Brijeet's Story: The Search for a ‘Suitable’ Self. A few months before my wedding, I attended a former classmate's nuptials. Coincidentally, her traditional Punjabi Sikh wedding was being held in the same temple and reception hall where my interracial one would be held. I am Punjabi Sikh and I was about to marry a white man.
At the reception, my friend, who's beautiful and petite, wore a delicately embroidered red lehnga, a long formal outfit. The outfit transformed her into the quintessential Indian bride, who looked as though she had just stepped out of a Bollywood film. My own mother looked at her longingly and said to me, "I think we need to get you another reception outfit." I wanted to reply, "I think you need to get another daughter." But I bit my tongue.
Later, during the reception, I overheard two women comment on how fat they thought I was and how no one would ever marry me. When I nonchalantly flashed my diamond engagement ring, it shut them up.
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