A lady who goes by the title Swathi V, a resident of Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam, has alleged that she was rejected from a job interview as a result of her face “lacked glow.” Swathi took to Instagram and shared her ordeal by means of a reel, which has now gone viral and evoked a plethora of responses. Swathi – who selected to not reveal the title of the corporate, asserted that the incident passed off at an English-speaking coaching centre within the southern state on April 22.
After making use of for a place on the institute, she was referred to as for an interview. Following the interview, she was knowledgeable that she had been chosen and was requested to return the following day.
Excited for her new job, she went again to the institute, and all the pieces appeared constructive. She was reportedly being defined concerning the work, and all the pieces was “clean,” she mentioned.
“Nevertheless, on my subsequent go to, a senior girl on the establishment, who had most likely been observing me throughout the course of, referred to as me right into a cabin for a personal dialog. There, she instructed me that I used to be ‘not well-groomed,’ ‘not welcoming sufficient,’ that I had a ‘pretend smile,’ and — most painfully — that my ‘face lacked the glow’ they have been on the lookout for,” Swathi mentioned.
“Whereas she insisted it was not about my pores and skin color, in South Indian contexts, ‘glow’ typically implies being fair-skinned. Her feedback made it very clear that my darker complexion was seen as a adverse. It was devastating to be judged not for my capabilities or character, however for my look — one thing I can’t and shouldn’t have to vary,” she added.
The incident resurfaced painful childhood recollections when she had been discriminated towards due to her pores and skin color, she claimed within the video.
Within the video, the textual content on the display screen reads: “Not certified? No, simply not light-skinned sufficient. I did not lose the job. My pores and skin did. Rejected due to my pores and skin color. The wrestle is actual.” The viral video, shared on Instagram on the account ‘lifeofswa’ sooner or later in the past, has acquired 3.3 million views from social media customers.
Many customers have been fast to react to the viral video. One consumer wrote, “Do not cry, princess, you’re the finest.” “Higher rent a mannequin and pay her sufficient? Ohh, they can not!! Do not be shy to name out these firms!!! Prefer it’s 2025 and persons are nonetheless contemplating pores and skin color a requirement for a job?” a second consumer added. “All I heard from this reel is that the interviewer desires an individual who’s welcoming and approachable, and it has nothing to do with the pores and skin. I heard you say that the interviewer mentioned it’s not about your pores and skin color, so you shouldn’t make it such a giant concern. I want you get a great job and all the perfect needs for it,” added a 3rd consumer.
