Blonde Asians

[rice cracker]

http://x30.xanga.com/c4d815e1c534834190304/b23674218.bmp

Thank you, Dove, we don't have enough import model wannabes.

[Dei Wong]

http://x30.xanga.com/c4d815e1c534834190304/b23674218.bmp

Thank you, Dove, we don't have enough import model wannabes.

Why would she wish she was blonde?

[moJo]

http://www.dove.ca/doveselfesteemfund/
http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/supports.asp?url=supports.asp&section=campaign&id=93

i saw one of the commercials that aired during the superbowl. there are other girls and women featured - young, old, white, asian, black, etc- with captions such as "thinks she's ugly" or "hates her freckles". i think it's aiming to get women and girls to embrace who they are and what they are born with, at the risk of sounding cheesy.

[rice cracker]

So Asian girls need to be blonde to have self esteem? Does the black woman have a caption saying, "wishes her hair was straight?" or "her nose was thinner?"

[SunWuKong]

So Asian girls need to be blonde to have self esteem? Does the black woman have a caption saying, "wishes her hair was straight?" or "her nose was thinner?"

they probably tried not to make any racial comments, but happened to have an Asian girl in that particular one. i'm guessing they could have easily made the same faux pas if they had casted a black girl in the "wishes she was blonde" version.

[moJo]

i think the message they're trying to convey is, don't feel like you have to be blonde to have self-esteem. they're highlighting/recognizing what females outside the mainstream narrow definition of "beauty" might feel about themselves, but that they shouldn't feel that way.

[Dei Wong]

So Asian girls need to be blonde to have self esteem? Does the black woman have a caption saying, "wishes her hair was straight?" or "her nose was thinner?"

I think she is a beautiful child and that should be the last thing on her mind. Your right you don't really see that in the African American
Community. Being an African American myself I don't know of any cases of someone wishing they were Caucasian. I'm not saying these cases do not happen just they are very very rare. I think it is wrong for a child to think they should look like someone else or change their features to be considered pretty.

[SunWuKong]

i think the message they're trying to convey is, don't feel like you have to be blonde to have self-esteem. they're highlighting/recognizing what females outside the mainstream narrow definition of "beauty" might feel about themselves, but that they shouldn't feel that way.

what RC is saying is that when they use an Asian girl in the "blonde" version of the commercial, that's like saying the Asian girl wants to be white. that's not exactly the same thing as a white brunette girl saying she wants to be a blonde.

[rice cracker]

Actually, I was making a joke about blonde Asians, but nicotine withdrawal may be making my comments sound angrier than they should. Kim want smoke bad. Maybe Kim go be quiet.

[kimpossible]

I'm betting once you make it through cessation you'll become one of the ex-smokers that hate smoke.

[moJo]

what RC is saying is that when they use an Asian girl in the "blonde" version of the commercial, that's like saying the Asian girl wants to be white. that's not exactly the same thing as a white brunette girl saying she wants to be a blonde.
but there's truth in that - a lot of asians at some point in their lives (usually when they're younger) went through phases where they wished that they were white - so i don't see a problem with the Dove depiction, myself.

[thaite]

It's about girl/women coping with self esteem issues and the desire to adhere to mainstream notions of beauty. The commercial flips through scenes of young with women and offers a caption of what might be going through her head, and finishes off with the thought that they shouldn't have to feel that way.

[SunWuKong]

but there's truth in that - a lot of asians at some point in their lives (usually when they're younger) went through phases where they wished that they were white - so i don't see a problem with the Dove depiction, myself.

yeah i agree. i think it's realistic, and actually i wouldn't be surprised if an Asian woman picked the caption.

but it can be a sensitive issue and i understand how people would not like such a commercial. what if they had a black girl and the caption was "wishes her hair was straight"? or a dark-skinned girl and "wishes her skin was light"?

[Irezumi Kiss]

yeah i agree. i think it's realistic, and actually i wouldn't be surprised if an Asian woman picked the caption.

but it can be a sensitive issue and i understand how people would not like such a commercial. what if they had a black girl and the caption was "wishes her hair was straight"? or a dark-skinned girl and "wishes her skin was light"?
Well, although I "get" what the CM is trying to say here, the ironic thing is that changing one's hair color or texture to look "white" (or possibly "hatred" of one's ethnic/physical features) is separated by a very thin line of perception from those who want to change their hair color and texture because they personally want an easily mutable/impermanent change of appearance.

Now granted, one should wait until one is their own person and living under their own steam to make that decision. Everyone changes their hair color and texture. It's not fair to just believe it happens SOLEY because of "self hatred of being XXXX."

Nothing wrong with instilling a love/appreciation of one's (ethnic/physical) self as is, either, and this is what that CM is trying to do, rise above the whole blonde-blue-eyed-model-type-is-best-or-most-desirable mindset. For that age, it's a good thing to teach, but once that girl gains independence for her own choices...I think the hair issue might be a moot point...especially in a visual-heavy age where many "respected" celebrities and people "at the top" do this very thing.

[eos]

I'm betting once you make it through cessation you'll become one of the ex-smokers that hate smoke.

dear lord, don't i know what you mean! i'm SO annoyed by smokers now.

i kinda like dove's campaign for real beauty. it was refreshing when they showed the women with curves, and not some anorexic looking models.
my cousin went blonde once. it was a BAAAAAAAD mistake.

[rice cracker]

I went blonde in high school. Let my experiences be a lesson to you all: Blonde hair + olive complexion = blah. And a lot of weird looks.

And one word: ROOTS.

[Chu Chi]

but there's truth in that - a lot of asians at some point in their lives (usually when they're younger) went through phases where they wished that they were white - so i don't see a problem with the Dove depiction, myself.

Tell those girls to wait till they are 40.


CC

[grimfan]

Tell those girls to wait till they are 40.

what does that mean?

[mr. x]

Tell those girls to wait till they are 40.


CC
naw dude wait til there 110, then being asian wont be so bad

[pikachupacabra]

Did someone say BLONDE asians?

http://www.womensgameconference.com/2004/speakers/jennifertsao.html

http://www.womensgameconference.com/2004/speakers/jennifertsao.gif

[Chu Chi]

what does that mean?


It means someone needs to explain to that little girl that her skin will still look and feel good when she is 40 years old precisely because of her color.

You will understand when you turn 40.

CC

Many females go blonde when they get older because it is easier to hide gray hair.

Going from gray to blonde is easier than going from gray to black.

Look around.

[rice cracker]

Having seen some 40 year old blonde Asians, I gotta say no. Just. No.

[TB4000]

The only minorities that actually can get away with the blonde hair is the latina chicks, as some of them actually are born with it. But a black girl as a platinum blonde. Ouch.

[mr. x]

It means someone needs to explain to that little girl that her skin will still look and feel good when she is 40 years old precisely because of her color.

You will understand when you turn 40.

CC

Many females go blonde when they get older because it is easier to hide gray hair.

Going from gray to blonde is easier than going from gray to black.

Look around.
but don't blonde women pretty much go gray when they are old at a rate of like 100%?

[Chu Chi]

I don't know of any people that don't lose the ability to produce color in their hair as they age.

Hair coloring is a huge business, just go walk through the store and count the products available.

In addition, many females begin to do the "shaving thing" when they notice they have a few gray pubes.

No one wants to be reminded of their mortality.


CC

[kasia]

i think the message they're trying to convey is, don't feel like you have to be blonde to have self-esteem. they're highlighting/recognizing what females outside the mainstream narrow definition of "beauty" might feel about themselves, but that they shouldn't feel that way.

yeh...when i saw it, i thought they were campaigning *against* self-hatred.

[SunWuKong]

yeh...when i saw it, i thought they were campaigning *against* self-hatred.

that's obvious, but i think the point was that they picked out the Asian girl to do the one that could be considered a racial commentary. there's no black girl saying she wants straight hair, no dark-skinned girl that says she wants light skin, etc etc.

basically it's sort of like a white guy pointing to Asians, and no other minorities, and telling us we should get our act together or something.

[kasia]

they don't? could it just be a coincidence? i've seen tons of their ads picking on overweight women. but it's true - they don't have any ads for overweight men. so why asians and why women?

[SunWuKong]

by the way, i'm not against the ad or anything. i'm just saying i understand how some people could raise an eyebrow because the Asian girl was picked out for the "blonde" comment.

but what if they had a black girl with "wishes her eyes were blue" or something? i'll bet that would have caught a lot more attention from the viewers.

[TB4000]

I recall after that commercial came on, the less enlightened uncle I mentioned before laughs and remarks, "yeah, them chinese people do wanna be white, don't they?" I look at him, and my dad is over there like, just leave it alone.:rolleyes:

[robotic]

if dove shows a teenage girl with surplus acne (>.< *looks in the mirror*), then maybe i'll believe their message of real beauty :biggrin:

[mr. x]

well shit can't say they don't got priorities straight, I mean there's a reason they didn't choose a black chick, for obvious reasons I won't get into because it's been done to death (you know what Im talking about)

[grimfan]

Whites have a desperate need to feel like everybody else wants to be like them.

[mr. x]

Whites have a desperate need to feel like everybody else wants to be like them.
I just had a thought over the last couple days, you know how Bush used the Japanese occupation plan as a model for Iraq?

I mean what did he picture, that someday American celebs would be to walk around Baghdad while screaming Iraqi schoolgirls chase them? :rolleyes:

[Fireblade]

I recall after that commercial came on, the less enlightened uncle I mentioned before laughs and remarks, "yeah, them chinese people do wanna be white, don't they?" I look at him, and my dad is over there like, just leave it alone.:rolleyes:

Which is why that ad conveys a lot of mixed messages.

[sandiegojohnny]

not me ! i'm glad to be asian and dam proud of it!
you cant say every asian wants to be white b/c thats not true what so ever

[flyingable]

Come on that organization teachs people self-esteem. It picks an Asian girl means at least it thinks that girl is "teachable". The person picked that pic feels extremely heart-aching for such a lovely girl wanting to be some one else. What are you guys bitching about? There are some of us who want to be white, big surprise?

[mr. x]

Come on that organization teachs people self-esteem. It picks an Asian girl means at least it thinks that girl is "teachable". The person picked that pic feels extremely heart-aching for such a lovely girl wanting to be some one else. What are you guys bitching about? There are some of us who want to be white, big surprise?
i think flying has a point, who are we attacking exactly, the asian girl who wants to be white or the messenger? I mean I wouldn't say it's a complete misconception (perhaps those who made the ad campaign do have some of their own though) but the message certainly has merit.

[marvelous]

Seriously those asians with blonde hair looks retarded. When are Asians going to realize they are not going to white?

[Fireblade]

Seriously those asians with blonde hair looks retarded. When are Asians going to realize they are not going to white?

When people find out that sometimes ppl die their hair blonde just for the hell of it. I seriously doubt there would be such a hoopla over this if other ethnicities did this like Latins or Blacks.

If I dye my hair blue... then what am I? Martian?

[returntosender]

When people find out that sometimes ppl die their hair blonde just for the hell of it. I seriously doubt there would be such a hoopla over this if other ethnicities did this like Latins or Blacks.

If I dye my hair blue... then what am I? Martian?

There are blonde latins.

I think the point is that we all know someone who wished they were 'kinda' white.

[SunWuKong]

There are blonde latins.

I think the point is that we all know someone who wished they were 'kinda' white.

well with Latinos, i think many of them are naturally blonde.

[returntosender]

That's what I was saying. There are blonde latinos.

But we all know a few Asian girls who wish they were white.

[Chu Chi]

I think I said this before but if you have "jet black" hair you should try to keep it as long as possible because after a while *cough* you will lose the ability to produce hair pigment and its gonna turn gray.

THEN you can spend time and money coloring it.

In addition, when you should read the ingredients on the back of the hair color box, remember that you use in on your head.


CC

[Faithless]

Seriously those asians with blonde hair looks retarded. When are Asians going to realize they are not going to white?
You mean, like Tera Patrick? (Or so I've heard.)

[MacJulius]

I think she is a beautiful child and that should be the last thing on her mind. Your right you don't really see that in the African American
Community. Being an African American myself I don't know of any cases of someone wishing they were Caucasian. I'm not saying these cases do not happen just they are very very rare. I think it is wrong for a child to think they should look like someone else or change their features to be considered pretty.


Wow.

I'm black as well, and I see this all the time. Not exactly wishing to be a different race, but I've known blacks to wish they were blond, blue-eyed, lighter skinned, straighter-nosed, straighter-haired, etc. etc.

[Dei Wong]

Wow.

I'm black as well, and I see this all the time. Not exactly wishing to be a different race, but I've known blacks to wish they were blond, blue-eyed, lighter skinned, straighter-nosed, straighter-haired, etc. etc.


Really?

[MacJulius]

Yeah, really.

It happens all the time. And not just with blacks.

[sinisterpanda]

I am okay with this ad because I think its message is positive.


I wish I had a pizza, that would make my self esteem much higher right now.

[mr. x]

didn't read it personally but my english class in high school read The Bluest Eye which if I'm not mistaken, is twisted as fuck

yeah I'm sure it's deeper than that

[yuuteya]

blond hair is very mid-late 90s style, its a finished fashion, only leftover and few diehard groups doing that anymore.

now everyone is natural black color, can be hip hop, or rock with 2 block and assymetry cuts. semi-wolf is still ok but as long as its not blond because thats old.