Much like racism in the United States: everyone is born into their caste.The way people perceive you is shaped by your caste, and people can usually deduce what caste you are based on your name and skin color. In India, members of the lowest caste are murdered and sexually violated weekly–and more than reported. In America, lower caste employees face discrimination regularly. When people immigrated from India to the West, they brought the caste system with them. Today, the discrimination that comes with castes existing in America is larger than the average outside spectator can see. Artists like Meena Kandasamy, Arivu, and Yogesh Maitreya are addressing the caste system. Upper caste American Hindus are being called to action to be active in dismantling castes, and having difficult conversations with parents, grandparents, family, and friends. It’s not “anti-Hindu” to talk about caste, the same way it’s not “anti-white” to talk about racism. You can also donate to and support organizations working to dismantle caste like Dalit Solidarity, Equality Labs, Dalit Camera, and Mavelinadu Collective.
Hair, in many cultures a symbol of pride amongst women, is one of the fastest growing markets. In the US, hair strands sell for up to $2000. But in South Asia, where women are selling their hair for children’s tuition, two years of growth will get you $3-7. Since there are no regulations on where hair comes from, Asian women and Hindu temples are being exploited by this industry. In 2020, $800,000 of human hair products, believed to be illegally harvested from prisoners in Uighur detention camps, was seized by customs. But there’s still no regulations to stop this from happening. China, India, MyanMar, and Bangladesh are the biggest exporters of hair, while the US is the largest importer. As consumers, here’s how we can have awareness and advocate for ethical sourcing and fair compensation.