Indian-American Doctor Confronts Racist Comments Over Bindi on Social Media Dr. Karishma Reddy, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in the United States, recently faced a wave of racist backlash after sharing an Instagram reel about her bindi, a traditional Hindu forehead mark. The post, which featured a lighthearted anecdote about a patient encounter, sparked a flood of anti-Indian comments, with some users demanding she “go back to India.” Reddy’s response to the hostility highlighted the growing prevalence of xenophobic rhetoric targeting South Asians in the U.S., even among those who claim to uphold values of compassion and inclusivity. The incident unfolded after Reddy posted a video reminiscing about a casual moment from her medical practice. The post quickly drew attention, but instead of positive feedback, it was met with a barrage of offensive remarks. Many users accused her of “worshipping cows” and mocked the cultural significance of the bindi, despite its longstanding tradition in Hinduism as a symbol of marital status and spiritual connection. Reddy expressed shock at the intensity of the backlash, noting that she had never encountered such overt anti-India sentiment in her life. “I have never seen so much anti-India rhetoric in my entire life,” Reddy said in a statement. “I might be naive to that because I’ve spent a lot of my life in a healthcare setting, where Indian people aren’t really seen as a minority. I’ve always been treated with kindness and respect by my colleagues, which made this all the more puzzling.” She emphasized that the hostility was not only hurtful but also contradictory, given the broader acceptance of Indian professionals in the medical field.#social_media #hate_speech #bindi #dr_karishma_reddy #indian_american
