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Why South Asian Media’s Old Beauty Tropes Need to Die for the Sake of Women’s Mental Health
It’s 2025. And South Asian women are still being taught that their value lies in the size of their waist and the fairness of their skin. This isn’t just lazy storytelling—it’s psychological warfare. From the moment a South Asian girl opens her eyes to the world, she is met with an image of beauty that is narrow, punishing, and unattainable. And where does it come from? Not just aunties and matrimonials. It comes blaring through our televisions, films, and phone screens—wrapped in “entertainment” that tells her she is too dark, too fat, too loud, too much. It’s killing our confidence. And it’s slowly killing our mental health. The Lie We’ve…
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“How Media Portrays the Ideal South Asian Woman—and What That Means for Our Emotions”
The media has long played a powerful role in shaping how South Asian women are viewed—not just by the world, but by themselves. From Bollywood heroines who embody perfection to Western films that flatten Desi women into stereotypes, the “ideal” South Asian woman is often portrayed as beautiful, docile, graceful, and self-sacrificing. While these portrayals might appear glamorous or harmless, they have a profound impact on how South Asian women experience and express their emotions. The Beauty Standard Trap One of the most persistent ideals pushed by media is physical beauty. Fair skin, long hair, delicate features—these have become visual markers of desirability, especially in Bollywood. Even outside Desi culture,…
Daughters of Strength, Bosses by Choice