Fatima Lodhi

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Fatima Lodhi
Born (1989-09-29) September 29, 1989 (age 35)
Karachi, Pakistan
OccupationSocial activist
Years active2008–

Fatima Lodhi (born 29 September 1989) is a Pakistani social activist and campaigner against colourism known as the "Champion of Diversity."

Contents

Early life and education

Lodhi is the granddaughter of a former All India Cricketer and Karachi selector, Abbas Khan Lodhi. She was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and brought up in Islamabad. [1] She received her early education from St. Patrick's School[ citation needed ] and has studied towards a masters degree in Philosophy. [1]

Activism

In 2008, she facilitated training for 'inclusive education' British Council workshops and to We Can End Violence Against Women. In 2011, she participated in Rotaract. She has advocated for the rights of the acid burn victims and has been stating against HIV/AIDS, SRHR, and violence against women.[ citation needed ]

Lodhi launched a global anti-colourism campaign Dark is Divine in September 2013, which she stated is for both women and men. [2] [3] [4] She has described her experiences of the negative impacts of colourism when growing up and the pressure to lighten her skin as "no one will marry you." [5] Her campaign has involved a combination of sharing her message on social media, challenging advertising companies, school outreach work, seminars and grassroots activism. [6] [7] As of 2024, the Dark is Divine movement had become active in 20 countries. [8]

In January 2025, Lodhi spoke to the international affairs and diplomatic magazine Observer Diplomat about the opposition she has faced since launching the Dark is Divine campaign, but how since the launch there has been increased media representation of dark-skinned women in Pakistan and meaningful discussions about how addressing colourism is vital for fostering inclusivity. [9]

Talks

Lodhi had spoken as a motivational speaker at national and international public forums. In 2015, Lodhi delivered a TEDx talk at the University of Gujrat alongside Mir Mohammad Ali Khan and Sania Saeed and moderated a panel discussion at the International Women Empowerment Conference. [10]

In 2022, Lodhi appeared as a guest speaker on the PTV WORLD programme Rising Pakistan on World Day of Acceptance. [11]

Awards

In 2014, Lodhi was awarded the Woman of Excellence award, [1] and in 2015, the Young Woman Leadership Award. [12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nawaz, Muhammad Asif (2015). "Dark is divine". The News International. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  2. ↑ Ali, Syed Hamad (July 22, 2015). "Activist fights bias against dark skin". Gulf News. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  3. ↑ Filippi, Alyssa-Claire (August 19, 2019). "Who's the fairest of them all? How about, who cares?". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  4. ↑ Waraich, Sonia (July 6, 2015). "Forget Fair and Lovely, Dark is Divine: Pakistan's First Anti-colorism Campaign". India West. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  5. ↑ Khanna, Nikki (March 10, 2020). Whiter: Asian American Women on Skin Color and Colorism. New York University Press. p. 19. ISBN   978-1-4798-0029-2.
  6. ↑ Maher, Heather (June 2015). Redefining Beauty. The Rotarian, Rotary International. p. 11.
  7. ↑ Tharps, Lori L. (October 3, 2017). Same Family, Different Colors: Confronting Colorism in America's Diverse Families. Beacon Press. p. 128. ISBN   978-0-8070-7108-3.
  8. ↑ Bhatt, Purnima Mehta (August 12, 2024). 'Dying' to be White: The Obsession with Fair Skin in India and the Global South. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   978-1-040-12191-7.
  9. ↑ Observer Diplomat (January 26, 2025). Fatima Lodhi: Pioneering the Fight Against Colorism with 'Dark Is Divine' . Retrieved February 18, 2025– via YouTube.
  10. ↑ "Theme: String the Pearls of Time". www.ted.com. April 6, 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  11. ↑ Rising Pakistan (Fatima Lodhi - Social Activist | Guest Segment) - 07/07/2022 (Television production) (in Hindi). July 7, 2022 – via YouTube.
  12. ↑ "PUAN-IWEC 2015 on Twitter". Twitter.com. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
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