She lay in the dumps building her own little lonely world … hoping that someday, someone might see her, not as a mistake in a world of perfect clones… but as someone who was special, with a unique personality of her own…
At some point in life, everyone realizes how rejection feels… Especially when it is rejection based on your looks, which you can do nothing to change! Because more than anything else like choice of habits or careers or interests, this is You! This is how you were born… It isn’t acquired.
As a child, it can scar you! And those scars sometimes never heal. When you’re called names like ‘jhaadu waali’ because of your curly hair or ‘kaali kalooti’ because of your dark skin. ‘Motu’ is often a cute nickname that every chubby kid is given… But you don’t even realize when it starts to become hurtful. In India, we have nicknames for every “flaw” you might have… Faavda, bhenga, dedh pasli, dheela, batla… You name it!
Have a quirk? Let’s label it and turn it into an insult! Oh… And for some reason, it isn’t even considered as bullying. Because in India, bullying is still somehow only about physical abuse. What about the mental trauma? These are your very own friends who brand you… in jest! It’s just fun… you have to be a good sport and play along! They’re your friends… and hence just learn to live with these labels… Labels you don’t even realize are scarring you every day, and neither do they!
Judged for your hair, for your color, for your height or your body type… Rejected like a defective doll in a factory who couldn’t pass the QC.
I remember as a kid, when people laughed at me for my hair… kids stuffed pencil shavings in it and all the over-concerned aunties in the neighborhood, pitied me for having been born with curly hair. “You have such a pretty face, wish you had pretty straight hair too!”
Why are anomalies treated as flaws? Why don’t people see the beauty in being different? Your unique quirks are what add to your personality! They are what make you special.
I hope that in today’s day and age, parents take up the initiative to educate their kids to respect, accept and appreciate. #AllInclusive isn’t just a fancy hashtag. It’s the need of the hour, for people of all age groups.
Yes, we hear and talk about it a lot on social media. Body positivity… self love – I truly wish that somehow these phrases don’t just remain hashtags! I wish people actually understand and digest and practice the meaning of them.
I wish that no child is ever made to feel like a rag doll again… Pretty and cute, but “flawed”!!
For this look, I’m wearing this hooded sweat shirt dress from Liva. Liva is an friendly fabric made with natural fibers that are fluid, comfortable and gentle on your skin and body. paired this with a pair of fish-net stockings and stilettos, as a grunge living doll would.
For the makeup, we’ve done a pink glossy eyelid and glossy cheeks, which is on trend for 2019 and also is perfect for a living doll. To complement it with the grunge feel of the location and to give it that intensity, we’ve used a bold, dark blue lip colour from LorealxBalmain.
I hope you enjoyed reading that and that somewhere it struck a chord with you. Do leave your comments with what you think about it and also follow me on Instagram for regular updates on fashion, beauty, travel and my editorial pieces of work 🙂
https://www.instagram.com/pinkpeppercorn_sonal/?hl=en
Love
Credits:
Photography: Sonalee Das
Makeup and hair: Sourav Roy
