Racism rears its head on both the continents.
By Sujeet Rajan
NEW YORK: There are occasions like the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day when people celebrate the end of racial discrimination, and events like the Miss America contest, which marks a day of racial discrimination.
Or at least, both days, mean that for some people.
Indian American Nina Davuluri, whose parents trace their roots to Andhra Pradesh, won the Miss America contest on Sunday. It set off a slew of ugly racist comments online and social media world, on both continents – some people in America despised the choice because of Davuluri’s dark complexion. Some people in India too hated the winner, because she has a dark complexion.
The stunning looking Davuluri, 24, a straight A student from Syracuse, New York, who has got a degree in Brain Behavior and Cognitive Science from the University of Michigan, aspires to be a cardiologist – her father is a gynecologist. She pledged her winnings of $50,000 to pay for medical school. She won with the motto of ‘celebrating diversity through cultural competency’; performed a fusion Bollywood dance number, showcased her years of being an exponent of classical dance forms like Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi.
Soon after the glittering crown was placed on her head, in her first press conference, Davuluri, instead of cheerfully answering questions on what she intended to do in the coming year, how she hoped to make an impact on some people’s lives, how really hard she had to work to achieve what she had done, overcame bulimia, had to deal with tight composure and calm demeanor questions on the disgruntled racist tweets that were abuzz in the social media sphere; whether she really was the right choice finally at the end of the contest.
A sample of the rants on Twitter, recorded by BuzzFeed:
“And the Arab wins Miss America, classic.”
“How the fxxk does a foreigner win miss America? She is a Arab!”
“Asian or indian are you kiddin this is america omg”
“this is America. not India”
“Egypt dancing? This is America.”
“9/11 was 4 days ago and she gets miss America?”
“Miss America right now or miss Al Qaeda?”
“Miss America is a terrorist. Whatever. It’s fine.”
“Miss America? You mean Miss 7-11.”
Davuluri, in her answers at the press conference and interviews, exemplified the judges’ fine choice.
“’I’m so happy this organization has embraced diversity,” she said, according to the Associated Press. “I’m thankful there are children watching at home who can finally relate to a new Miss America.”
Commenting on the racist comments on Twitter, she said: “I have to rise above that. I always viewed myself as first and foremost American.” She added: “I’ve always viewed Miss America as [being] a ‘girl next door,’ and I believe the ‘girl next door’ is evolving as diversity in America evolves. She’s not the same person she was ten years ago and she won’t be the same person come ten years down the road, so I wouldn’t want to change someone’s appearance.”
Davuluri also didn’t shirk from her Indian roots; exulted in her Indian dance – the best advertisement in popular culture yet for Bollywood, since Rehman’s Jai Ho in Slumdog Millionaire: “It’s the first time Bollywood has ever been performed on the Miss America stage and it’s such an honor for myself, my family and the Indian community, as well,” she quipped.
But not all in the Indian community, in India, appreciated her achievement. Of being the first Indian American to win the crown, 30 years after the first African American, Vanessa Williams, won it in 1983, and Angela Perez Baraquio became popular as the first Asian American Miss America, in 2000.
A sample of some of the ugly racist comments posted on The Times of India:
“Can’t believe they made ugly andhru , Miss USA.”
“What an ugly woman??Thu thu. America’s taste has become so cheap.”
“I doubnt that she is Indian. Indian rag pickers are more beautiful than her.”
“I personally think she’s worst Miss USA since the start if the competition 100 years ago . I mean there’s many better looking women in America than this . I wouldn’t sxxg her.”
“She looks like from North Indian black folk ,, a real nigga woman”
“Indian and Black Cross Breed? Looks so.”
“Arrey ye to kallumal koilewale ki ek lauti, kali bhasand bhais lag rahi hai. Hehehehe LOL.”
“Ugly.. the blonde with tattoos was awesome”
“Miss Somalia American LOL.”
Never mind that Davuluri may actually think that being Miss Somalia may be a bigger honor than being Miss America when one considers super models like Iman and Waris Dirie, who are from Somalia.
According to a survey by Allure magazine, in 2011, 70% of respondents said those who want to change their skin color said they want it to be darker. The same survey said 64% believe women of mixed race represented the “epitome of beauty.” And 71% of women and 67% of men said there’s no such thing as an “all-American” look.
However, the results were the polar opposite from a similar poll the magazine conducted when it launched in 1991, according to Allure Executive Editor Kristin Perrotta, who was quoted by CNN in a documentary, as saying: “There was a dramatic shift in what people considered the beauty ideal in America now. We went from the blond hair, blue-eye, typical all-American girl like Christie Brinkley in 1991, to this dark, sultry Angelina Jolie ideal in 2011.”
While it would be easy for Davuluri to understand the findings of the Allure magazine in a society where women sunbathe for hours and go to tanning sessions to look like her, she may find equally offensive ‘supportive’ comments for her on The Times of India that points to the deep-rooted obsession with a fair complexion in Indian society:
“Pathetic as it may sound, she would never have won such a title in India. Indians are still stuck on fairness and looking white as a symbol of beauty.”
“Nina will not even get a decent job in India because of the colour of her skin. She will not get newsreaders role even in Tamilnadu. We Indians are lost and have no hope. Lets learn from the Americans and try and change our culture.”
“If color is only factor then only whites can win. But it’s more than color. And americans 10000 times in judging people than a cow belt indian”
“When was the last time a dark skinned beauty was crowned as Miss India EVEN IN INDIA, the land where fair and lovely is touted as superior.”
“She would have got talents to die for…. for me she is beautiful even if she a lil dark.”
Davuluri may however, take heart from some who condemned the racist comments:
“All comments on her complexion. racist indians. Who would blame the westerners. Atleast they’re white. But for indians, I just dont know what to say.”
“Wow, I am surprised by all the comments here blasting her skin color. The woman is quite gorgeous!!”
“Yes, why not? Beauty is Beauty, no Indian Beauty, African Beauty, American Beauty, and Beauty has no caste, creed, region, rich or poor either!”
The author of that last comment has perhaps not seen the film American Beauty, built also on the notion of what a beautiful American girl should be like, defines it through looks.
But for Davuluri, the important point is that she has become a part of the evolution and the change the Miss America contest has seen since its inception in 1921, when in the 1930s and 40s, there was even a decree that it was a contest only for the “white race.”
In 1968, women’s liberation groups protested the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey – the same place where Davuluri won – terming it “Racism with Roses.” They pointed out that in more than 40 years, the pageant had never had a black finalist. They also noted that there had been no winners who were Puerto Rican, Mexican-American, Hawaiian or Alaskan. The “true Miss America,” the feminist protesters said, would be an American Indian.
As far as American Indians are concerned, it’s a term which the NYPD commissioner Raymond Kelly knows too well. He reprimanded a section of his force last week after he found out that some officers were citing crimes committing by Indians and Indian Americans as American Indians. He has since told them to mark the section ‘Asian’ for Indian Americans or Indians who commit crimes.
Well, as far as Davuluri is concerned, she is not American Indian. But as an Indian American she has given a new definition to the Miss America contest, something which even the feminist movement of the 1960s couldn’t see it happen.
To contact the author, email to sujeetrajan@americanbazaaronline.com