Monday, June 4, 2007 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 5 DEVADATTA GANDHI Fair and lovely? RACHEL WAGNER 'Don't ask, don't tell' don't work dt was as a teenager attending boarding school inlIndia that I first heard of a product called "Fair and Lovely." Fair and Lovely is a cream made by Cosmetics Unilever to industry lighten dark skin. Our exploits working- prejudi class, dark- prju ces. skinned matron, who is an adult, residen- tial advisor-like figure, used it. Although the school encour- aged free thought and open-mind- edness more than most Indian educational institutions, India's long tradition of color- and class- based prejudices proved difficult to shake. Fair-skinned students were generally considered more attractive, and I once witnessed a fellow student using the words "poor" and "black" as insults directed at another student. India's obsession with "fairness" is- regrettably directed more at striving for lighter skin than egali- tarianism. The origins of India's worship oflightskin are complicat- ed, and while some cite the legacy of colonialism, others argue that the phenomenon has been a part of Indian culture for hundreds of years. In recent years, though, the skin-tone issue has been fueled by the global cosmetics industry, which ruthlessly exploits the inse- curities, misconceptions and preju- dices of millions of Indians. The Fair and Lovely website proudly flashes the slogan, "Guar- anteed Fairness. Guaranteed Fame." A 2003 Women's E-News report details that Fair and Love- ly's marketing spans more than 38 problems that a dark-skinned woman might face when trying to find romance to a message that lighter skin enables women to obtain jobs conventionally held by men. It also reports that 60 to 65 percent of Indian women use these products daily. According to research by the Euromonitor International, skincare is now a $318-million -market in India, having grown by more than 42 percent since 2001. A potentially dangerous conse- quence of this increase in use, as the Times points out, is that light- ening products can damage the skin ifoverused. This is particularly true if the products contain hydro- quinone, a compound that reduces melanin, but can leave permanent dark spots if used excessively. But the Fair and Lovely phe- nomenon is only one example of the cosmetic industry's irrespon- sibility. A strong case has been made that even India's multiple successes in global beauty pag- eants - with, for instance, light- skinned Indians winning Miss World and Miss Universe com- petitions - are driven by the cos- metic industry's marketing goals. In America too, consumers are not immune from such pressures. I have always found the L'Oreal "Because You're Worth It" adboth- ersome. Perhaps the ad campaign can be seen as empowering, with its implication that every woman has the right to look her best. But I see it as a blatantly unethical attempt to induce consumers to buy unnec- essary products. Being "worth it" and buying L'Oreal products have nothing important in common. Perhaps there will be no lasting "I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the Unit- ed States military, they would not undermine the efficacy ofour armed forces." - John Shalikashvili n a January piece for The New York Times editorial page, John Shalikashvili, chair- man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from The military 1993 to 1997 has a long way and former to go before it supporter of . the "Don't is equal. Ask, Don't Tell" policy, came out in favor of allowing openlygay people to serve in the U.S. military. This would be an enormously beneficial and nec- essary shift in policy that America should not hesitate to take. Established in 1993, the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy allows gay people to serve in the military only if they keep their sexuality a secret. Military personnel cannot ask another service member about his or her sexuality, and anyone who is openly gay is discharged. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is a step up from "No gays, period," but it's still far from perfect. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was implemented to prevent tension and bullying while pre- serving troop unity and effective- ness. But really, it has just proved backward, detrimental and dis- criminatory. Perhaps it has taken America longer to recognize gay rights because we perceive gay culture as a new phenomenon, even though anyone slightly familiar with any piece of ancient Greek literature knows there is absolutely nothing new about homosexuality. Think of it this way: If you substituted "women" or "black people" for "gay people" in the above quota- tion, most people would find Sha- likashvili's statement absolutely abhorrent. Maybe this is because most people either lived through or learned about the civil rights move- ment for minorities and women, and we are more accustomed to those types of equality. However you justify it, dis- crimination by any name is still discrimination. We cringe at the idea of racial, religious or gender- based prejudice, but how are those any different than prejudice based on sexuality? Why is America, a country that prides itself on per- sonal freedoms and diversity, still clinging to needless discrimina- tory policy? According to a recent CBS poll, 76 percent of Americans surveyed believe the war in Iraq is going badly. Despite these dismal rat- ings, more troops are still being sent to Iraq, and, quite frankly, the military should take anyone who is willing to fight. Whether they are openly gay, straight or bisexual, the military is in no position to turn away people who want and are able to serve. Sadly, more than 11,000 service members have been discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Seven hundred and twenty six of those were dismissed in 2005. To add to the absurdity, about 800 of the discharged service members had critically important abilities, including 55 who were proficient in Arabic. When trying to bring order to a chaotic battle, it is counterpro- ductive to dismiss people with rare and critical skills because of intol- erant ideology at home. About 24 countries cur- rently allow openly gay and lesbian soldiers to serve in the mil- itary, including Israel and Britain. Despite its original concerns, Brit- ain has found that most of its fears about openly homosexual soldiers have not come to fruition. Now the Royal Navy has even allowed gay sailors to participate in civil partnership ceremonies onboard ships. The land of the free obviously has some catching up to do when it comes to personal freedoms. A recent Zogby poll of more than 500 service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan found that 75 percent were comfortable work- ing with gay people. It appears our troops are ready to move toward a more open policy, but the fears of an overly conservative administra- tion are holding things back. If we truly want to support our troops, we should support not just the sacrifices they make and the work they do, but the people they are as well. Rachel Wagner can be reached at rachwag@umich.edu. TRAVIS SCHAU coun a de boyf to th prod the c work W( that pean this Bran Yves Este bring Subs Cent accus trade stig Th that its itries. The ads typically show solution without a change in atti- epressed woman finding a tudes toward beauty and what it riend or getting a job thanks means. But even while consumer ie newfound beauty that the demand shows no sign of dissipat- uct gives her. On its website ing, companies that peddle hope company calls it "the miracle and a better future on the backs ker." of false promises should be made 'omen's E-News pointed out to live up to their obligations. Any other American and Euro- dubious claims or public health companies eagerly seized hazardsshouldbevigorouslypros- marketing opportunity too. ecuted, with better government ds such as L'Oreal, Lancome, regulation needed at the outset. Saint-Laurent, Clinique, Unilever's Malaysia website e Lauder and Revlon rushed to claims that, "We aim to make aWA g whitening products to India. positive impact ... through our equently, the Delhi-based brands ... and through the various er for Advocacy and Research other ways in which we engage sed the industry of "unfair with society." Unethical advertis- e practices" and "using a social ing and preying on human weak- na to sell their products." nesses do not help this goal. he New York Times reported Fair and Lovely has changed Devadatta Gandhi can be advertising focus from the reached at debu@umich.edu. \ MORE ONLINE BLOGS Read more opinion at at michigandaily.com michigandaily.com/thepodium