Attractiveness
Dear LJ,
Have I written an entry on this before? I don't think I have. I usually try to avoid cliché topics and write about things that nobody else can relate to haha. Well, some years ago I remember I surrendered to myself and wrote an entry on love and thought it was the end of the world. So, now physical appearance? Oh god, what is happening to you, Emerald?? Well, I guess the endless media coverage on world politics being shoved down my throat everyday on top of intensive audition prep everyday is just making me want to talk about superficial things that have nothing to do with either.
So where do I start? First of all, you know when you go on Youtube and spend a little more time than you intend on there and end up in "that weird part"? Yeah, that's me today. I kept being recommended these videos on different kinds of Asian talking about desirability and ideal appearance in one context or another. This was irritating, to say the least. I couldn't bear to finish any of these videos. These people were basically repeating the same things: Asian people like white skin better because of classicism, Asian people idolize Caucasian appearance, Asian people strive for Caucasian facial features and body type etc. It's even more infuriating because they conduct interview in different Asian countries to confirm this.
On the one hand, I'm ashamed for the discriminatory and racist preferences of my people, but on the other hand, the average citizen of any country who hasn't frequently travelled abroad will have a much narrower perspective of those who are different from them. People who live their whole lives in China or Korea will have consumed Western media that predominantly spotlights white celebrities. They won't have much real life experiences with white or dark skinned people to actually judge for themselves. These people are fed Hollywood trash even more severely than Americans. They have this image of white people just from seeing actors and supermodels. The counterpart to this is that white people who live in rural regions in their countries around the world without much interaction with Asian people think all Asian people have slant eyes and yellow skin. It's all founded on ignorance.
But truthfully, what really hurts is the persistent global white glorification and dismissive attitude toward Asian merits. It reminds me of the shadow of white superiority that even us long-time immigrants struggle to step out of. What hurts is that many of us raised in a Western country, no matter which Western country, are still climbing that racial latter and putting ourselves in second-class. Knowing that it's wrong, we are still doing it. We still do it after we admit it, after ranting about it and hypocritically after lecturing other people about it. We are trying to be part of white social circles, adopting Caucasian lifestyles and pursuing romantic relationships with Caucasians. I can't count how many times I've encountered a Chinese person felt embarrassed about an all Asian group picture on Facebook or felt the need to clarify that they don't only have Asian friends. Why does it matter?
Moreover, I have found it hard to really understand the beauty standards of either cultures. I don't understand the Korean eyebags or bluish white skin, the Chinese exaggerated eye sockets, the double-eyelid, the tanned blonde, the thigh gap, crazy eyeliner, crazy nails, sharp eyebrows, Brad Pitt, postpuberty Leonardo DiCaprio, Dakota Johnson and any of the Asian actresses who appear in Hollywood productions(because they either have too small of a pool of selection or prefer actors that conform to their projected ethnic image or whose appearance won't compete with the Caucasian protagonists). I know nobody aggrees with me but I seriously just don't get it lol. How about David Gyasi, Taye Diggs, D.B. Woodside or even Dev Patel? Shazad Latif? He's not very famous yet but I'd hit that in a heartbeat. Lesley-Ann Brandt? Aishwarya Rai, like I can't even. Or the millions of naturally beautiful Asian people and celebrities that will never be cast in Hollywood? Ok I'm going a bit far, but I guess this is just a vent of frustration at my fellow people. Don't you see that there are attractive people in every race? Skin colour is not a prerequisite for beauty.
I'm just talking to myself here. The people who really need to hear this will never see it, but I just have to come to terms with that. So here's me fangirling to get everything out of my system. Jo In-Sung is gonna be hot even if you darken his skin colour by 5 shades. There's also this Youtube makeup guru called Kaushal Beauty based in the UK. (I swear there's a trend of extremely attractive South Asian British people.) If she ever becomes interested in acting, I really hope she gets discovered by some agency because she literally is perfect.
Well, to every human being out there, there will always be someone who will recognize your beauty. It's such an inconsistent and fluctuating thing. Also, appearance is only a part of what determines how desirable someone is. I'm just going to leave it at that.
Have I written an entry on this before? I don't think I have. I usually try to avoid cliché topics and write about things that nobody else can relate to haha. Well, some years ago I remember I surrendered to myself and wrote an entry on love and thought it was the end of the world. So, now physical appearance? Oh god, what is happening to you, Emerald?? Well, I guess the endless media coverage on world politics being shoved down my throat everyday on top of intensive audition prep everyday is just making me want to talk about superficial things that have nothing to do with either.
So where do I start? First of all, you know when you go on Youtube and spend a little more time than you intend on there and end up in "that weird part"? Yeah, that's me today. I kept being recommended these videos on different kinds of Asian talking about desirability and ideal appearance in one context or another. This was irritating, to say the least. I couldn't bear to finish any of these videos. These people were basically repeating the same things: Asian people like white skin better because of classicism, Asian people idolize Caucasian appearance, Asian people strive for Caucasian facial features and body type etc. It's even more infuriating because they conduct interview in different Asian countries to confirm this.
On the one hand, I'm ashamed for the discriminatory and racist preferences of my people, but on the other hand, the average citizen of any country who hasn't frequently travelled abroad will have a much narrower perspective of those who are different from them. People who live their whole lives in China or Korea will have consumed Western media that predominantly spotlights white celebrities. They won't have much real life experiences with white or dark skinned people to actually judge for themselves. These people are fed Hollywood trash even more severely than Americans. They have this image of white people just from seeing actors and supermodels. The counterpart to this is that white people who live in rural regions in their countries around the world without much interaction with Asian people think all Asian people have slant eyes and yellow skin. It's all founded on ignorance.
But truthfully, what really hurts is the persistent global white glorification and dismissive attitude toward Asian merits. It reminds me of the shadow of white superiority that even us long-time immigrants struggle to step out of. What hurts is that many of us raised in a Western country, no matter which Western country, are still climbing that racial latter and putting ourselves in second-class. Knowing that it's wrong, we are still doing it. We still do it after we admit it, after ranting about it and hypocritically after lecturing other people about it. We are trying to be part of white social circles, adopting Caucasian lifestyles and pursuing romantic relationships with Caucasians. I can't count how many times I've encountered a Chinese person felt embarrassed about an all Asian group picture on Facebook or felt the need to clarify that they don't only have Asian friends. Why does it matter?
Moreover, I have found it hard to really understand the beauty standards of either cultures. I don't understand the Korean eyebags or bluish white skin, the Chinese exaggerated eye sockets, the double-eyelid, the tanned blonde, the thigh gap, crazy eyeliner, crazy nails, sharp eyebrows, Brad Pitt, postpuberty Leonardo DiCaprio, Dakota Johnson and any of the Asian actresses who appear in Hollywood productions(because they either have too small of a pool of selection or prefer actors that conform to their projected ethnic image or whose appearance won't compete with the Caucasian protagonists). I know nobody aggrees with me but I seriously just don't get it lol. How about David Gyasi, Taye Diggs, D.B. Woodside or even Dev Patel? Shazad Latif? He's not very famous yet but I'd hit that in a heartbeat. Lesley-Ann Brandt? Aishwarya Rai, like I can't even. Or the millions of naturally beautiful Asian people and celebrities that will never be cast in Hollywood? Ok I'm going a bit far, but I guess this is just a vent of frustration at my fellow people. Don't you see that there are attractive people in every race? Skin colour is not a prerequisite for beauty.
I'm just talking to myself here. The people who really need to hear this will never see it, but I just have to come to terms with that. So here's me fangirling to get everything out of my system. Jo In-Sung is gonna be hot even if you darken his skin colour by 5 shades. There's also this Youtube makeup guru called Kaushal Beauty based in the UK. (I swear there's a trend of extremely attractive South Asian British people.) If she ever becomes interested in acting, I really hope she gets discovered by some agency because she literally is perfect.
Well, to every human being out there, there will always be someone who will recognize your beauty. It's such an inconsistent and fluctuating thing. Also, appearance is only a part of what determines how desirable someone is. I'm just going to leave it at that.