"Racism runs deep… but to then be fetishised"
One TikTok trend currently going viral is ‘The Great Indian Shift’, with hundreds of videos professing their newfound appreciation for Indian women, often highlighting their physical attractiveness.
But this trend first emerged within the Black community, where Black women were being celebrated for their beauty.
It now seems Indian women are the second group to be swept into this wave of newfound admiration.
It might seem like a positive shift but it raises questions about why this recognition is happening now and what it means.
In recent years, brown women onscreen have become more prevalent, such as Simone Ashley in Netflix’s Bridgerton.
It was proof that women of Indian and South Asian heritage could be seen as beautiful in the mainstream but is this proof necessary?
For Desi women, there is a constant worry about how the white gaze perceives them and as a result, they do things to try and become attractive to a group that has constantly reminded them that they are not beautiful.
‘The Great Indian Shift’ may be trending now but earlier in 2024, there was a TikTok trend that deemed Indians the “least dateable” race.
Although the trend appreciates Indian women, the trend can easily die.
This trend follows a pattern where different racial groups become fads in beauty standards.
If Indian women are at the centre of this trend, who is next?
Highlighting current attitudes towards race, Kriti Gupta said:
“Racism runs deep… but to then be fetishised and also treated like a commodity.”
This emphasises how quickly admiration can become objectification.
@kritieow Over intellectualiser at it again, but internet culture is both a symptom and precursor to societies attitudes. ?? #indian #desi #internetculture #popculture #sociocultural #discourse #datingtrends #thinkpiece #cultureclub #youthculture ? original sound – Kriti Gupta
If an entire race can be turned into a trend, they are not seen as humans. Instead, they are seen as a plaything that is chucked aside later on.
Meanwhile, TikToker Muskan Sharma argued:
“I reject this form of validation. We simply cannot be made into a trend one more time.
“I saw a non-Indian guy on here say, ‘Boys, we need to invest now’.
“Getting treated like an object is one thing. Getting treated like cryptocurrency… the fetishising epidemic has hit the Indian community.”
Indians are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the world. However, they are still seeking approval from those who have historically marginalised us.
‘The Great Indian Shift’ is tainted recognition because it is evidence that there is an ongoing struggle for validation.
Indian women should not have to rely on social media trends or Western accolades to validate their worth or beauty.
Beauty is not a trend nor does it require external approval, especially not from those who have historically marginalised Indian women.
As Muskan says: “If you missed out on appreciating beautiful brown women, that’s on you.”
‘The Great Indian Shift’ trend will inevitably end on TikTok but recognising the beauty of Indian women should not because it has always been there.
This should not be someone’s fleeting fascination.
In a world where admiration can quickly turn into objectification or erasure, those who still believe it’s a compliment to comment “the great shift” on a video of an ‘Indian baddie’ need to kindly rethink their approach.
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