Beauty Is Not Just Skin Deep, It's Inside Out: Aditi Govitrikar

Aditi Govitrikar dons many hats, seamlessly transitioning between her roles in the world of fashion, her compelling performances in acting, and her expertise as a licenced psychologist. In conversation with SheThePeople, she shared her journey of breaking stereotypes, redefining beauty standards, and promoting well-being for women.

Reflecting on her journey which she embarked on at a relatively young age, she started the conversation by sharing how that experience influenced her personal and professional growth throughout the years.

"It completely changed my life," she recalled that when she won Mrs World (2001), it marked a significant moment in India's history; it was the first time an Indian had participated in the Mrs World pageant, despite the competition being held since 1984.

The pageants that Indian women won before her, she claims, did not have "the freedom to come out in the open and flaunt their relationship". For those who don’t know, a year before she won, Priyanka Chopra won Femina Miss World 2000, along with Lara Dutta winning Miss Universe 2000 and Dia Mirza winning Miss Asia Pacific International 2000. Hence, she believes this collective success was unprecedented for India and garnered widespread attention, but when she won, it changed the scenario for a lot of married women.

She added, "I think it was a very trendy moment as such. Unfortunately, we did not have social media at that time, but that's how life-changing it was for me."

Challenging Beauty Standards

The former model and actor is a relentless stereotype-shatter, never one to conform to the usual expectations that society imposes. When it comes to the concept of beauty, she asserted, "Today, beauty is very much dependent on your height, skin colour, the way you look, etc. What I believe is beauty is a lot deeper than that. It's not just skin deep." She is now on a mission to dismantle this conventional beauty definition and has exciting plans to make a change from her end.

In her own words, she asserted, "For Marvellous Mrs India, my beauty pageant catering to married, divorced, separated, or widowed women expanded the eligibility beyond 'Mrs' to ensure that even widowed women, regardless of their circumstances, can pursue their dream of participating in a beauty pageant."

I've coined the hashtag 'beauty inside out.' It's a reminder that beauty extends beyond appearances to how one treats others. Other than that, I'm also doing away with ageism. I'm doing away with height, weight, skin colour, language barriers, and all these issues that a woman faces.

She strongly opposes subtle microaggressions and gender-specific comments about appearance. She highlighted the double standard in language, with men often receiving remarks like, "You're looking great for your age," while women are told they have "maintained" themselves. Her mission is to address these biases in beauty pageants and promote gender-neutral language and respect for all.

The Neglected Well-Being Of Women

Discussing the reasons why women sometimes neglect their own well-being, she, as a medical professional, highlighted a common trend where women tend to place the health and happiness of their family before their own. She asserted, "While this is a commendable trait, it can have long-term consequences if they neglect their own health. Many women in their 60s and 70s face health issues and reduced mobility because they don't pay enough attention to their well-being." She strongly believes that It's crucial to strike a balance between caring for others and self-care to enjoy good health in the long run.

Self-Care Without Selfishness

But considering we live in a society where when a woman chooses self-care, it is often equated with selfishness, and that’s when a woman may feel guilt when taking time for themselves. Commenting on that, she said, "One thing we have to realise is that self-care does not mean you're selfish. There are a lot of women who feel guilty if they take out my time if they go to a gym leaving their family behind, or if they are not doing whatever, whether it's kitchen work, professional work, or whatever. So we have to realise that self-care is not being selfish. Self-care equips you to better care for your family and enjoy good health for an extended period, something everyone should prioritise."

Embracing Mental Well-Being

In her roles as a wellness coach and psychologist, she stressed the significance of women tending to their mental well-being. While many focus on physical health, she emphasised the need for women to recognise the importance of mental well-being and explore various methods to nurture it.

She advised, "Once you become aware of your emotions, you can take action. If you're feeling low or not quite yourself, it's essential to seek help, whether from a therapist, counsellor, or trusted friend. Keeping emotions bottled up can lead to problems. It's vital to recognise your feelings and take steps to address them. The path to overcoming a negative state varies for each person, so identifying the right approach for yourself is key. It all starts with self-awareness."

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