The kind of homogeneity these stereotypes encourage, amplifies the existing threat. At present, 191 languages spoken in India are considered to be at different degrees of vulnerability. This is especially alarming in the context of people who belong to communities whose languages (and along with them the treasure trove of their traditional knowledge) are already endangered. These jokes rob many of their cultural identity - by associating them with “guilt and shame,” according to Snehal Singh, a Mumbai-based psychologist. While these stereotype-based jokes may not be unique to India, given that we’re among the most ethnically diverse countries in the world, we have a lot to lose. In fact, have normalized stereotype-based jokes to a point where they seem harmless. It is ironic indeed that people who pride themselves on India’s supposed diversity - at least, on paper - discourage it through jokes steeped in cultural stereotypes that often reflect varying degrees of racism, communalism, and casteism.
Never mind political correctness,” an article in Hindustan Times states. Because if there’s one thing that unites most Indians, it’s the ability to spot the funny in the real. “We’re all for sharing Santa-Banta jokes. Given our obsession with stereotyping people for fun and banter - without sparing a thought about its consequences on the collective psyche - this is unsurprising.
Turns out, it is a rather common Indian experience. What I found interesting about Yesudas’ video was how our experiences and reactions bore such stark similarities - even though we’re from two completely different parts of the country. To blend in, I pretended to hate fish, Rabindrasangeet, and politics, among other stereotypes associated with being Bengali.
But growing up in Bihar, I was constantly mocked for belonging to a fish-loving, Rabindrasangeet-enamored, politically-enthused community. When I first watched Yesudas’ performance on YouTube last year, I could immediately relate.
Of course, she couldn’t rid herself of physical attributes like her skin color, but to “fit in,” she actively distanced herself from other aspects of her culture - like eating fish curry after her classmates once commented, “Ew, what is that? It stinks!” Growing up as a Malayali girl in Mumbai, she was tired of constantly being mocked for her cultural background. In her slam poem, Meghna Yesudas narrates an incident when someone told her, “ Tu South Indian hai na, isiliye kaali hai (You’re dark because you’re ‘South Indian’).” When she went home, she tried to scrub off her “darkness” using a variety of home remedies.
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