undoubtedly, there is a lot of cultural baggage that has somehow been left onboard as the rest of the world moved on and jetted to newer destinations. i acknowledge that back in days of emperors, eunuchs and concubines, the fairness of one's complexion was proportional to the status of one's background and family ~ in other words, "a porcelain-like white face is the feminine ideal, reflecting a long-held belief that pale skin represents a comfortable life." in layman's terms, it reads: look like you've had the living hell scared out of you and other people will assume you're from a tycoon's family.
i don't get it, i really don't. is that really all there is to beauty? can i look like the phantom of the opera (the one as described in the book, not the movie versions. all the movie versions are rather charming *grin*) and be called beautiful because i've got a white face... well mask rather. wait a sec, the phantom's a guy. would you call a guy "whose skin now resembles a pink-white peony" handsome or would you call him a freak? where does michael jackson fit into this spectrum of beauty then? oh wait, he doesn't. according to one of the women obsessing over becoming whiter,
Any whiter, Qiu said, and you look sickly.
"Then they look like Michael Jackson," she said. "He looks terrible."
ah-huh.
forget the cultural stuff, forget the hidden prejudices and political correctness... ie: "But others — younger, American-born Asians — question whether the obsession with an ivory complexion has more to do with blending into white American culture, or even a subtle prejudice against those with darker skin."
why the hell would you wear something like this, besides having a fetish for welders. note her poncho. oh dear gawd, whyyyy...?! it's see-thru for goodness sakes.. frosted, but still see-thru. that's supposed to keep the sun from tanning her? wait a sec, maybe she wears it to remind herself that it's the shade of her ultimate skin tone. apparently, she bought a whole bunch from taiwan and passed one to her 22 year old daughter who uses it every day as she walks to her college classes. i wonder if the mother's ever walked with her all the way to class to make sure the kid's got it on her head the whole time. having been in several parent-induced embarrasing situations, i can relate to the 22yo daughter if you told me that she wore that thing out her front door and promptly stuffed it in her backpack as her mother waved goodbye and shut the door. i would've done the same. i HAVE done the same, except with a fanny pack among other things. my mother forgets it's not the 80s anymore and fluorescent yellow fanny packs aren't exactly my thing now.
and this!!
Mar, who grew up in Taiwan and oversaw the Chinese-American Debutante Guild in Irvine for a few years, said she tries her best to stay indoors between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. So do her friends, with whom she often goes on morning walks.
a mental picture of some 50 year old chinese lady jumping from shady spot to shady spot in her own house comes to mind. it's like the wicked witch of the west, but with sun instead of water! to have your life dictated by where the sun strikes... i can't imagine the pain. obviously, they're ok with it but it just makes me wonder if there's anything else more exciting in their lives than to play hide-and-seek with the sun. i know i'm being harsh here, for other people may label me as having a pitiful life consisting of sleeping, classes, blogging, eating, sleeping but hey, i have dreams and aspirations and my aim is life isn't to bleach myself as white as possible.
oh dear women, you make me embarrased to be associated with anything chinese. to pursue something with such obscession makes me wonder if some cognitive behavioral therapy might help you more than shisheido's UV white toners. why, oh why... please enlighten me. please do.
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