I am a Filipina with morena or brown skin color. I have never been ashamed of my skin color, despite the fact that I would not miss comments about it even in my own home. A dermatologist once suggested that I take glutathione shots to make my skin lighter, while the reason that I was expecting her to say is that so that I will have healthier skin which is more important. Another usual comment to those with dark skin, or even of those who have dark skin to themselves, is "Maganda sana siya, kaya lang maitim." ("She could be beautiful, it's just that she is dark."). This mentality on having white skin or the so-called mestiza madness is very prevalent in the Philippines today, as reflected by the success of whitening products in the Philippine market. A study of which shows that one out of two Filipinas uses skin whitening products, and it is still a growing market. This figure is also the highest compared to other Asian countries who are said to share the same view that white is beautiful, such as Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan and Hongkong. In Manila, skin whitening advertisements are everywhere – on television commercials, billboards in highways, women’s magazines, and road advertisements. Women are usually the target market of these products and advertisements, although there also have been a growing male market having a lot of male endorsers also for such products. Almost all personal beauty and healthcare products such as soap, lotion, moisturizer, toner and creams have whitening agents in it that make these products more marketable to Filipinos. Filipinos seem to be using more and more whitening products, with a lot of new brands coming out in the market. Popular products even come in sachets, similar to the “tingi” system in sari-sari stores to make it more affordable and accessible. In the television, most actors and actresses are light-skinned, and people notice that the more an actress becomes popular, the lighter her skin becomes. Movie stars are white-skinned, and everybody wants to look like a movie star. Thanks to the discovery of glutathione, which for a lot of Filipinos is revolutionary given its properties that make having lighter skin in no time very attainable, as compared to the time when Filipinos solely rely on products such as the very popular ‘Block and White” at least a decade ago to have lighter skin. A cosmetic corporation in Manila which manufactures one of the more popular brands of whitening products that are very much available to the market even to those in lower socio-economic classes given the affordability of their products, foresees growth in the skin whitening product market despite the economic slump. Although there are whitening substances that are safe for the skin, there are still dangerous consequences to women who use it in large and harmful doses with the obsession to become white at the shortest time as possible. Also, for a long time, the use of whitening products with hydroquinone has been very popular in the Philippines, as well as in other Asian countries, despite it being cancerous especially if used over an extended period of time in large doses, which was highly possible given its availability and easy access to buy it in the market such as in grocery stores and personal care sections of malls. Hydroquinone, which is a chemical that is also used in photo processing, has been shown to cause leukemia in mice and other animals. Some nations have banned the use of this ingredient in cosmetics, but in others it remains widely available. Another product is the Magic Cream, a bleaching agent that was found to contain corticosteroids. At Php300 for 15 grams, it must be a good bargain for beauty-conscious Pinoys who want to have whiter skin in no time. There have been several cases of problems related to this Magic Cream, including having steroid acne or the simultaneous appearance of pimples, skin atrophy wherein the skin’s layers get thinner, and other negative effects such as suppressed adrenal glands, bone osteoporosis and obesity. Trends show that Filipinos still want to look good, i.e., look whiter, despite financial constraints as well as the possible negative effects of skin-whitening products. This means they resort to cheaper alternatives that could have harmful effects on the skin despite the regulation done by the Bureau of Food and Drugs. There are also victims of dubious glutathione products, the cost of which can reach up to five digits of pesos, who instead of getting whiter skin, experienced itching, rashes and other skin problems. These cases and dermatological caution seem to not alarm Filipinos, as more and more still use these products and dream to be white. Most of the indigenous Filipino have brown skin color, which anthropologically speaking is logical given our geographical position which is near the equator, thus having darker skin is safer and healthier despite long sun exposure. Having more melanin and in turn having a darker skin color is specifically protective against skin cancer. So in spite of this, where does this desire of having whiter skin comes from? Why do Filipinos believe that white is beautiful, and on the contrary, that dark skin is undesirable? Why do we have this absurd complex of wishing to be something we are not? For one, having a whiter skin is associated with wealth and higher education. Those who belong to the lower classes, such as farmers, laborers and fishermen, work under the sun and have darker complexion. In a way having a whiter skin gives others a perception that a person is “sosyal”, and in turn upgrades one’s socio-economic class that others perceive that person belongs to. It is a reflection of the importance that people place on social status, and a feeling or sense of inferiority. Those with darken skin are highly subject to teasing and prejudice, just like those who have other physical features similar to that of indigenous peoples such as the Negrito and Aeta, with mentality that peoples of these groups are inferior. This skin-whitening craze could not be considered as only a fad, and also has historical roots that go with it. On top of this status obsession even before the colonial times of which socio-economic classes are being associated with certain physical features, colonial mentality has developed in the brains of Filipinos, i.e., associating being mestizo with a higher class in society, and being white is close to being American which is considered as superior. I think that this is something that we should rethink about, i.e., the validity of such mentality and the things that it reflects about us in terms of our belief in our identity, and certain complexes that we may have. I personally believe that we should truly be proud of being Filipino, and of having dark skin or whatever skin color that goes with it. We should be proud of being who we are, no matter what color we were born with. Real beauty is not just skin deep. * repost from the author's blog Critical Thinking Manila dated 10/06/2010
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About the AuthorThoughts on politics, economy, education, development and policy while stuck on traffic and what not. Archives
August 2015
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