Black folks aren’t the only ones with skin colour issues. Indian media promotes fair skin and skin lightening products are most abundant and accessible. When I lived in Mexico, the darker skinned kids were routinely ridiculed and called “Negro”, and the “prettiest” girls were always the ones with the fairer skin and more European features. The paradigm of “Light is right” is deeply ingrained into the cultural fabric of many non-White communities on the planet.
China is no different. People in Hong Kong avoid the sun like the plague. When I go to the drugstore to purchase beauty products, I have to be careful not to buy one with skin lightening agents- they are that common and popular here. About 50% of all beauty products (lotions, face washes, etc) on the shelves here have some sort of skin bleaching chemical in them.
Anyway, this is nothing new. I’m well aware of the racial hierarchy where Whiteness is revered and Blackness/Darkness/Coloured-ness is reviled (or at the very least, undesirable). I’m not going to beat a dead horse by getting into all of the racial and social implications (and how I feel about them) here.
But I did think to write this post because of what I saw a couple of weeks ago whilst strolling around the Kowloon side of Hong Kong on a sunny day:
106 Comments
Wow that is serious… Maybe they are scared of getting cancer??? LMAO I kid I kid.
gurrrl….i thought africans were the worst, i def learned they weren't when i was in HK this summer. And when buying skincare products, that is something i observed. I was also in Loas this summer and IMO, they are worst than HK folks.
Many of the international students from Asia do the same thing here in the States. Sun's out? Umbrella must be open. If they don't have an umbrella, it's usually a ridiculously wide-brimmed hat. These scenes often make my days of working on campus during Summer session more comical.
same in Japan skin whitening marked on almost everything, same thing as in your pictures in summer, the kids who are naturally dark are called black etc. I saw a similar attitude in India, Laos, Vietnam and to a lesser extent other South Asian countries. I found Hong Kong people to be very racist, I have been there about 4 times and each time reinforces this.
In the summer I can kinda see using an umbrella in the concrete jungle on a totally blistering hot day, it will keep you a few degrees cooler. I can't bring myself to use one, but I don't begrudge the little old ladies toting home a load of groceries in their little grocery carts the use of an umbrella. But those folks were all in long pants and heavy coats. And trying to walk down the street dodging umbrellas is a pain. Just use the dang sunscreen and bleaching products and don't poke my eye out please.
@msBeautySoul: Yeah right! You are bad for that one! LOL
@chizzyd: For real?? What did you see in Laos?
@aunaptural: I think it looks ridiculous, but then, who am I to judge? Then again, I guess I AM judging by writing this post… So annoying though!
@kimvan: ooh!! What were your experiences in Hong Kong? I've found some people to be rude, but not particularly racist.
@nataliegoes: your post made me laugh so hard! I would be in agreement EXCEPT that the skin lightening creams here are soooo prevalent that I know that it has more to do with not getting dark as opposed to protecting from sun/heat. Just checked out your blog! Cool that you're in Macau! How are you enjoying?
I always stop over there for a day or 2. I am never ever allowed to come out of the airport after clearing customs without my bag being put in the x-ray machine again. Every time this happens I am the lone person there while everyone else is allowed to go on their merry way. I am always bellowed at 'africa? africa?' then escorted into the little corner just before coming out of the exit gate. Then this last time as I boarded the airport bus the driver didn't even look at my ticket before pointing out I can't use it. Of course I promptly sat and paid him no attention. Can I go on about some of the immigration officers. Of course I met nice people there but these experiences left a bad taste in my mouth.
In laos, i tried to take pics with some of the university students i spent time with. When i tried this they would say "noooo, i'm too black, too ugly" (keep it mind they are only a little darker than HK folks)….it wasn't only the girls that had issues, some of the males/females would ask me why i was so confident since I'm black. (My traveling team consisted of all white ppl and me). Alot of people in that region have serious self-esteem issues.
@kimvan: yikes!!! then again, macau, they made me do the same thing when I was walking through immigration… liebling was able to walk through no problems but they stopped me…
@chizzyd: that is soooo sad.
i have not traveled extensively but i am planning to do so. however these testimonies give me pause. having grown up in America this color complex thing is not new to me but that it is so pervasive around the world is beyond disappointing. it's disturbing.
@chizzyd I totally get you. I walked out of a hotel I had stayed in in Vientiane because I was told 'they don't like dealing with black people' all because I wanted to pay in the Laos currency and not US dollars. arente you should travel because the saying that what don't kill you will make you stronger is true.
Oh ya i totally had a harder time getting past immigration than my (white) teammates. Maybe its my very Nigerian name? My brown skin? don't know.whatever.
@kimvan…you know i wondered if i would have been treated differently if i hadn't traveled with white ppl…oh well..
@arente….this world is not a fair place for BW, but NEVER, I repeat NEVER allow that to stop you from doing whatever it is you want to do. Understand your own privilege and use it to your advantage. I think i will blog this topic soon.
@gohard: preach! that's good advice.
@arente: gohard is right! don't let anybody stop you from seeing the world… there are idiots everywhere, unfortunately.
I remember seeing Asian women, or more specifically Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese women (but not so much Laotian or Cambodian women…I actually saw several who were about the same complexion as me) with umbrellas when it was hot as crap outside during my trip to Asia a few years back. I (naively) thought it was to help stay cooler in the heat by preventing the sun from beating directly down on them. But then we had a couple of milder, but still sunny days on the trip and I still saw the umbrellas. It took a talk with a friend of mine who's been living in Japan for a few years now to explain to me that they're not trying to keep cooler, they're trying not to get brown. *SMH*
Oh, I totally agree that the skin creams are everywhere. And a little scary. These whiteners have got to have some side effects. And I'm too white as it is, I like the sun and getting a little color. I get any whiter and I'll just become transparent.
I like Macau, it's really bizarre. But I'd like it better if I found a job. But if you if you come over I'd be glad to show you around.
@ABCiE: crazy, right? meanwhile, i'm out in the sun trying to get a richer, more even, chocolate tone…
@nataliegoes: same goes for you! if you come to hong kong, be sure to contact me! we can observe chinese people with umbrellas together.. ;-0
Just watch this advertisement and count how many statements will sound racist to you.
There are tens (maybe hundreds) of such ads in China, Japan, India…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpJeV2D8bd8
I will only bring the two last.
"Whiter –> Better. We can prove it!"
"Defy color"
@Crystal- yikes!!
I spent 6 months is Bangladesh and everyday a street vendor tired to sell me a Fair and Lovely product. It’s so sad!!!
Aquellos gastos urgentes colectivamente acaecen en el momento que menos distancia aguarda, con insignificante entretanto el conclusión sobre semana. Con la finalidad de los interesados en comparación a usan préstamos bancarios, puede ser cierto formidable cuestión. Aquellos bancos solo operan concerniente a lunes durante viernes cuidadosamente cuadro retrasado, podemos mencionar, generalmente inclusive las 18: 00. Durante la moda, significar que está absurdo conseguir apoyo financiero cuando yace extremadamente esencial. Encontramos en los tiempos que corren los préstamos nanay bancarios modo una contestación con las inversiones en penurias por otra parte expectativas al comprar personas cuyos gastos continuamente sorprenden la remate relativo a semana. Alcanzas lograr esta clase porque préstamos propios nadie solamente aquellos tiempos laborables, sombra incluso los sábados y domingos. El excepción son encontramos en los tiempos que corren los fechas festivos: referente a los días libres, esta clase relacionado con instalaciones nanay bancarias no funcionan. Mi existe un fabuloso remedio debido a la cual podrás lograr guita con el objetivo de gastos imprevistos de manera rápida y privado moverte concerniente a casa. Sin embargo, antes de en comparación a decidas rentabilizar un oferta concreta, conoce ella ranking concerniente a préstamos rápidos concerniente a cese fuerte semana. Compruebe qué casa brinda la capacitacion arriba los condiciones más y más favorables y en algunos casos, a continuación, envíe un calor Prestamos online Prestamo online.
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