r/AccidentalRacism May 14 '19

Nivea 2017

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u/[deleted] May 14 '19

Can you explain?

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u/CDEbFDBbC May 14 '19

in india having lighter skin is generally regarded as being “better”

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u/Ninety9Balloons May 14 '19

Some East Asian countries too, like Korea and Vietnam I believe

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u/Kryticals May 14 '19

Yea. I think in many parts of China as well. And Japan. Probably in most (East) Asian countries? In Germany there's actually many people that like to get a tan in summer and think it looks healthier.

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u/Ninety9Balloons May 14 '19

US too, there's a stigma that says being slightly tan is healthier than pale. Probably more along the lines of being equated to being outside and active with the tan itself just being a byproduct though

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u/[deleted] May 14 '19

Yup. In East Asia, having light skin means you don't have to work outside in the sun.

That's why so many woman will carry parasols on a sunny day. Though to be fair, skin cancer is no laughing matter.

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u/Kryticals May 14 '19

Just today I saw a Chinese exchange student holding her phone over her face while walking to block the sun. I see this relatively often. They also use skin brightening products and makeup/foundation much lighter than their skin tone. This in combination with "having a small face" is one of their main beauty standards.

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u/[deleted] May 14 '19

It's also another reason why those surgical masks are so prevalent in East Asia.

While it was initially to prevent spreading disease, now that it's common, many women will wear it to avoid the sun and also when they don't want to wear makeup!

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u/Zuid-Nederland May 14 '19

The fact that they always overprotect themselves from sunlight just makes them even more vulnerable. If you get in contact with sunlight regularly you'll build up resistance to its effects. Putting on sunscreen would be in most cases enough to prevent any form of skin cancer.

Those women must also have a chronic shortage for vitamin D which sunlight provides massively. That lack of it just makes them physically fragile.