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Identity and Belonging


 

Black – Rejection for being “Different”


Every single one of us carries different thoughts, opinions, and facial features. We come from different backgrounds, follow various traditions, and see the world in our own way. We perceive things and love differently, and all of this is what makes us feel like ourselves. We are not anyone else; we are simply ourselves.

But sometimes, society or even our own inner thoughts make us feel like these differences are flaws. It makes us want to fit into what people consider "normal" or conventional. Growing up with curly hair, something that is still not normalized in India, I didn't see other curly-haired women around me. Every heroine or girl I saw on the street had straight hair, or curls that were brushed out and conditioned to look straight.

This made me feel like my natural hair was "abnormal" and that I had to straighten it to be accepted. Being teased and advised by so many people to change my hair led me to believe I wasn't enough.

Here, that rejection is represented by the colour Black. It symbolizes the isolation felt when you are pushed away for being different, making you feel like you truly do not belong.

 

Grey – Hiding one’s true self

 

Due to these differences, you are conditioned to feel that you are not enough. To fit the standards set by society, you begin to mold yourself into someone else. You become a person who is not really you, losing the unique traits that once defined your identity. You start to believe that becoming what society expects will finally make you feel accepted and give you a sense of belonging.

I believed that if I brushed out my curls, oiled them every day, and tied them into tight braids to pretend they were straight, I would feel better. I thought the teasing would finally stop. In doing this, I hid my true self and the very thing that made me unique

This act of hiding true self is represented by the colour Grey. While the black of rejection was harsh, this grey is a blur—a middle ground where you are neither yourself nor the person society wants you to be. It is the colour of fading away into the background, where your light is dimmed just so you can disappear into the crowd.

 

White – Acceptance of individuality


Then, one day, an epiphany suddenly dawns on us. It happens when we see someone else proudly embracing the very traits we tried to hide. Or perhaps it happens when someone notices our difference and gives us a sincere compliment, not knowing it was our biggest insecurity. In that moment, we realize we never had to change a single thing.

The differences we once hated are actually what make us stand out from the crowd. They are our true selves. We understand that in the pursuit of being "normal," we were only losing who we were. Now, those insecurities that once made us feel isolated become our greatest strengths.

This stage of reclamation is represented by White. It is the colour of clarity and a fresh start. If black was the shadow of rejection and grey was the fog of hiding, white is the light that reveals our true colours. It represents the peace of finally accepting ourselves and the courage to stop blending in and start being seen.



SONA S

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