The desire for lighter skin...?

Question

Why do some Indians, Asians, Africans and black South Americans desire using various chemicals to lighten their skin, when it ends up unnaturally discoloring it (not lighter, just yellow)? Is this one of the the negative influences of European colonization?

Good point about the tanning thing. I posed the question in response to seeing another question inquiring about lightening cream. Also whenever I go in to African braid shops, invariably there is 1 woman there that has attempted to lighten her skin and it looks like a stain.

To Common Sense, Most if not all of W Africa was colonized by the French, British or Portuguese. In S. America it was colonization/settling by the Portugese and Spanish. India was colonized by the British. Vietnam is heavily influnced by the French. Thailand is the only Asian country that has never been colonized, settled or invaded by a European influence. I am not racist, I just would people would appreciate their differences and stop trying to conform. Why are people so quick to accuse of racism on this site????

Gustavo CL: Its true, there are skin lightners in S. America. Check out this article: http://ezinearticles.com/?Choose-Your-Skin-Lightening-Products-Wisely&id=265057

Answer 1

Wow, Ckarri'...um...as a dark-skinned female who was always teased 4 being "DARK," u r among few I have ever heard say that...

As 4 the question, I guess ppl r just never happy NO matter what

Answer 2

My take? Could be cultural. Or even based in religion. Darkness and anything black is suppose to be evil. Light, white, etc, holy and good.

Cultural, I have spoken with and had affirmed by scholarly writings ideals of some "old school" Asian(you know? Before many of you were born) Specially Japan. And way before they were occupied by the US at the end of WWII. But they desired to shed themselves of old culture of Shogunism and such and embrace what was western. Suits with ties, etc. America has had an influence on many nations(even if they would not admit it)for a long long time. Many of those latent traits and Ideals carried on. even at the time of WWII people in Japan desired to have wider eyes and keener noses. those who did were seen as more desired and attractive then those with smaller more almond eyes and flatter noses. And Japan is a culture that seem, from what I was told and from some writings read, a nation where honor and status was important. You would not have your kid marrying or mating with someone not your class equal. But Japan was not the only nation like that. India is one that still is.

Anytime you bring up something about race that ain't kissing someones a** it is accused of being racist. Specially here in America because we do not want to admit we are not 100% politically correct and color blind. Race here is like going to the swankiest BBQ of the year and seeing a 27 ft anaconda with a big lump in its middle next to a overturned stroller. everyone see it but no one wants to say the obvious; "what is this snake doing here and is anyone missing a kid?" they would rather just try to ignore it and enjoy the music.

Answer 3

It's a crazy, weird little world, but you can't really blame the Europeans if people use artificial garbage because they do not love themselves. BTW, I'm half Native American (Shawnee nation) and half white European.

I'm pretty much white on the outside except for my slightly shorter, ultra-wide body and some NA facial features. If I get a lot of sun, instead of turning red or dark, I get huge freckled spots that are almost black. I look like coffee and cream that didn't mix at all. Still, I have enough sense to not use artificial crap to darken or whiten myself. I'd rather look like me, warts and all, than to maybe end up looking like Michael Jackson.

I figure who cares what bigots and superficial people think? If they can't see what a beautiful person I am on the inside, if all they see is some kind of "leopard man" who looks a little different than them, who needs them anyway? I don't.

I'd rather have one true friend than all the racists, closet racists, and phony butt-kissers in the world, no matter what color they are on the outside. I'm with the people here who say to embrace diversity and embrace yourself. There is no one true color to try to strive for. We're all beautiful just the way we are. We've come a long way, and we have a little further to go.

The key is, you have to love and embrace yourself before you can love and embrace anyone else.

Answer 4

It IS one of the negative influences of colonisation. unfortunately, many people have got the belief that light skin is the only way to beauty, intelligence, power and such things.
Media has also got its part in this belief. luckily, nowadays advertisings and films feature people of various ethnicities which helps to break down the belief that light skin and blonde hair are the necessary requirements to be beautiful.
It's ridiculous though. Because each and every one have got a skin type and colour adapted to the weather they live in. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Answer 5

it seems that people act like light skin is of beauty than of just the skin tone that people are born with. the colonization in their country in history is just an wanted thing. in Brazil for example,blacks don't have opportunities like in America to have placed in the upper or even middle class because of racism and put automatically in the lower class for being born black. i don't think people want to be like the lighter skin people who make a big deal out of nothing.

Answer 6

Look I am South American and I have never seen any South America black using chemical to light the skin.

Christina: are you daring to say that Brazil has more racism than USA???

Answer 7

Not for the Asians, especially the Chinese, including those in Taiwan. It's been a traditional Chinese viewpoint that women SHOULD have light skin, which is a measurement for beauty. But then the color of one's skin is someone born with, and it's hard to change it. I've seen some Asian women with really white skin, and it's so white that it kind of looks pale. I don't see blood vessles!!! It looks kind of scary to me because it doesn't look very healthy. On one occasion I saw a young woman, maybe a high school girl, with white skin and a patch of redness on her cheeks. She looks pretty to me because she looks very healthy although white. I'd suggest people not to change the color of their skin because in the end they may look unnatural.

Answer 8

This used to be true for white people too. Women actually used to take Arsnic to make their skin white and translucent. Lot of dead pale ladies. Ever see photos from the 1800's of women wearing gloves and carrying parasols to shade them from the sun? The whole deal was that if you were poor you HAD to work outdoors raising crops, etc. and got darker. If you were wealthy, you were able to stay indoors and had lighter skin. Bottom line for ALL colors was: wealthy=lighter skin, poor=tanned skin.

Answer 9

Many of the nations you describe were never European colonies
and very few remain so today...
Even fewer of the dark nationals in question were ever under colonial rule..
I believe it is simply the cultural norm that modern beauty is considered to be light tan skin, large breasts, full lips, round butt,
straight hair, no fat and no body hair.....These are not all exactly purely European traits...I believe the accuracy of your premise is suffering from racism or prejudice ....

Answer 10

This is all over the world.

I think that in everyone, there is something we don't like in ourselves. I believe that some things can be changed, but more than likely depending on what it is, it cannot be changed.

Some people are not very secure about how they look and think that if they change, they will be happy or make someone else happy.

It is ok if they do it for themselves, not for someone else.

I have freckles that I would love to disappear, but know that they are a part of me and I have to accept them. It is hard to accept when you are constantly looking for ways to look like someone else or have something else that others have.