Traveler's Log: Days 18-20

The past couple days have definitely been enjoyable. After what happened last week with the pen, I wanted to spend some time inside, but this weekend I was able to explore a bit. I went to the mall again with my friend and her family. I briefly wrote about my experience at the mall in my second traveler's log which, if you haven't read, you can do so here. This time, rather than personally experience something, I noticed something that really confused me.

It was a large photograph of a woman near the registers at one of the clothing stores we were in. Now there were two things that seemed off about the picture: the picture itself and the two words written in bold text near the woman. I really wish I had taken a photo of the picture to share with you, but unfortunately, I was not thinking of writing this when I initially saw it. In fact, it wasn't until later that day after reflecting on it that I realized how potentially problematic the image is.

Now you're probably wondering what was problematic about a picture in a store. Well it was how the woman was depicted. You see, she had so much make-up on her skin that she looked about three shades lighter, almost pale. What seemed off about her looking lighter than she probably actually is was the fact that she was an Indian woman. The message that photo seemed to be sending was that if you're a woman and have brown skin, you should use make-up to reduce the tone of it.

Well if the photo wasn't suggestive enough, next to the woman were two words that explicitly reinforced the message given by the picture: Rethink Ethnic. I think reading those words felt worse than getting a pen thrown at me. So basically the message now was to rethink being Indian. It unfortunately wouldn't surprise me to see such an ad in the United States, but to see it here was genuinely concerning. I mean, malls here are more or less the same as they are in America, but I would have thought that the advertisements here would be more about embracing one's own culture.

But no, throughout the malls there are ads of Indian people--mostly women-- wearing make-up to appear lighter and other white celebrities. In my opinion, these kind of ads are sending a potentially disastrous message to shoppers. They are saying that it is not alright to be yourself; that you should appear lighter. Basically, that you shouldn't be Indian or at least appear like you are. Beyond saying that, I really couldn't tell you what the purpose of the ads were without speculation, and I don't think this is the place for that. So I'll tell you what lesson I think you can take away from my interpretation of the photo.

I just don't think that you should ever try to be something you're not. This isn't to say that you shouldn't try to implement different things into your life; I'm saying that you should not try to hide the fact that you are something or you like something because of societal standards. It's crazy that even in India, the standards seem to be very western. Really, I wouldn't have expected that when I came here a few weeks ago.

This applies to anything including writing. Obviously, there are certain grammatical rules in English (or any language) which helps the reader understand what you're trying to say, but you shouldn't stop using your own voice to abide by the rules. Your voice is unique and it is what makes your writing stand out. If everyone wrote in the same exact way, we'd all seem like monotonous robots.

So whether it's English, ethnicity, or whatever else, I just don't think you should "Rethink" anything. Of course, there are always going to be moments in which you have to appear or sound a certain way such as at a wedding or while writing a business email, but you should never stop being you because that's what society tells you to do.

I think advertisements can be fascinating to examine with an open mind. I just don't think they should always be taken seriously. Anyway, have you ever experienced an ad that made you upset? If so, what was it and where did you see it. Let us know in the comments or, if you prefer, send us an email at levelupproficiencey@gmail.com or send us a message on our Facebook page.

-Ryan M. Shea, English Proficiency Specialist