She is from India, Not a Tourist Attraction

It’s 2024, and you’d think by now we’d have moved past this, but sadly, that’s not the case. My friend, who’s from Manipur, faces something bizarre every time we hang out. People don’t just glance at her; they stare, and the cherry on top? They assume she’s a foreigner and rush to take photos with her, like she’s some kind of tourist attraction. It’s not flattering, it’s exhausting.

She’s doing her PhD, working hard, contributing to the academic community, and yet, when she steps out, the first thing people notice isn’t her intelligence or her achievements—it’s her appearance. And because she doesn’t fit the "mainstream" idea of what an Indian looks like, people assume she’s from another country. This isn’t an isolated incident. It happens all the time, and it’s not just annoying; it’s deeply upsetting for her. 

Imagine trying to go about your day, maybe just grabbing a coffee or walking to class, and being stopped because people want selfies. Now, picture that happening every time you leave the house. It’s draining. She’s not a tourist, she’s not here for your Instagram feed. She’s as Indian as anyone else in this country, yet she constantly has to deal with being treated like she doesn’t belong.

It’s time we wake up to the reality that India isn’t one “look” or one “type.” Our country is rich in diversity, and that includes the way we look. Just because someone doesn’t fit into a narrow definition of what an Indian “should” look like doesn’t make them any less Indian. We need to stop treating people from the Northeast like outsiders in their own country.

Next time you see someone who looks different, remember—they don’t owe you a photo op. They don’t owe you an explanation of who they are or where they’re from. They’re here, living their lives, just like you. So let’s drop the microaggressions and respect people’s personal space. My friend is here for her PhD, her dreams, and her future, not for your selfies. 

Let’s move past these outdated stereotypes and start appreciating people for who they are, not how they look. It’s 2024—time to do better.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

STEPS TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND STRESS

 Hey  readers! Hope you are doing great and  you would be eager to read my next blog after a long time . Before, I explore about the topic, I would like to bring to limelight a small poem as an introduction for my topic.  Can’t you hear my silent screams? They are so loud that they echo in my dream. Behind the face that carries a smile, Lies a dark road that goes on mile after mile. My silent screams have been going on for years, But it always falls on so many deaf ears. How can they hear that silent screams in their mind? They can’t hear my thoughts if I keep telling that I am fine. What can I tell them?  These silent screams carry no words. It’s just feeling of sadness and darkness that come in its herds, How can I explain so people understand this? It’s like walking around a suffocating black mist. I can’t explain how this feels, it’s so extreme, So, I hold my mouth shut to cover my silent screams. After reading this, I hope that you would have presumed it’s ...
Read more

Women Equality a Myth or a Reality?

 Hey readers! Hope you are doing great...I am Safa, to elucidate about yet another age-old question, "Women Equality a Myth or a Reality?"  Revered readers, what do you presume it to be a myth or a reality? I would like you to just ponder upon this topic and kindly peruse it.  First, let me bring to limelight, what do you think about the equality of women during the Vedic Period? You may  feel perplexed but the answer is, women during the Vedic Period enjoyed equal and ecstatic status with men in all aspects of life. Works by ancient Indian grammarians such as Patanjali and Katyayana suggest that, women were educated in early vedic period. Women possessed zestful power and personalities . They have ruled over empires ably and effectively. Besides capable administration they were notable poets, scholars, artist and regional leaders .  After reading this I believe, you would feel as if on cloud 9 and yes, you would have felt kinda queer.  However, I feel subp...
Read more

CLIMATE CHANGE IS A CATASTROPHE WAITING TO HAPPEN AND NOT A TECHNICAL CHALLENGE TO OVERCOME

Hey Readers! Hope you are doing great! Here I am Safa Salsabeel  to reflect upon the topic, "CLIMATE CHANGE IS A CATASTROPHE WAITING TO HAPPEN AND NOT A TECHNICAL CHALLENGE TO OVERCOME". Before you  ponder upon the topic, let me begin with a quote, " Arise,  Awake and Stop Not till the goal is reached."                echoes, Swami Vivekananda Firstly,  let me elucidate, what exactly is climate change? Climate change is a long term alteration of temperature and a typical weather pattern in a place. Climate hazards are natural events in weather cycle, we have also had hurricanes, droughts,  wildfires, flooding and high wind. However, we are currently witnessing a scale of annihilatory that is, new and dreadful.  Let me register in your minds that, “Nature has everything for everyone’s need and nothing for anyone’s greed.”On the contrary, I feel, subdued to say, last year alone we have seen a devastating climate disaste...
Read more