Dearest gentle reader,
Though the season may be over, it is with great disdain that I say a soiree held far beyond the ton has caught this author’s attention. Netflix South Africa’s Bridgerton Affair, whilst alluring, has certainly missed the mark. It seems as though news of our season’s diamond has not travelled as much as the whispers of our lavish balls, for, in a time where the Queen longed for a gem amongst flowers, she named Miss Edwina Sharma (a dark-skinned South Asian woman) the incomparable of the season.
A dark-skinned South Asian woman named anything has long been lacking when it comes to representation, especially in Bollywood let alone Hollywood. With that in mind, dearest reader, it must be obvious why this season had the South Asian community buzzing with excitement. For not only did we see Miss Edwina Sharma as this season’s most desirable woman, we also saw her sister Kate, another beautiful and perfectly regal dark-skinned South Asian woman, as the main love interest.
From the Haldi ceremony to the embroidery on their dresses, the twang in their speech to the way Kate oiled her sister’s hair, it was quite clear that an effort had been made to highlight South Asian culture. all things which Netflix South Africa seem to have taken no notice of, seeing as the attendance of South Asian people at is affair was quite scarce and most unrepresented. It begs the question: why, in a country that prides itself on being the rainbow nation, was this event so clearly lacking diversity? If this event truly was meant to showcase what an African Bridgerton Affair would be like, why did it not represent all who live in Africa? How could this event, which was based on a show that masterfully represented South Asian culture, not have any prominent South Asian representation when South Africa has one of the largest South Asian communities outside of India?  It is not as though the South African South Asian community have only just appeared; we have been in South Africa for many generations, the first being as early as 1860.
What more is there to say other than that Netflix South Africa failed to meet the brief that they themselves set, which was to showcase what an African Bridgerton Affair would look like. And while the guests certainly embraced the theme, the guest list did not. Perhaps Netflix South Africa would have preferred the Sharmas to be working on the sugarcane fields rather than awaiting suitors to fill their dance cards.
The issue, dearest reader, is far deeper than just a lack of representation. It goes beyond simply not being seen; it gives a message. It says we do not all belong. We are not all equal. We do not all matter. Seeing dark-skinned South Asian women as leading women in a show set in the regency era did wonder for many South Asian women and children. For many years we have had to use our imagination to pretend we could be in stories like Pride and Prejudice. Thanks to Bridgerton Season 2, we no longer have to wonder. We have now seen that dark skin doesn’t mean less desirable, even though our own community would have us believe otherwise. We have now seen that we too are worthy of such romance. We have now seen ourselves as Kathani Sharma.
The significance of representation is more than just about being seen; it is about showing those who are underrepresented that they too have a place in this world. And while Bridgerton Season 2 did that all too well, Netflix South Africa did not. Is this the rainbow nation we fought so long for? We cannot heal until we have all accepted the roles that we may have played in each other’s oppression.
Yours truly,
Lady Whistledown