Why do many japanese want to have white skin?

[xnamelessx]

Originally Posted by TalnSG

WIth my parents both being from the southern U.S. and being born before the Civil Rights Act was passed, skin color has always been an issue in my world. My father's family was racist to the core, but he raised me to ignore skin colors. At least until one night I came home from a basketball game with my date (caucasian) and 4 black male friends. He was polite until they left and then there was an explosion in the house. My mother was raised in Texas and despite all her efforts to squelch her racism, when I introduced my hispanic date for the prom, she was visibly uncomfortable.

While Yuujiro's attitude has been soured, I applaud his honesty in this forum. Its much easier to post about how you try to be, than how you really are when faced with uncomfortable issues. And everyone here deserves some commendation for their civility in discussing a difficult issue without personal attacks.

Honestly, while I do not condemn anyone for their skin color, I have been guilty of racism. I have met people of almost every race and skin color that exists and there are those that over time I have learned to be wary of and those that tend to have unwarranted higher opinions of. (and some people are really surprised when I let them know which is which) Both are wrong, but both are fact. Denying the facts will prevent you from correcting them. They are learned reactions, just like everyone else's. And being learned they can be changed, but not if one's exposure to a particular race continues to reinforce the negative aspects of that race.

I suppose if you have been brought up that way and it's just constantly around you, especially when your a child, it's going to stay with you and to a certain point its going to seem right and like normality to you. and the media doesn't help at all. I mean, I am guilty of it. vitually everyone is. I mean it is inherant in almost everyone unless they've been totally shielded from it. People think that black people can't be but anyone from any race can. And racism, prejudice etc stems from centuries and centuries ago; probably from Before Christ times.

I rate you, TalnSG, for being so honest too.

[jubeisho]

Japan is from the northern east part of asia because of climate results clear complexion, but in some many cases brown skin or tan nihon-jin is much more attractive, just because they are hard workers I think I like or my type is a rosy cheek brown skin girl looks

[Jeebus]

It seems that a lot of different people would like to be another skin tone. I love Hispanic/Asian skin tones.. They gorgeous. I'm white.

[Oren]

How about just being happy with what you were born with?
In today's society, it's so easy to go down the street to the local plastic surgeon and change your skin color, breast size, wrinkles, etc.
What ever happened to just being you and being content with it?
Geez..there's a new fad, huh?
And just so you all know, I absolutely detest racists.

[Jeebus]

I just hate being so pale. I mean.. I like my skin, but at the same time I don't. I wish I was a light tan. I have the skin of a damned porcelain doll over here. xD If I went out to get a tan, I would get nothing but sunburn. :3

[Daisuki13]

A lot of people in Japan do do it for Fashion.
Gothic lolita is one, but I've also seen Ganguro girls that whitened themselves instead of tanned themselves.
So, it all depends : D

[forgotenmemory]

How do you whiten yourself? o.o

[xYinniex]

the thing is, you're all taking it as a racist attitude, but actually it is far from that.

Historically, it was down to class differences, but now it's just people knowing that they look better with paler skin.

Koreans and japanese have very pale skin because of the climate and geographically where it is. It's a physical adaptation- genetics and environment affecting gene phenotypes- survival of the fittest.
Those who don't have pale skin strive to be because asian people's colour has a tinge of yellow in, Chinese/korean and Japanese who are less pale, the colour is more noticeable and in that way, sometimes it may look sallow and uneven because it is tanned and it's yellowy.

I wouldn't say they want whiter skin, but a fairer complexion because it generally looks better.
because pale has more chance of being rosy
not pale means more chance of being yellower.

It's absolutely nothing to with race.

FYI. asian's try to gain a fairer skin complexion by using rice water [when you've washed the rice, the murky water] and milk.

[Tsuruko]

In Japan, by most of society, having pale skin is something beautiful, there are several reasons why, of course.

I noted that it was mentioned that, working people = tanned, royals/rich = pale, and that is one reason. If you're pale, you're seen as rich, not having to work outside, but if you're tanned, you're seen as peasant. This mostly applies to earlier, pre-westernized Japanese society.

Yet many Western Societies consider pale skin a beauty trait. Just look at the Victorians. It was no wonder they were completely obsessed with Japan.

One can still see Japanese women wearing white gloves when walking about in kimono, this is because they don't want unsightly tan lines from the sun.

Wearing Geta without tabi for two years have left me with geta strap tan lines. Yetch.

There is another reason why pale skin is desired, but it's another past reason. Geisha would paint their skin white, and Geisha were once seen as celebrities in Japan, and they were considered 'iki' which means cool, or chic, and thus, to be fashionable like a Geisha was cool, it was the in thing. Being Pale without having to wear Oshiroi ( white make up ) was a good thing, not every Japanese lady wanted to waste time applying Oshiroi nor was it practical.

The reason Geisha wear the white make up is because of the parties they would attend. These parties were at night, and in a time before electricity, they would paint their faces white to stand out in the low light of the tea houses, giving them a sort of ethereal glow. : )

[merveTurkey]

I stay east