Anthropological Study of Social Problems Related to Skin Color in Sri Lankan Society

This article explores the anthropological study of skin tone and related social issues in Sri Lankan society, focusing on undergraduate students at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. This study will attempt to achieve these objectives by determining the dominant social perception of skin tone, understanding the reasons for skin lightening procedures, and investigating the psychological and social consequences of the aforementioned desire. The study is based on a wide range of sources that include both primary and secondary sources to ensure rigorous analysis. The primary sources consist of data collected from 50 undergraduate students of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura as a purposive sample. The results indicate that dissatisfaction with one’s natural skin tone, social biases that promote skin color, and associated adversities such as rejection, ridicule, and emotional distress are common among women. This article emphasizes the need to redefine human diversity.