who am i ???

DEAR DIDI,

I am an Indian girl who doesn't "look Indian." I have always loved my unique appearance but it has been difficult to deal with other people's comments. One boy in my high school always asked if I was part white because it was "impossible for me to be fully Indian and pretty." Adding onto the issue, Uber drivers try to guess my ethnicity as soon as I get in the car, as if it's some type of game ("no, where are you REALLY from.") I love who I am, inside and out, but comments like these produce pent up insecurities. And it doesn't help that I feel too American to fit in with my Indian friends, and too Indian to fit in with my American friends. Overall, I am struggling with who I am and where exactly I fit in.

a word from didi

Hi! It’s important to know that our identity as Indian-Americans is incredibly complex, and with those complexities comes inevitable confusion. Growing up in a world where we are exposed to American and Indian standards of beauty and living can cause us to question ourselves, our worth, and our value in this world. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable in your beautiful skin, and that you never forget that you are beautiful. You are unique and the perfect blend of both your cultures, and try to not let the ignorance of others (which for the most part is unintentional) bring you down. If anything, try explaining to these people that their comments are insensitive and try starting a conversation about how “Indian beauty” cannot be pigeonholed because of what people THINK Indian women should look like. We are so much more than that!

Thank you so much for sharing your story!

Love always,

Didi

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