Cashing in on a mixed kid’s fair skin
CVK
(Thanks to Kaushal for this tip!) Really interesting essay in the latest issue of Newsweek, written by a Filipina woman now living in the U.S. who has a mixed (Filipino/white) son. On a trip back to the Philippines, she notices how much people ogle her son, and wonders if she should take advantage of his fair skin and European looks by signing him up with a modeling agency, so he can be cast in commercials. Doing so could pay for his college education. Is it just being savvy? Or is it being a sell-out?
My son is mestizo, of mixed race. My husband is Caucasian with ancestors from Sweden and Slovakia. I am a brown-skinned woman from the Philippines, where many people I know have a fascination with the lighter skinned—probably because our islands were invaded so many times by whites who tried to convince us that they were better and more beautiful than us. We were under Spain’s rule for nearly 400 years, the United States’ for almost 50. As a result, skin-whitening products fly off the pharmacy shelves…
By the time I got the number of an agent, I had started to second-guess my idea. I realized that I was going to be part of the system that can sometimes make us dark-skinned people believe that we are inferior. I do not want Filipino children who look like me to feel bad about themselves. When I was a kid, my grandmother would get upset whenever I told her that I’d be spending the afternoon swimming in my cousin’s pool, because it meant that my skin would get darker than it already was. My mom, whose nose I acquired, has one of the widest among her brothers and sisters. She taught me to pinch the bridge daily so that the arch would be higher, like my cousins. Most of her girlfriends got blond highlights and nose jobs as soon as they received their first paychecks, almost as a rite of passage…
Once again, I’m tempted to call that agent. After all, I am sure other fair-skinned children are being chosen to appear in Philippine commercials even as I write this. I know my boycott is just an anecdote in the world’s bigger drama. The real stage is in my decolonized mind. If my son ever lands a part on TV because of his color, do I want to be the one who has cast him?
Scott J. Matakis wrote:
I have 3 fil/am children and they are the most beautiful mixed race children I have ever seen. Yes they need to be proud of there filipino heritage but they also need to know God gave them something that they need to be proud of there looks. No harm, no foul, if they use this to better there lives and the lives of all filipino people. Staqnd up, be counted and be proud your a fil/am!!!!!!!
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 7:51 am ¶
brad wrote:
I have noticed in Filipino films and advertisements that the actors and models are usually fair-skinned or have Caucasian features. This reminded me of Bollywood films that star fair-skinned, Caucasian-featured leads, also. I found this to be really disturbing since most of Indians, in particular, seem to have brown or black skin. I saw a Sri Lankan/Indian movie recently about a little girl who is separated by civil war. In the story leading up to her birth, her parents jokingly discuss their courtship. The husband jokingly mentions that his wife was lucky that he married a woman with such black skin. She retorts back that his skin is just as dark. It was a playful exchange but it stuck in my mind.
I think this is also partially true of American cinema and advertisements historically where lighter-skinned (mixed) Latinos or African-Americans are cast. This is less so than in the past but still, but there are fewer darker Indian or mixed Latinos like George Lopez or Adam Rodriguez, respectively, on TV in the U.S. Most Latinos on TV are portrayed by actors like Eva Longoria and not Lopez. Or, in the case of the horrible but fun soap opera “Passions” the Latinos are played by Greek or Italian actors (Theresa and Miguel, for instance). It’s difficult to think of other Latino actors with distinctive indigenous features or skin tone. I think a recent study pointed out that Native Americans are the least featured “racial” minority on TV.
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 9:05 am ¶
gatamala wrote:
Scott, you are living proof that you can NOT fuck racism into non-existence!!!!
Yada yada be proud of your mom’s heritage, but your white features are a gift from God and you should really be proud of that!!! Not only will having white features make your life better as opposed to being 100% Filipino, you will make all Filipinos better!!!
Once the Matakis kids are old enough to read I hope they come to MMW or some other forum where they can begin to heal from the wounds inflicted by their own flesh and blood.
******************
This lady sees the problem, a road to the “solution” and is questioning whether to go down that road. I realize she wants to put her son through college….but maybe her mind isn’t as decolonized as she thinks????
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 9:07 am ¶
John wrote:
gatamala,
THANK YOU. Your comment was spot on & kept me from smashing my laptop. If you & your main squeeze are ever in the ny metro area, I owe you a meal.
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 10:20 am ¶
John wrote:
Scott J. Matakis,
Take a second look at that article (read slowly) & try not to be an asshole.
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 10:29 am ¶
Ailurophile wrote:
I used to work at a modeling agency and I want to tell this lady that, all considerations of race and selling-out aside, not very many child models make that much money. It also involves a lot of cattle-calling, showing up with the kid to the studio or set where the photographer, client and so on decide which kid they want in their photo. There is a lot of rejection, and a lot of schlepping the kid hither and yon by the parent(s). All this can be really hard on a little kid.
Especially if you have a sensitive, introverted kid, I’d say “Find an easier way to fund your kid’s college.” If all else fails, he can always take out student loans! Modeling is not easy money. Please reconsider.
And getting into the racial/”sellout” concept, I don’t know that it would be healthy for the kid to have his “exotic” or whatever looks made much of at that young of an age.
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 11:13 am ¶
gatamala wrote:
John!!
Watch it, I will take you up on that!!! :D
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 11:19 am ¶
Lyonside wrote:
Scott, I’ll try to phrase this nicer than others here (though, WORD to gatamala):
What you have expressed is the epitomy is the “mixed is beautiful” stereotype that is both offensive and damaging. Now, I’m not just saying this as a black/white biracial woman, but as the aunt of 2 Filapino/African-American men.
Mixed people are not automatically beautiful (physically). Beautiful (physically) people are not necessarily mixed. When they coincide, and because mixed folk are not mainstreamed in a healthy way, people take notice. HOWEVER, it is interesting that the media and pop culture seem to sit up and take notice more often when the mixed person in question is half-European in background and half- “other (i.e. darker-skinned)” minority.
A positive stereotype is still a stereotype. By definition it cannot be universally applied. By inference it can cause pressure, insecurity, and a false sense of self (i.e. people care about how I look, not who I am), especially in a child developing their own unique identity.
To sum up a T-shirt I own, one that I think applies to every single human being, “You’re unique… just like everyone else.”
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 11:41 am ¶
brad wrote:
I was just over at TVguide.com where they have an advertisement for their Sexiest Men on TV covers. Here’s the interesting thing, all 4 men are men of color! (Just a few years ago, TV Guide was critcized for their refusal to have a cover of Eriq LaSalle or other African American men.)
Cover Men of TV Guide:
Ricardo Chavira
Daniel Dae Kim
Wentworth Miller
Isaiah Thompson
story link: “COVER STORY
TV’s Sexiest Men
Isaiah Washington, Wentworth Miller, Daniel Dae Kim and Ricardo Chavira top our list of the hottest actors on the small screen this year. Judge them for yourself in this photo gallery, where you’ll also find behind-the-scenes video clips of their photo shoots”
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 12:48 pm ¶
Bohwe wrote:
I believe that television is a reflection on what the audience with the Nielson rating box wants to see. As well as those who write to advertisers about what they like and dislike on television. Hollywood and the modeling world is controlled by the viewers, because Hollywood is in the business to make money.
As far as India only using white (lighter) Indians in their films. Well, that form of racism goes back thousands of years. The white Indians or the Hindus conquered Southern India from the Dravidians who were descendants of Ethiopia. These people were force to be known as the Untouchables, because of their dark skin were mistreated beyond reason. So, now the present time , this notion where dark skin is ugly in India still exists. How sad, because the most beautiful people I’ve seen from India are people that are considered untouchable.
I don’t know if we’re able to endorce other websites or other stories, but if anyone is interested in the Blacks of Asia, conturies such as Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and the Pacific Islands, just type in Blacks of Idia or the Untouchables, and go to the site that’s Race and Man. Very interesting, there are beautiful photos of the blacks of Asia.
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 2:54 pm ¶
dcase wrote:
Great posts Gatamala and Lyonside!
Lyonside speaks the truth about the the damaging aspects of the mixed is beautiful stereotype. Often, mixed people that come out not as cute they develop serious issues because they don’t meet the stereotype suggested in society. This is especially true among females who bear an even larger burden. I have a cousin, while not ugly, is not spectacular and she often hears comments from people remarking that she was not as pretty as expected given her lightskinned father and mixed (b/kor) mother.
Moreover, even if a mixed person is pretty, the stereotype can be haunting. My aunt’s mother -a medium skinned black woman- used to tell my aunt all the time that my she should thank her for making sure that her daddy was white so that she and her brother were not ugly like the rest of these black kids. My aunt has never met her father and only knows two things about their relationship :he was white and her mom wanted pretty babies. Needless to say, Thus, my aunt has a serious issues with anyone remarking that she is pretty or that her hair is nice because of to her it suggests she is only looks good because she is half-white.
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 2:56 pm ¶
jlnli wrote:
Adding to Bohwe’s comment to Brad’s comment:
“This reminded me of Bollywood films that star fair-skinned, Caucasian-featured leads, also. I found this to be really disturbing since most of Indians, in particular, seem to have brown or black skin. I saw a Sri Lankan/Indian movie recently about a little girl”
Technically (or as techincal as anyone can get over “race”), all South Asians are considered Caucasian, even the darkest Tamil - so rather than “Caucasian-featured” it’s more “white skinned”, since “techincally” South Asian=Caucasian, just not white.
(Which really is another point about the stupidity of racial classifications, but anyway).
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 3:03 pm ¶
lyonside wrote:
jlnli: true… Caucasoid features (in the anthropological sense, rather than any modern “racial” sense) are usually typified by unkinked hair, thin nose, etc., not skin color.
The root causes of concentrations of human phenotypes based on geographical regions are likely lost to antiquity, but certainly have their base in populations forced to adapt to various environments over time. Therefore it makes sense in an equatorial region to find indigenous populations with darker skin tone. Add migrations into the mix, and there you go.
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 3:42 pm ¶
Keya wrote:
I really like that. I know that can happen with the black community. Light skin black children are favored over the darker ones. Parents will say stay out of the sun or you will get black. I’ve heard it all before. It’s very interesting hearing it from another person of color’s perspective.
Posted 19 Jun 2006 at 6:29 pm ¶
Ka_Jun wrote:
How are they using their looks to “better” the status of Pinoy everywhere? How do you use the negative effects of colonialism and racism to promote and further the community? Like Scott, I have a hapa/mestiso/biracial son, but I would never pimp him out for my own benefit and to the detriment of my community by perpetuating “white is right” or “white is beautiful”. What kind of father would I be then? Talk about colonial mentality. Nakakahiya, it’s embarassing that this woman would do this type of mental handwringing in public, on MSNBC, no less.
Posted 19 Jun 2006 at 9:44 pm ¶
black wrote:
I don´t know what the problem is!!
To put it this way, I am “white”, though I NEVER said that!
Whe people ask me where I am from I always say Serbia (and most of the time I say that I´m a moslem).
It seems that people in america make a bigger deal out of this BECAUSE they all are the same (for us european people at least) for us.
Same language, same style of living ect.
For instance if you come over here you are asked if you are from Germany,Austria, France, Serbia….ect.
You would all consider these people to be white…..but they are NOT!!
I just hate that term ” I´m black” “I´m white”….just tell people where you are from (or your parents)
If I look at my friends, one of them is from Namibia, another one from Japan or Bosnia….and I don´t give a damn about it!
And why is it that everyone wants to be black?
I know alot of people whose mother is white, while the father is black….yet they insist on being called black….what´s wrong with “my” colour??
Posted 14 Jul 2006 at 3:04 pm ¶
Everyone wants to be black??? wrote:
Since when has everyone wanted to be black? Some biracial and mixed race (with AA) RELATE more to the black experience, are treated “black” (negative treatment from non-blacks, mostly from whites), and are ’sometimes’ accepted more by blacks, raised by blacks, “look” more black, etc. These are the reasons some people IDENTIFY themselves as black. Some. You ask what’s “wrong” with your color? Well, if you are “white”, according to most of the earth, there’s NOTHING wrong with “your” color. Which is why your post sounds so ridiculous. You make it sound like it’s the “in” thing to be (black); failing to realize that white america is STILL trying to convince blacks that they are not beautiful, not loved, especially if they have two black parents. While many white women and girls I know DO actually think it’s the “in” thing, now, to have 1/2 black babies, there are still many drawbacks and much injustice and pain associated with “being black”. Maybe you have tunel-vision. Yep, that must be it. Why else would you make such a dumb comment???
Oh, I get it now. It’s beacuse of the royal treatment blacks get on a daily basis. Man, it must suck to be “white”. Can’t wait for the day we FINALLY have a white president, and more than one all-white TV show on CBS. All white commercials and magazines. The first white actress to win an Oscar. Can’t wait until this country is predominantly white. Then, maybe then, police officers will stop pulling over white men, profiling and hating them just because they are white. Oh, I can’t wait. The racism against whites is so unbearable, and that’s why soooo many people want to be black!
Posted 16 Aug 2006 at 10:03 am ¶
Everyone wants to be black??? wrote:
Since when have “white” people started accepting 1/2 white, 1/2 black kids as “white”. When Halle won that Oscar, what did WHITE people (as well as ODR toting blacks)? FIRST BLACK ACTRESS…
I have never heard a white woman call her 1/2 black child white. NEVER. So you call a meeting with your “white” peeps and ask THEM why they think so few of their children call themselves “white”. Maybe they don’t feel comfortable calling themselves that because it won’t be accepted. And it ain’t jus black folk fault! Massa had som’n ta do wit it too! Still do!
Posted 16 Aug 2006 at 10:10 am ¶
bangladeshis are not black wrote:
who sed bangladeshis r black . bangladesh is in northern india. im bangladeshi and ive got fair skin and green eyes . u sayin im blak
Posted 06 Sep 2006 at 2:00 pm ¶
jmatakis wrote:
Scott, Hopefully you are treating your 3 fil/am children better than the three children you abandoned in the U.S.
Posted 16 Sep 2006 at 1:23 am ¶