Fairness creams: Stop the negative messages

Fairness creams: Stop the negative messages

Kudos to Indian film actor Abhay Deol for finally unleashing the topic that most celebrities wouldn’t dare to comment on – fairness cream advertisements. Why is this eternal craving for being fair so important in people’s lives? I feel partly due to the age old traditions we have been brought up to believe in and to a larger extent the endorsements by our dear actors in the magnanimous film industry.

I loved his statement that what looks good is in fact, demeaning, false and racist. The drive and the awareness needs to be created that we are beautiful the way we are. We see so many cases of depression, bullying and feeling unwanted in society. These reactions are drawn to a great extent by what the media posts and due to superficial beliefs.

From Ms Shalini Menezes

UAE

Why smoke?

Smoking is bad for your body and your overall health (‘Smoking to kill 200m in China this century: WHO’, Gulf News, April 15). There are many side effects that can hurt and even kill your body. It also can harm your lungs and make it hard for you to breathe. When you look at the statistics, I don’t understand why people smoke.

From Ms Maggie Veronica

Waterford, Ireland

Facebook comment

Lessons to be learnt

The recent outcome of the Indian state of New Delhi’s by-poll results was favourable for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and next for Congress (‘Assembly by-polls: Three seats to Congress, five to BJP’, Gulf News, April 14). However, their defeat in Karnataka, India was not a good indication for the general election next year. They should have a good strategy and win the confidence of the people. Regarding Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) defeat, this is due to its leader Arvind Kejriwal’s recent arrogant behaviour with the election results, blaming the election machine. Delhi’s people showed their power. It’s a good lesson for AAP.

From Mr K. Ragavan

Bengaluru, India

Raising responsible children

The seatbelt safety measures are a good initiative from the authorities (‘Seatbelts should also be mandatory on school buses’, Gulf News, April 14). Seatbelt regulations in school buses are important for our children to learn this safety measure at a school level. It will help their habits later in life if they have always had to wear one wherever they are.

School bus attendants need to ensure all children on board are properly buckled up before the journey begins. The new improved generation of pupils will become responsible people. I think that when they start driving, such types of safe driving initiatives will make for more disciplined and safety abiding residents in the country.

There are cases where bus attendants never get up from their seat when a child boards the bus. Who will ensure their proper duty procedures and avoid untoward incidents?

Collecting children from their door steps should be stopped. Instead, there should be designated areas where all children from a neighbourhood could gather and board the buses for school.

From Mr M. K. Gunaseelan

Abu Dhabi

Think twice about gadgets

I feel the news about the school’s action’s should reach all parents (‘UK school seizes console from pupils home’, Gulf News, April 12). I am a paediatrician and practicing in Abu Dhabi. During my interaction with parents, I found that most of the families are struggling with injudicious use of electronic gadgets (smartphones and game consoles) by children, leading to a deterioration of school grades and compromising the children’s physical and psychological health. Parents are finding it difficult to cope with the situation.

Usually I find that parents buy these gadgets thinking it will bring them happiness, but often they are ignorant of the addictive potential.

In my opinion, it’s a trap where the sellers are only concerned with profit, without looking into the social aspect of the gadgets they are selling. Prevention is the best cure, so I would request most readers to not buy smartphones or gaming consoles for school-going children, else you are going to invite the long lasting ill effects it has on children.

Instead help them develop the habit of reading. It will broaden their thinking and make their study books enjoyable.

From Dr Harish Gupta

Abu Dhabi

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