“A few years ago, the stereotypical view of beauty was defined as being a ‘perfect’ size, fair shade, perfectly groomed and with perfect hair.

“As a result of these standards, there were many occasions where I felt like I didn’t fit a specific standard, from going through university as well as in my corporate career.

“I used to struggle with becoming darker in the sun as I tanned easily and it used to knock my confidence, especially growing up in a society where being fair was considered beautiful. It also used to make me feel like I stood out even more for the wrong reasons.

“I often felt being a woman of colour, I was never picked for those glamorous corporate shots for the website at work or taken seriously as some of my peers in the board room.

“It was always the judgement that came with the way I looked too. That if I looked a certain way surely English wasn’t my first language (it is) or the comments such as ‘Oh we like curry. Do you eat curry every day?’

“It wasn’t until 2017 when I left my corporate career and decided to pave my own way that I embraced my unique identity and culture. Since then I don’t care if I tan or look different, dress different or even wear a fusion of western and Indian clothes. It is part of my identity and it took me a long time to come to terms with and accept that.”

Sharon Gaffka

“How I learned to love my features and ditch Eurocentric beauty standards”