Bleach, Nip, Tuck: The White Beauty Myth

Comments

1. Can you guys do a program next on white people trying to be black - that would give a more level view point, and would be very interesting. rather than it be focused on white beauty i like the idea of the beauty myth. what also needs to be explored are black womens fscination with straight hair and the lengths they go to achieve it.

   Posted by belinda on 07/11/2009 12:20:01

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2. What is this world coming to? These poeple want to be white because whites have all the apportunities. Movies,TV,Catwalk and lucrative jobs. There are thing that black people achieved and never get recognition. That is why we celebrate black history month. The program should have look at both sides, that is how they taught us to write critical essays. Dont deny that facts that white people are trying to get dark, enhance their lips, buttocks, they straighten their hair and some even want black/mixed race kids. Even Madonna wanted black kids..with Dennis Rodman but he refused to do it hence she went to adopt one. I think some white people still envy black people of their physical features and that where racial prejudice starts.

   Posted by RXD on 30/10/2009 19:22:13

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3. I dislike the way Michael Jackson was used as an example of "wanting to look white", with a photo of him in 1983 when he was supposed to look black, even though it's a photo of him with his second nose job, and the photo of the supposed white version of him that was not only printed the wrong way around, but misses out the fact his skin was white because he had vitiligo. I don't see why someone disliking their appearence has anything with wanting to look white. Why can't people of colour have the same hang ups as white people about their appreance. How come white people who want fuller lips, are told they want to look black, and those he constantly use the sunbeds told they want to look mixed race. I found this programme fully of stereotypes, and pigeon holing people of colour. On average I'd say black men are taller than white men, and a more muscular build. Why not do a program how many white men who have goatee beards (fashisonal with black men years before white men) want to be more macho. The fact it people of colour who dislike part or all of their appearence, are no less human as white people. People of colour who do want to look white have different issues to those who have something about themselves they want to change.

   Posted by Mark S on 30/10/2009 14:19:19

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4. i think this programme only shows the way black, asian or other ethinic minorites are trying to be white. is that suppose to be a "good" thing i dont think so. most white people tan their skin or even do breast enlargement are they not trying to be black women, since black women are percieved to be the ones with the bigger bums and breasts. am not trying to be racist but most white women there is nothing so special about their bodies talk about jordan or katie price, victoria beckham. they are not genetically created with the body. it was through plastic surgery that they look that way. people try to copy their looks because they are famous, rich and are celebrities

   Posted by lolo on 30/10/2009 00:28:01

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5. I felt that is weeks episode was only one sided. It states that every ethnic minority wants to look white. Are whites the only ones who are tall,well endowed,or with small breasts? It really annoys me when people talk about black women wanting to look white by straightening their hair,when whites arn't the only ones with straight hair. I think whatever ''race'' you are some people will dislike a certain feature. Why didn't the programme talk about white women enhancing their thin lips or shaving down their nose,because some may feel its too ''ethnic looking'' or tanning,bottom implants etc. I just think the whole everyone wants to look white thing rather insulting and is based more on the hundreds of years of imperialism. I think what everyone wants is to attain a certain look. Theirs a reason why the likes of beyonce,leona lewis etc are so popular because they carry a mixture of features deemed attractive. I think the next episode is it better to be mix race may highlight the point i'm trying to make. I think we all need to get over this WHITE BEAUTY MYTH. When the issue is a lot more complicated.

   Posted by Angela on 28/10/2009 22:49:21

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6. @Jo It is assumed that when white people change their appearance, it is not in order to look more like another race but just to enhance their looks within the context of whiteness. So, even though darker skin is generally an attribute of non-white races, a white person who gets a tan is not seen as trying to look black or Asian, but rather trying to look like a more attractive version of a white person. Conversely a black or Asian person who bleaches their skin is definitely seen as wanting to look as close to an actual European person as possible. And no doubt there is a lot of truth in this, as there is only advantage to be gained from looking white and disdvantage from not doing so. I suspect that a dark haired and eyed white person who got a tan that was dark enough that they started to actually look racially ambiguous would probably soon decide to stay out of the sun or off the sunbed.

   Posted by Jupitar on 28/10/2009 12:12:03

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7. I simply disagree with your essay. I don't perceive any substantial change in (western) notions of (female) beauty. Look at any top ten list of American female idols and they still contain very white and often very blond and blue-eyed women. You specifically referred to three women who were popular in the 1970s, but omitted any references to contemporary top listers such as Angelina Jolie, the late Anna Nicole Smith, Pink, Avril Lavign, Heidi Klum, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Claudia Schiffer, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Cameron Diaz, Gwyneth Paltrow, etc.. And perhaps you haven't paid much attention to fashion, where the runways are heavily populated with incredibly beautiful women from Russia and Ukraine. It appears to me--and I don't say this with cruelty or mean-spiritedness--that you began with a conclusion and then selectively worked your way backward to support it. In reality, notions of beauty in the West have barely budged. Hollywood and the western fashion world have never progressed beyond tokenism in matters of beauty and race. And men have yet to rush the magazine stands for the latest issue of National Geographic over Playboy or Hustler magazines.

   Posted by Valefar on 28/10/2009 00:37:14

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8. I think this programme is very ignorant! It does not look at cases of white people that want to look like other races; for example white people that enlarge their breasts, bums and penises and also use fake tans to look like black or black mixed race people. Just because michael jackson did it doesnt mean that everyone aspires to be white. The programme should have looked at cases of people that want to change their racial looks, not just those that want to look white. If being white is the best look then why is it that it is white people that have the most plastic surgeries?? There are good qualities about every race, the programme needs to acknowledge that.

   Posted by jo on 28/10/2009 00:12:07

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