Matrimonial website Shaadi.com has reportedly removed the skin colour filter after facing serious backlash from the people. For the unaware, the feature allowed users to find a partner on the basis of skin tone. Other apps like Jeevansathi also penetration similar feature that asks people to mention their skin complexion in their profile.
The petition against the filter was started by US-based Hetal Lakhani.
Soon, Shaadi.com came up with a clarification that it was a “product debris we missed removing” and added that the filter “was not serving any purpose”.
The debate over skin colour comes amidst raging protests worldwide against the killing of a black man in the US. The world is protesting to end people’s obsession with white skin and adore and celebrate every skin tone.
“The obsession with fair skin is still notorious within South Asian communities,” wrote Hetal Lakhani in her online petition, which has garnered over 1,600 signatures.
“Shaadi.com has a colour filter that asks users to indicate the colour of their skin using descriptors like ‘Fair’, ‘Wheatish’, and ‘Dark’ and allows users the ability to search for potential partners on the basis of their skin colour,” she wrote. “We demand that Shaadi.com must permanently remove its skin colour filter to prevent users from selectively searching for matches based on their preferred skin colour,” Hetal added.
The petition received 1,600 sings in 14 hours before the matrimonial site removed the feature.
Though the feature has been removed, we wonder if Indians would ever be able to get over their obsession with white skin. I mean, there have been very less instances when people have called out the racism that exists in each and every home in India.
And of course, doesn’t matter how much people brag about the need to end racism, but their obsession with finding a good looking partner never ends. Think yourself. You will know.
