chinese new year aka my 2 cents on asians
I saw this fabulous series of magazine covers done by Chen Man and MAC cosmetics and was quite impressed. Then I read the first blurb (which I'd skipped earlier) and felt compelled to comment. The quote read:
"Yet do the covers truly emphasize diverse beauty in Asia, or do they come across mostly as another token Asia-themed issue that homogenizes the continent's populace?"
As a Chinese person I would first like to say, "No. For me it does not homogenize Chinese people or Asians." The V-magazine issue that the author talks about is by far a bigger culprit. Now, why don't I think so? Because if you know anything about East Asian standards of beauty you'll know that it favors thin, white alabaster skin, and no freckles. It also favors a double lid. The very fact that there are women in these photos with dark skin, freckles, epicanthic folds, and a variety of ages shows an effort by the photographers to represent the different demographics of China.
I don't recall ever seeing a Chinese magazine or Chinese model with dark skin.
Now, obviously it's not representative of ALL of Asia. But that's not what the designers said. They said they were trying to capture China. So that doesn't mean Russians, or Pacific Islanders, or Indians. It doesn't have to. It's celebrating CHINESE New Year.
Plus, look, I appreciate this Alex Rees person looking out for Asians and the dangers of white people thinking we all look the same but it's a little insulting that after seeing such a variety of women in these photos he'd still consider them potentially homogenizing. It's maybe even racist. They obviously look different, not just their make-up and costuming. These women were pulled from different ethnic groups in China. Like, I'm sorry that most Asians have high cheek bones, slanted eyes due to our epicanthic folds, and big ass lips. China is, in general, a homogeneous society. It's just never going to look as "diverse" as, say, a photo shoot representing the various ethnic groups of the United States.
Also, it's a fashion shoot done by Asian people so that in itself means it's the perspective of the Chinese person. That might still mean there's discrimination at play but I don't think that's true in this situation. Yes the costuming borrows from various styles throughout Chinese geography or history but that doesn't mean its "token-Asian"-izing. If that were the case I'd have to call stereotype on every single spread that featured old white dudes in white wigs or Elizabethans wearing ruffs. Please don't look at a Chinese person wearing a qipao and go, "yeah but isn't that kind of stereotypical and inauthentic?" Because seriously? What the fuck do you know? If you understood the history and culture of the group you were making that comment to you might understand that's about as authentic as hamburgers and cowboys, which is to say it's a well known staple and possibly overplayed but no less authentic.
Personally, I think the photos are beautiful and I'm quite impressed actually by the level of diversity in them. I for one never expected a Chinese fashion magazine to feature women of not-bleached-white skin tone.
"Yet do the covers truly emphasize diverse beauty in Asia, or do they come across mostly as another token Asia-themed issue that homogenizes the continent's populace?"
As a Chinese person I would first like to say, "No. For me it does not homogenize Chinese people or Asians." The V-magazine issue that the author talks about is by far a bigger culprit. Now, why don't I think so? Because if you know anything about East Asian standards of beauty you'll know that it favors thin, white alabaster skin, and no freckles. It also favors a double lid. The very fact that there are women in these photos with dark skin, freckles, epicanthic folds, and a variety of ages shows an effort by the photographers to represent the different demographics of China.
I don't recall ever seeing a Chinese magazine or Chinese model with dark skin.
Now, obviously it's not representative of ALL of Asia. But that's not what the designers said. They said they were trying to capture China. So that doesn't mean Russians, or Pacific Islanders, or Indians. It doesn't have to. It's celebrating CHINESE New Year.
Plus, look, I appreciate this Alex Rees person looking out for Asians and the dangers of white people thinking we all look the same but it's a little insulting that after seeing such a variety of women in these photos he'd still consider them potentially homogenizing. It's maybe even racist. They obviously look different, not just their make-up and costuming. These women were pulled from different ethnic groups in China. Like, I'm sorry that most Asians have high cheek bones, slanted eyes due to our epicanthic folds, and big ass lips. China is, in general, a homogeneous society. It's just never going to look as "diverse" as, say, a photo shoot representing the various ethnic groups of the United States.
Also, it's a fashion shoot done by Asian people so that in itself means it's the perspective of the Chinese person. That might still mean there's discrimination at play but I don't think that's true in this situation. Yes the costuming borrows from various styles throughout Chinese geography or history but that doesn't mean its "token-Asian"-izing. If that were the case I'd have to call stereotype on every single spread that featured old white dudes in white wigs or Elizabethans wearing ruffs. Please don't look at a Chinese person wearing a qipao and go, "yeah but isn't that kind of stereotypical and inauthentic?" Because seriously? What the fuck do you know? If you understood the history and culture of the group you were making that comment to you might understand that's about as authentic as hamburgers and cowboys, which is to say it's a well known staple and possibly overplayed but no less authentic.
Personally, I think the photos are beautiful and I'm quite impressed actually by the level of diversity in them. I for one never expected a Chinese fashion magazine to feature women of not-bleached-white skin tone.