'He married you for green card': American woman living in India shares a 'sample' of racist comments she faced from trolls

Time of India

5 days ago

An American woman named Jessica, who has made India her home for nearly two decades, recently went viral on Instagram after she posted a video shedding light on the discrimination faced by foreigners, particularly white women, married to Indian men. Through her post, she revealed the kind of cruel, baseless remarks often thrown at women like her, prompting widespread reactions from users across the internet.In the video, Jessica walks through a bustling Indian bazaar, calmly going about her day. But the peace in her video contrasts with the hostile comments she says she often receives. Some of these include accusations that her husband married her only to gain access to a green card, that she ruined her life by settling in India, or that her children are unfortunate not to have inherited her white skin tone. She even recounted being pitied for marrying someone with a darker complexion. Jessica pointed out that this is just a glimpse of the colorism, racism, and obsession with Western identity she endures regularly.The reel quickly gained traction, racking up over 210,000 views. It opened a floodgate of comments, many from individuals who related to the hateful stereotypes or who were disturbed by how deeply rooted such prejudices remain.Several users chimed in with their own stories. One person highlighted how the green card accusation seems to be the most frequent insult aimed at interracial couples. Another expressed disbelief at how people make such outrageous assumptions, sharing how they too had faced similar criticism. Someone else noted that aside from the expected offensive remarks, there's often an unhealthy fascination with the appearance of children in mixed-race families, particularly when they have fairer complexions.The reactions didn't stop with India. Others shared that this form of judgment and stereotyping is rampant in several countries outside the Western world—including parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America—suggesting the issue is global rather than localized.Despite the negativity, some followers encouraged Jessica to continue turning these unpleasant experiences into teachable moments, offering strength and perspective to others in similar situations.Apart from social media, Jessica contributes positively by teaching Hindi through her podcast, Learn Hindi With Me, and her online Hindi learning app, Learn Hindi Anywhere, which have helped countless learners appreciate Indian culture and language more deeply.Jessica is married to a local man and has a son and a daughter.