Blanchett: Snowmen have more pigment
Malaysian women are OBSESSED with skin whitening. I picked up a copy of Malaysian Women’s Weekly the other day (in a purely professional capacity you understand) and more than half of the advertising was for skin whitening lotions, pastes and creams.
One of the biggest companies, SKII, uses Cate Blanchett for its campaigns. In my mind that’s just cruel. Not only are none of girls from the ethic groups that make up the Malaysian people (a mix of Indian, Malay and Chinese) going to reach anywhere near Cate’s skin tone but there’s hardly a caucasian girl who could get there either.
Cate is a ridiculous role model for an Asian girl. Even her name has the word blanch in it – and her skin looks as blanched as an almond. More so because of the ridiculous airbrushing that’s gone into the campaign photography (see picture).
The process of whitening is almost like that of blanching. Stripping skin of its protective melanin in the hope of a pinker rather than yellow tone is dangerous and can even cause cancer. (http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news/Skin-Lightening-Products-Carry-Risk-of-Cancer-13741-1).
I just don’t understand the concept of wanting to be whiter. This is probably because of my hard-wired western love of tanning – the cancer warning is a TAD hypocritical, admittedly. But some women here paint their faces like geishas and go out all whited up like clown and I want to shout “Oi Lady, no! I admire your adherance to the cultural norms of your beauty regime, but when I see you subverting your natural beauty for a look closer to Bozo than Blanchett it makes me want to scream.”
Nice rhyming warwick! I’ve just been enthralled by your tales of adventure, over a glass of vino. It all sounds amazing, and I wish I could come join you somewhere along the way. Much love to you and Jamie x