dark skinned beauties sometime back for a Dark Skin is Beautiful shoot.