Dabur's Karva Chauth Ad Featuring Same-Sex Couple Gets Flak Online:Here's Why

After FabIndia and CEAT Tyres, now Dabur has found itself on the receiving end of online flak. Recently, its popular bleaching product 'Fem' shared an advertisement for Karva Chauth featuring a same-sex couple celebrating together. 'Karva Chauth' is a festival celebrated by married women around the country to pray for their spouse's well-being and long life ahead. The short clip was shared by several people on Twitter and other social media platforms after which it went viral.

Inclusive Approach

The viral advertisement got a lot of mixed reactions online. Some felt that the brand did a good job in showcasing the otherwise heteronormative festival in an inclusive light. A tech journalist named Abhishek Baxi called it 'a nice film for a traditional, often-criticised festival by an otherwise controversial brand.'

There are very few advertisements that cater to the LGBTQIA+ community. A medium like this plays a very important role in shaping our mindsets. Therefore, such content should be welcomed with open arms. Apart from Baxi, several others also lauded the brand for being open towards such relationships and paving the way for brands becoming bolder when it comes representing aspects that, traditionally, may be 'frowned upon.'

'Not The Queer Representation We Asked For'

However, the niceties stop here. The LGBTQIA+ community was furious when the advertisement was released only. While their representation on mainstream media is the need of the hour, this is not what they asked for as it is promoting regressive ideals with the bleaching product.

The desi community's obsession with 'fair' skin is a proven fact. Bleaching is one of the popular methods used to lighten our skin in order to fit with the Eurocentric standards. Many felt that the advertisement was propagating nothing but the regressive and patriarchal ideals packaged in a 'progressive' way. Therefore, this misleading 'appeasement' has only done more harm than good for the brand, because of which this particular community has spoken up against the viral advertisement.

'Running Propaganda against Hindu Festivals'

The rest of the comments bordered on homophobia as several users felt that this representation was 'against' Indian culture. '#BoycottFem' started trending on Twitter as many shared their views about the ad being nonsensical in nature.

Some users also felt that the short clip made a mockery of a 'sacred' festival like Karva Chauth, which, in their view, is only represented by a heterosexual couple celebrating it. Earlier as well, the festival has been heavily criticised for its misogynistic rituals where a woman keeps a fast for her husband's well-being. While that has been one argument, the other slams such criticisms stating that it 'ruins' the ritual's sanctity.

In conclusion, the advertisement was done with the right intentions as it broke the glass ceiling when it comes to representing traditional Indian rituals. However, it also perpetuates a narrow mindset about fair skin being more 'acceptable', therefore furthering the cause of skin lightening all the more by trying to show it in a progressive light. At the end of the day, it is a bleaching product. The LGBTQIA+ community deserves a better way to be represented in mainstream media.

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