Like we are all at the mercy of the white hegemony so let's just own up to
it! Hey guys welcome back to my channel and
today we're going to be talking about beauty standards and whiteness in the
Asian community. So a comment that I get a lot when I make videos about beauty
standards in Asia and how European beauty standards have seeped into
Eastern standards of beauty is, "What
are you talking about? The East - specifically China, Japan, and Korea - have
always been obsessed with whiteness for centuries!" No matter what country you come
from, whether it's the countries I listed previously or any other East or
Southeast Asian country, has been obsessed with whiteness even before
colonial times. And it is true that whiteness in those countries meant white
like a pearl or white like the moon, like a glowing kind of iridescent white
rather than the peachy or kind of- Yeah, the kind of peachy white that a lot of
white people are just endowed with.
However, after the East was opened by white imperialists we still wanted to be
white because white was always associated with goodness, godliness, and
just being rich and having a higher class status, and thus we kind of turned
our backs on our darker skinned countrymen who we saw as backwards just
because they had a darker skin color. Colorism already existed in Asian community
before white people came over, and after they did, it just got a lot worse.
And just because colorism and classism has always existed in Asia and outside
of it in the larger diaspora doesn't mean it was ever okay. And today we are
bombarded with images of white Eurocentric beauty no matter where you
are in the world. And wanting to be white has stayed the same, but the reasons
behind it have become ever more insidious. What really grinds my gears
is when people say that because the East has always been obsessed with whiteness even
before the colonial era that they're immune to Western images and propaganda
because let's be real no one is. Like we are all at the
mercy of the white hegemony so let's just own up to it! Like how can you
ignore hundreds of years of colonialism, racism, xenophobia, and re-education to hate
your own nation and your own skin color? Like it's beyond me. And besides wanting
lighter skin, a lot of other beauty standards in Asia are still white
Eurocentric inspired. Higher nose bridges, jawline reduction surgery to make your
face smaller, double eyelid surgery, and others are all there to help Asian
people look more white. And yes maybe some of these standards were influenced
by the, for example auspicious Chinese horoscope, but I doubt it. Things like big
earlobes mean longevity, but you don't see people lining up to get their
earlobes elongated. And in fact rounder noses mean that you'd be wealthier and
richer, but nowadays everyone wants to have a high, straight, and narrow nose. You
know, like white people have. I already said this in another video, but I find it
really funny that when white people try to look Asian or "anime" or like "a living
doll" they just kind of exaggerate the features that they already have, such as
having a small face or big eyes and I think that there's something to be said
about that. And before I go on I do want to say that there are different beauty
standards around the world in different countries and different cultures, however
social media like apps like Instagram, which has a hegemonizing
effect on beauty, we can see the beauty I deal more clearly. And that ideal is
always white. Whether she's a white girl trying to look "exotic" or an Asian woman
with light skin, round eyes, and a small face. Like I said before, comments that
say "Asian people have been obsessed with being white for centuries even before
colonial times", doesn't address colorism or classism in those communities. It's
been long said that the wealthy stayed indoors to keep their skin light, whereas
the poor people had to work outside and get dark. However, in reality anyone from
any class can be a range of skin tones. That's why even in ancient times
aristocrats used unsafe measures, and also like pearl creams, to lighten their
skin. And today it's still true. No matter what class you're in you can have light
skin or dark skin, you can have a range of skin tones,
the difference is that today the measures are more lethal than they were
lethal back then. But you'd think that with all the knowledge we have today
people would stop this pursuit of whiteness, but they don't because they
know that they'll be treated better and are more likely to get a job if they
have lighter skin. And who can afford those safe whitening treatments? The
wealthy. And who's mixing with the upper white echelon of international high
society? Light-skinned Asian people who then bring those ideals home and make
their darker skinned countrymen feel inferior. And those dark-skinned people
who feel inferior seek out lethal and dangerous treatments to lighten their
skin because they're desperate. And yeah that's sad and horrible, but we shouldn't
just wave it off as "tradition". Besides beauty standards, there are a lot of
other ways that Asian people hold up whiteness, which shows me, and should show
all of us, that Asian people have not evaded centuries of globalization or
imperialism like some commentators might think. So number one. Why are half white
Asian babies used to sell everything and are the epitome of class and
sophistication, whereas black Asian babies or half black Asian people, are
seen as the "dregs of society"? So number two. Why is it okay for Asian men to date
white women, but not the other way around? That's more sexist than anything, but
I think it still counts so I'm putting it on the list.
Three. Why are Asian people obsessed with traveling to European countries and
recreating those atmospheres at home? Four. Why does Hollywood cast white
people in Asian roles? Because they know that it'll make big bucks in Asia. White
people in Asia are exotic, but they're also seen as smart, cultured, intelligent,
beautiful, you know, any the other positive thing you can think of. And yeah it is
shitty that a lot of people in the developing world see their own countries
and cultural practices as backwards, but that was created
purposefully by the West to make imperialism and exploitation seem
okay. We shouldn't deny that we've been
influenced by something that was supposed to influence us! And I get that
maybe could say we want what's "rare" in the
community, but let's be real. Let's address the colorism
and whiteness issues of today rather than those issues of a thousand years
ago. And just to end I just want to bring up some current event issues. So
for example, the corona virus has told us that we were never white, but I already
knew that! As soon as I leave my house whether I'm in the US or Brazil I know
that people are gonna start harassing me and looking at me weird. I don't know why
a lot of Asian people in America have not realized that they are not
white. I understand the need and want to latch on to that white privilege, but
let's just stop it. I think we really need to have some deep and intense
conversations about racism and what race is in the Asian community, and have more
solidarity with black and brown people who face the brunt of racism of every
single day. All right so that's where I'm gonna end the video. Thanks so much for
watching and I'll see you in the next one. Please, if you like this video like
comment, share, and subscribe. It would mean a lot to me. Thank you so much and
bye :)