November 3, 2020 | Written By - Maggie Chen '23
Although the term “colorism” was first coined in 1982 by Alice Walker, discrimination against those with different, usually darker colored skin, has persisted for centuries. The preference for light complexions has had dangerous consequences and continues to be fueled by television, employers, and the beauty industry. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in Asia.
Every time I return to China with my family, I am met with an onslaught of off-hand comments about my skin. It hasn’t surprised me for a long time; in America, I fall on the lighter end of the spectrum, whereas in China, especially after a summer tan, I’m about as dark as it gets. Most of the comments come from relatives I hardly know that are shocked at how different I look from my lighter skinned mother. It’s a shame, they lament to her, that I take after my father. She could be pretty like you. You should keep her out of the sun.
I, like many other Asians and Asian Americans, have been raised with the belief that paleness and beauty are synonymous and, while all types of beauty standards exist everywhere, the magnitude of light skin preference in Asia makes it a whole different monster. In the Kpop or Bollywood industry, a tan face is a rare sight. Celebrities face backlash for looking darker in photos and in Bollywood movies, a pale main character is often at odds with a dark skinned antagonist. Similarly, Indian actors are often made darker with makeup when they play disadvantaged or uneducated characters. The message is clear: to be light is to be good and happy.
The beauty and skin care industry capitalizes on and perpetuates this belief. According to a study from the World Health Organization, 50 percent of beauty products in India contain skin whitening properties and in East and Southeast Asia, “Fair and Lovely” and “Ponds White Beauty” dominate store shelves. The same study reveals that 40 percent of the women polled in China, South Korea, the Philippines, and Malaysia regularly use skin whitening products. The global whitening industry is projected to be worth 31.2 billion USD in 2024, up from 10 billion in 2018, with the Asian-Pacific region being the biggest customer. Despite countless studies showing these products leading to skin thinning, scarring, increased risk for cancer, and even darkening, their popularity continues to grow.
Much of it is due to society’s emphasis and attention on skin tone. In addition to being deemed more beautiful, being lighter than one’s peers has tangible benefits. South Asian women with darker skin are more likely to be denied jobs, especially those that involve interaction with consumers, like flight attendants or sales associates. Colorism plays a huge role in the dating scene as well; a study of 1,000 Indian men and women found that most people believed women with fair skin made better partners. This is evident in matrimonial ads, which often make “fair skinned” and “good looking” a requirement for a potential husband or wife. In Asian society, the color of one’s skin dictates which doors are open for them and can be more important than one’s background, education, and skill set.
The reason for this varies from country to country, but for all of them, the preference is nothing new. In East Asian countries, darkness was historically associated with manual labor and field workers who were tanned from working long hours under the sun. Elites, on the other hand, spent much of their time indoors and were consequently paler. Even now, darkness is associated with being uneducated and having a lower income. Southeast and South Asian countries that were under colonial rule by European powers developed the belief that pale and white skin were linked with power, status, and respect. Natives were constantly reminded of their inferiority to their European rulers and lighter skinned Asians were given preferential treatment, usually in the form of a high ranking position. Eventually, the idea that fairness equaled goodness became ingrained into their mindsets.
Colorism and racism are not the same; colorism is discrimination within one racial group, whereas racism is the discrimination of one group against another. However, the two are very much intertwined. Disdain for those with darker skin tones leads to biases and anti-Black sentiments, which harms the relationship between Asian or Asian Americans and Black people. In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, the city of Guangzhou, China forced all Africans in the city to get tested after five Nigerians tested positive. Even after their results came back negative, many were forced into quarantine while others were evicted from apartments and banned from stores. In many cases, anti-Black racism isn’t this overt, but it still needs to be addressed. Until Asians and Asian Americans acknowledge and fight against colorism, we cannot work to be anti-racist. While colorism in Asian communities directly affects those of Asian descent, it prevents us from respecting and supporting Black people, be it through the Black Lives Matter movement or daily interactions.
Fortunately, the effort to end colorism is gaining momentum day by day. In South Asia, the hashtag “Unfair and Lovely” counters the skin whitening brand “Fair and Lovely’s” message that one must be light skinned to be beautiful. Medium and dark skinned women are encouraged to post photos of themselves and reject conventional beauty standards. In the Summer of 2020, “Fair and Lovely” renamed its product to “Glow and Lovely” in response to public outrage. While they still contain skin whitening properties, the company has recognized the damage of its advertising and that’s a start. These products are still highly popular, but we are seeing a movement in which people all over Asia are embracing their complexions.
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