Why are so many black and Asian women desperate to be white?

An acquaintance of mine, Umi, whose family is from India, has skin the colour of dark teak and big black eyes. We are having tea in a small cafe in London. She is agitated because her younger, fairer-skinned sister has had a good marriage proposal, while Umi, who's 28, is still waiting for her Mr Right.

'What did I do wrong in previous life?' she wails. 'I will do anything to change this horrible colour, the round nose.

'And look, just look at this fat, flat Indian face; no bone shape at all. Let's go to a plastic surgeon - if two of us go, maybe we can get a discount. Buy one, get one free!'

This is not some dippy woman with more money than sense. She is a primary school teacher in a large UK city.

So when she suggests this, do I hug her and laugh companionably, or challenge her grotesque desires and values? Where do they come from? More...

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