INR ACCEPTANCE/-

 Often, we hear that all good things come at a cost. I feel that is something we can very

closely see in today’s beauty and fashion scenario. There has been a rapid hike in the

percentage of acceptance and inclusion in today’s society. Or maybe that’s what we like to

believe.

When I was approximately 15, I remember I was visiting one of my distant relative after a

long time period. I was wearing a beautiful brown shirt and was in my best spirit. We

greeted and sat down for snacks. Shortly after which she commented with a lot of pity, “You

should wear lighter color clothes, dear. This color makes you look darker.” And there I was,

a little girl, absolutely stunned, trying to make sense of what she had just heard. I’d never let

such baseless comments occupy space in my head but ever since then I’ve been left with

one question. Do we have to highlight the “differences” in order to show acceptance? “You

have stretch marks all over but it’s okay; embrace them.” “You are too fat but it’s okay.”

“You have a crooked tooth but it’s okay.” “Your body is so hairy, but guess what, it’s okay.”

While the whole concept of acceptance is “TO BE”, we have altogether taken a different

road where we are all “trying” to be accepting. Now this “trying” also comes at different

stages. One, where you highlight several people’s flaws and tell them how they are beautiful

despite that. Two, where you start becoming experimental with yourself all of a sudden and

try every new trend and style and bash people who aren’t on board with you or simply label

them as the unaccepting, un-experimenting and bores. We have left no room for

contentment in our world. We started showing how freckles are normal and beautiful, now

we have a line of people crying and wanting to have freckles. It’s undeniable that we have

the right to choose what we like and dislike. But when we talk about accepting all forms of

beauty, and when I say it includes yours and mine. It does not mean that you need my

beautiful freckles or I need your perfect curls. Neither does it mean that you need the

flawless dark skin of the Ad campaign models nor perfectly sculpted thick thighs. You have

got all you need. All you need to do is embrace and enhance it. Let it flow. Let the choices,

characters and traits flow. Let the mediocre exist and stop stressing over the extremes. It’s

true we need to keep working on ourselves, but, in our own unique ways. For what is best

for us and not for what is best for the ongoing trends. That is real acceptance. That is real

inclusion! And this is exactly what our society needs right now. Being your best self without

putting down others, without comparing yourself with others. You don’t need a so called

‘perfect flaw’ to start embracing yourself. It is time TO BE and LET BE.

- Tanya Nanda