Pick any dry spot on campus. Stand there and count to fifty, looking closely at the students who pass. It's hard to miss the newly tanned physiques of the many members of the Colby student body. Indeed, many kids have just returned from vacations in Florida, the Caribbean, and various other sunny locales. While you're standing there, listen closely. I'm sure you'll hear at least one excited declaration to the effect of "ohh my gosh you're sooo tan! how was your break?" It certainly seems that students are intentionally skimping on the sunscreen in order to obtain the coveted sun-kissed look. However, it seems that this contrasts with the desire for extreme whiteness we had previously ascribed to peoples both white and non-white.
In several classes, we have talked about the desire to appear as white as possible that pervaded society in previous centuries. However, in traversing across campus on this rainy day, it is apparent that this desire for pallor has not manifested itself in the student body.
My question for this class is, what changed? Why is it all of a sudden desirable to appear as dark-skinned, not as light-skinned, as possible? Is it because some of the things that whiteness indicated in past centuries are no longer relevant (ie. whiteness was considered desirable because it meant that the person didn't have to go outside and do manual labor and thus were wealthy)? Or is it a product of the change in cultural status of non-whites?
Though Im sure that the fact that the historical issues are no longer relevant has influenced the desire of being darker-skinned over time, I really believe it is just a new trend. It's like people with straight hair wanted curly hair or how being skinny was the only way to be beautiful. People tan because they want to improve their appearance. White skin is out in the 2000's, but once everyone gets skin cancer, I bet white skin will be back in.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, having a whiter pallor meant that one did not have to do manual labor outside. However, in today’s society leisure and prosperity is more associated with travel to warm sunny beaches and relaxing get-aways. Therefore, wealth and prosperity could be more connected to tan skin.
ReplyDeleteI'd agree with what Mandy and Erica had to say. Its not about any change for minorities, rather a change in socioeconomic ideals. But its more than just the money, its a combination of sexual appealing standards and wealth. Obviously, not every person or even every Colby student with a tan is wealthy, but they are trying to, as Mandy said, improve their appearance.
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