Harsh realities of arranged marriages that are often glossed over

It is often said that if you want something to work, you must trust in the process. However, this is easier said than done when you are looking for your soulmate who you hope to wed. Mainly because many opine that arranged marriages are a process where they feel judged in an environment that is prejudiced against them. Nevertheless, if you hope to find a spouse via an arranged marriage, then you must acquaint yourself with the harsh realities of the process.

Body-shaming gets brutal

Whether someone is overweight, has physical flaws like cases of acne, thinning hair or baldness and alopecia, the process can feel unforgiving to them. Brides are often body shamed for being obese when people seek women with an hour-glass figure. On the other hand, men are discriminated against for being shorter than the girl, having male pattern baldness or other apparent flaws. Apart from simply eliminating the profile, in many instances the parents of the bride or groom tend to pick you apart and list all the things they dislike about you, which can be a blow to your self-esteem. After all, everyone deserves to find their spouse without being criticised or judged.

Misogyny

The system of arranged marriages is somewhat biased toward men in most regions. The girl's family is expected to exert extra attention, efforts and be somewhat subservient to the potential groom and his family. They are also expected to shower gifts on the groom in place of dowry and compromise in situations to accommodate the interests of the boy's family merely because they have a girl child they seek to marry off.

Blatant colorism

There can be a huge bias when it comes to the color of your skin. Most matrimonial ads in India seek fair brides and grooms as the shocking prejudice simply excludes dusky individuals from the process in several cases. Furthermore, people with a wheatish complexion are considered lucky should they bag a fair spouse.

Such blatant colorism can be hurtful to individuals who wish to find their match in an environment without bias.