The need to call out injustice, discrimination

The actor illustrates her point. Pics/Sameer Markande

Nandita Das, actor, addressed a Std IX audience at a school in Kurla recently. She was talking to the students about discrimination, especially prejudice about skin colour but a host of other biases too, some overt and the others we may harbour sub-consciously. The actor was part of a Teach for India project.

We had some takeaways from the address which was reported in the paper. The first one is to have these conversations with teenagers and not to shy away from discussing or asking uncomfortable questions. There was a lot one could learn from the kids too, as they shared their experiences about how they had felt targeted because of skin colour.

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One learnt that those with a dark complexion still have to battle so many stereotypes. These wounds cut deep and stay with you for life. That is the reason why conversations are important. On the surface, placatory or politically correct noises are one thing, but practising equality, justice and non-partisanship in every aspect is a life-long struggle. It is important that one is aware that one can slip up or even unknowingly treat someone on the basis of their skin colour, appearance, faith or some choices. One can discriminate, if certain perceptions are ingrained in you. So, you need to talk to others for different perspectives, you need to consciously root them out.

Like the actor, speaker at the session, said, even the more privileged who have not experienced any bias need to be sensitised to what is happening around them. They have to speak up if they do witness discrimination to others. This was by an actor who was not afraid to say that she has been continually called dark or dusky in the media as if that were her only defining aspect. In the end, the big lesson was to be unafraid to be what you are, to call out injustice, ask questions and continually hold a mirror to yourself too.