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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know . i i i . – t ’ a l y n t k News India Times (February 28, 2026 - March 6, 2026) March 6, 2026 12 Lifestyle Ask Sahaj: After So Many Racist Incidents, I’m Afraid White People Think I’m Ugly D ear Sahaj: I have a hard time accepting that White people might find me physically attrac- tive, frommy face especially. I am not trying to earn the validation of beauty fromWhite people, but I want to be a contender. I don’t want them to rule out that I could be beautiful due to my brown skin or hijab. I don’t feel you can have a true friendship without believing the other person is beautiful, as those you love always become beautiful to you. I also want men to see me as an equal option like White women or any type of woman. Basically, I have a deep fear my brown skin and hijab will make me unat- tractive to other people. It’s not a huge deal if I don’t know the person, but I don’t want to have this struggle in my close relationships withWhite people; I want to trust they see my beauty and wholeness. It’s natural to want to feel beautiful and accepted fully for who you are and like your identity markers won’t make you disgusting or icky in someone’s eyes. I’ve had so many bad experiences – like being told that South Asian noses look like rat noses in high school, or that I can’t be liked by boys because I’m too desi and too “covered” as a Muslim. I don’t see myself reflected as love interests in media. White people have said so many unkind and devaluing things to me that I feel they will always view me as inferior. My experiences have lodged these fears within me, even if I know intellectually they are not true. Please help. - Beauty Beauty: You need to accept that the messaging about beauty standards you’ve internalized is rooted in white supremacy and colonialism. These beauty standards don’t represent or reflect your skin color, your culture or your physical attributes. This is a much bigger issue regarding power, superiority and worthiness. Of course these standards are going to make you feel unattractive. They weren’t created for you; in fact, they are founded on a belief that you, me and other people of color are inferior because of our race. That’s why healing frommainstream beauty standards is a radical act, and it starts with self-love. I understand having previous experiences that rein- force beliefs that you are unattractive, but you use words like “icky” and “disgusting” that are harsh and riddled with shame. So that raises the question: What do you love about yourself?What factors, other than body image, contribute to your self-esteem? And how often do you spend time actually telling yourself that you are worthy and beautiful?When I work with clients who struggle with these same feelings, I will ask them to spend time looking in a mirror every morning and saying nice things about themselves. This helps build self-compassion and reframe negative self-talk. After all, being able to affirm yourself has to come from within. No matter how much other people find you attractive or love you, if you don’t believe you are worthy, then it will never feel true. Even more, decolonizing your beauty standards can come down to divesting your self-worth from “beauty” altogether. Believing someone is beautiful transcends physical appearance, so I encourage you to consider other qualities that you find beautiful, too. Maybe it’s confidence or being able to express unfiltered joy. Maybe it’s curiosity or a positive attitude. What makes you feel good about yourself? Focusing on these qualities can increase levels of self-esteem and, by default, can make you feel good about, and in, your body. As you unlearn theseWestern ideals of beauty, I en- courage you to explore ways to relish in your cultural and ethnic differences and feel pride in them. Maybe it’s find- ing ways to express yourself through style with your hijab or dress. Or maybe it’s expanding and diversifying your friend group (through local community or online ones like Brown Girl Therapy) to meet people who look like you. Or maybe it’s through being more intentional about your social media and media consumption. Thankfully, there’s increased representation in books and media that can help you detach from these standards imposed on you. These changes may also help you feel connected to where – and who – you come from. Also, I wonder about your saying that “true friendship” means “believing the other person is beautiful.”What do you mean by that? Do you really value your friends based on their external beauty, or is it – as I imagine – that you find your friends beautiful after getting to know and like them? I encourage you to challenge your idea of beauty in friendships. I also hear concern that even in your “close relationships” you don’t feel a sense of security or chem- istry. What does it mean to you – specifically – to have your beauty and wholeness seen in these friendships? I wonder if you have specific needs that aren’t being met currently, causing you to feel poorly about yourself. If this is the case, this may require honest conversations about – and even a reevaluation of – your relationships. Keep in mind that not everyone is going to think you are beautiful. And that’s okay! If people don’t give you a chance and have biases at first glance, that says way more about them than it does about you and your beauty. Ultimately, I want you to remember: You deserve to feel beautiful and you are worthy – regardless of looking differ- ent from what you have been taught about beauty. Sahaj Kaur Kohli is a therapist and the creator of Brown Girl Therapy. (This article first appeared July 18, 2024 in TheWashington Post Syndicated Service) By Sahaj Kaur Kohli PHOTO:@sahajkaurkohli.com I n the Blink of an Eye (PG-13) Age 13+ Slow sci-fi drama with mature themes, sex and blood. Director Andrew Stanton’s sci-fi drama “In the Blink of an Eye” follows three different storylines spanning across the Neanderthal era, modern day and the distant future that explore the topics of emotional connection, the life cycle and the human experience. The film’s big ideas, heavy emotional themes and slow build may not appeal to kids who are looking for a straightforward and easy-to- digest narrative. Expect some peril, bloody images, childbirth scenes, death, grief and loss. Sexual content includes a couple of sex scenes and discussions about porn and artificial embryonic/fetal develop- ment. Occasional language includes a few uses of “s--t,” “damn,” “hell,” “freak,” “stupid,” “gosh,” “God” and “oh my God.” Characters infrequently drink wine and text about being “drunk” and “hungover.” Kate McKinnon, Rashida Jones and Dav- eed Diggs star. (94 minutes) Hulu/Disney+ K-Pops! (PG-13) Age 10+ Fun music, lots of laughs in slightly salty dad-son comedy. “K-Pops!” is a music-infused family comedy that centers on a K-Pop competi- tion show bringing together drummer BJ (Grammy-winning musician Anderson .Paak, who also directed and co-wrote the film) and his estranged child, Tae Young (.Paak’s real-life son, Soul Rasheed). There’s kissing and cleavage, as well as flirtatious, food-related innuendo (i.e. “he wants to pork you”). Other language in- cludes bleeped use of “f--k” (on the show), plus “ass,” “s--t,” “sucks,” “oh my God,” “Jesus Christ,” etc., as well as fart jokes. Some scenes are set in a bar, and patrons and musicians are seen with drinks. The story leans more heavily on comedy than emotion, but, beneath the laughs, it does thoughtfully depict aspects of both Korean and Black identity, and there are themes of communication and perseverance. (114 minutes) Theaters The Bluff (R) Age 16+ Vengeful pirates go on killing spree; nonstop violence. Age rating: 16 “The Bluff” is an action-packed pirate thriller set in the 1800s. Nonstop violence includes dozens of close-range murders by gun, sword, knife, explosion, behead- ing, alligator attacks and more. Characters are also beaten and threatened, including women and children, and characters lose loved ones in battle. A woman who was enslaved at age 12 had to learn to kill to survive. People smoke and chew tobacco. A flashback shows a couple in a bath together, and there’s kissing. Language includes “asses” and “hell.” Priyanka Cho- pra Jonas, playing a retired captain with a bloody past, leads a diverse international cast. (101 minutes) Prime Video Matter of Time (PG-13) Age 11+ Gamer tries to beat time in friendship- focused drama. “Matter of Time” is a sci-fi drama about a young video game developer named Charlie (Myles Erlick) who uses a special ring to manipulate time. The story focuses heavily on friendship, forgiveness and teamwork. Language includes sparing use of “f--k,” plus “crap,” “idiot,” “pissed,” and “oh my God.” There’s video game violence (i.e. shooting monsters), and the main character’s mother dies early in the film (other than her, there’s only one key female character). Adult characters drink alcohol, and there’s kissing, plus a scene of a man who’s implied to be naked run- ning out of a bathroom (his bare torso is shown). (104 minutes) -Special to TheWashington Post What To Watch With Your Kids: ‘K-Pops!,’ ‘In The Blink Of An Eye,’ And More By Common Sense Media