I.

Introduction

A. Hook

The sweet poison that is ideal beauty unknowingly runs in everyone’s blood and

history, it seeps into our skins and defines us. Treating people poorly or excellently

based on the color of their skin is a very prevalent yet widely ignored issue.

Fortunately, people who are most affected by this have raised awareness, but the

efforts are wasted because of a number of reasons in which the wider society is

complicit in. This problem is known as Colorism: The preference of whiter, ‘fairer’

skin over darker, ‘blemished’ complexions. It is prevalent, yet virtually unnoticed in

societies of the past and present. The pleasure of being deemed beautiful in this

world spreads through the narrowest of ermitas and the widest of park squares.

The human race simply cannot get enough of it. A number of advocates to stop

discrimination based on the tone of a person’s skin have surfaced; many

companies are capitalizing on ‘real’ beauty and the inclusion of every type these

days. But can these movements escape from being just a trend that appears to be

talked about, only to be discarded when another one arises? Is just addressing

colorism enough to combat it and tackle the issues brought about by a deeply

rooted idea that white is best? This paper will prove that colorism normalizes

discriminatory attituds towards people

II. Body

A. Colorism endangers the physical and mental wellbeing of vulnerable persons

through unrealistic beauty standards
A.1. Unrealistic beauty standards brought about by Colonialism in the past, its damaging
effects in the present and the rise of mass media go hand in hand with the propagation of
colorism, and the subsequent fall of individual and inclusive perceptions of what is beautiful.
Beauty standards have been blown out of proportion and have now made a whole generation
of children and adults alike think that being different, in this case, having skin with a darker
shade is not pretty, and in some cases, normal.

The global skin-whitening industry has made many people employ their products in the hopes
of whitening their naturally brown skin tone. When there is pursuit of something, there naturally
is a cost. In this case, the pursuit is acceptance and beauty, while the cost is their physical and
mental health revealed by a study in 2015 concerning the ramifications of these products;

“Skin whitening and bleaching agents can cause harmful side effects, such as poisoning from
harmful chemicals, discoloration, scarring, acne, skin rashes, infections, eye irritation, and
increased blood pressure, and can potentially lead to long-term health problems. 7 The
sunscreen and chemicals found in skin whitening agents decrease the natural production of
melanin, the protein responsible for coloration of the skin; however, the chemicals are often
poisonous, and detrimental to one’s health.7” (Singson,2015)

A Filipino for example only needs to look in front of the television screen to see that many of
the artistas they love are mostly fair-skinned. What is alarming about this is that some of the
actors and actresses started out looking fairly kayumanggi, but as their career changes, their
skin tone changes with it. Kathryn Bernardo and Nadine Lustre are examples…… chuchu
(substantiation>>>))))

A.2

~ (This is made apparent by the continued prosperity of many skin-whitening products

populous Asian countries such as China, Malaysia, India and the Philippines.)

B. Colorism cuts a deep divide because of preferential treatment which leads to division
in human relationships and social inequality – analysisssss

B.1. Deep –seated Colorism gave way to the saying: “Ganda sana, kaso ang itim.” Alarmingly,
Colorism can take hold during the most impressionable stages of our lives. It can be fostered
during childhood and once it has been maintained by those who surround the child that dark is
not beautiful and that whitening soap should be used religiously, it’s going to be difficult for the
child to process anything other than the views that were instilled by his or her peers. Class
perceptions brought on by colonial mentality based on the skin tone is still a heavy fixture in
most Asian societies, influencing how fellow countrymen act with each other. Workplace
discrimination based on the lightness or darkness of skin is prevalent in many societies aside
from their Asian counterparts. (search for terms around asia that pertain to darker skinned
people)

B.2

~ Workplace discrimination based on the lightness or darkness of skin is prevalent in many

societies aside from their Asian counterparts. Preferential treatment
~ social stigma

~ derogatory terms

Conclusion sis :

C. The issue of colorism widely goes unnoticed, thus making it much more difficult to
eliminate in the future.

C.1. The preference for lighter skin and the generations that have contributed in championing it
have unconsciously taken hold of the collective mentality around the world surrounding beauty
and the tone of skin. Education and awareness about this social issue is quite scarce, and it
will make it more so because the gap between the poor and the privileged is widening. So,
even if the generation of people in the present are saying something and raising awareness
about the topic of colorism in Asian countries, there is still a lot of stigma to break down and
debunk. Colorism is deeply rooted in our society, and so is the disparaging divide between the
educated and the uneducated, even if it is against the backdrop of information being readily
available with just a swipe of a finger. Ewan ko kung san to ipapasok omg

C.2

III. Conclusion

A. Colorism is a widely overlooked aspect of many cultures and societies. This is alarming
because it provides considerable damage in the image of a person, and it restricts the freedom
of people living in our society. It should also be taken into account with regards to society’s
perception of women especially because colorism wrongfully dictates what is desirable to see
and what is not, thus limiting opportunities for many who want to fully realize their aspirations
in life.

B. Findings and Conclusion

The problematic issue of Colorism is harmful to societies around the globe. It normalizes
discriminatory and divisive attitudes and practices based only on the skin tone of a person. It
also leads to endangered mental and physical wellbeing through unrealistic beauty standards,
furthering social inequality, and establishing popular ignorance that will harm the mindset of
future generations, if we fail to address and put a stop to it. The preference for lighter skin and
the generations that have contributed in championing it have unconsciously taken hold of the
collective mentality around the world surrounding beauty and the tone of skin. Education and
awareness about this social issue is quite scarce, and it will make it more so because the gap
between the poor and the privileged is widening. So, even if the generation of people in the
present are saying something and raising awareness about the topic of colorism in Asian
countries, there is still a lot of stigma to break down and debunk. Colorism is deeply rooted in
our society, and so is the disparaging divide between the educated and the uneducated, even
if it is against the backdrop of information being readily available with just a swipe of a finger.
Ewan ko kung san to ipapasok omg

C. Recommendation or Call for Action (Clincher)

IV. Reference Lists

In August, 1994, the Philippine Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) reclassified hydroquinone as a
prescription drug, and any cosmetic containing 1-2% hydroquinone now requires a clear warning
from the manufacturers about possibly damaging side effects. Most manufacturers do not bother to
comply, and even if they do, the warning is not in English on some Asian imports.
Not only beauty products, but hydroquinone itself can still be purchased over the counter without a
prescription says Dizon, adding, "BFAD is kind of toothless in that respect". But Dizon believes that
enforcing the law controlling access to hydroquinone could be less difficult than tackling Filipino
beliefs about beauty. "Culture-wise, it's odd that Asians want lighter skin and caucasians prefer
browner skin. People never seem to be completely happy with their personal physical
characteristics, and if there's a bleaching agent out there, they are going to try it", she says. (David
easton )

Theorists of the European colonial era had argued that cold climate conditions induced regenerative
qualities and that warmer climate conditions induced racial degeneration and civilizational stagnation.
According to these ecological and environmental theories, the embodiment of whiteness gave people
living in colder climate zones evolutionary advantages (Anderson, 2003; Blaut, 1992). Environmental
determinists of the colonial era believed that temperate climate conditions were conducive in cultivating
autochthonic whiteness and that autochthonic whiteness was an ecological marker of the evolutionary
process (Crosby, 2004; Blaut, 1992; Mohanram, 1999) (wellness and whiteness)

Dark skinned people have more melanin, the primary determinant of human skin color. Skin whitening
products contain chemicals to reduce the concentration of melanin. Typically sunscreen and prescription
retinoids supplement skin whiteners. Although some whiteners help achieve lighter skin tones, many
contain harmful ingredients, including: the steroid clobetasol propionate, inorganic mercury (mercuric
chloride or ammoniated mercury), glutathione (an antioxidant traditionally used in conjunction with
cancer treatment), and the organic compound, hydroquinone.3 The main health hazards of skin
lighteners are linked to: (i) misuse of topical clobetasol that can produce systemic steroid effects from
daily applications, particularly on large skin areas; and (ii) hidden mercury content, and thus mercury
poisoning, depending on individual susceptibility. Serious health concerns have led several countries,
including the Philippines, to respond with policy measures about testing, marketing, purchasing, and
utilization of skin whitening products. Government interventions may bring problems. Regulation can
inhibit innovation, and increase drug and cosmetic prices.4–5 Governmental actions may not work
because political pressures from interest groups influence and promote vested interests.6 Some
economists have therefore advocated private, market solutions.6 We examine whether government
intervention is necessary and more efficient than market-oriented approaches to address health risks and
harms associated with skin whitening. Critically, what are the quality and quantity of information
exchanged between sellers and buyers of skin whiteners that governments may regulate? Our
Philippines’ case study offers insights. (the skin whitening industry in the philippines)

Limited education appears to be inversely correlated with aggregate demand for skin whiteners.
Statistically, we found that the lower the level of formal schooling, the greater is our respondent users'
propensity to purchase whitening products. Consumers were equally likely to be single (including
widowed and legally separated) or married (including common-law relationships). Having financial
dependents appears to decrease skin whitener purchase and use. One observation, albeit visual, was
reported by our survey research team: About 1 in every 8 female respondents was a Chinese or Spanish
Table 1: Consumer profilea (n=110) Socio-demographic characteristic f (%) Gender Male 12(10.9)
Female 98(89.1) Classb A, B 17(15.5) C 41(37.3) D 29(26.4) E 9(8.2) Highest educational attainment
None 1(0.9) Elementary/some elementary 30(27.3) High School/some high School 36(32.7) Some
college/vocational 17(15.5) College graduate 10(9.1) Post-collegiate/professional school 8(7.3) Marital
status by dependents Single, no dependents 32(29.1) Single, w/dependents 23(20.1) Married, no
dependents 28(25.5) Married, w/dependents 17(15.5) a Total may be <100% in certain categories
because of non-response. b Annual income from all sources based on consumer market segments used
by survey research firms and the Philippine government. Mendoza 222 © 2014 Macmillan Publishers
Ltd. 0197-5897 Journal of Public Health Policy Vol. 35, 2, 219–238 mestiza (mixed ancestry) and,
therefore, lighter complexioned compared to the vast majority of surveyed users (and Filipinos) who are
of pure or predominantly Austronesian stock. Use of whiteners by surveyed Philippine mestizas suggests
personal dissatisfaction even with their relatively fair skin tones. (SAME SOURCE PUKEEE WOAH)

Like most developing countries,2 our survey results confirm that Filipino perceptions of beauty,
youthfulness, and aesthetic appeal, improved economic opportunities, class affiliation, and social
networking drive the desire to whiten skin. Skin whitening is generally considered by Filipinos as a
long-term social and economic investment. However, before buying or applying their whitening
products, over two-thirds of our survey respondents were unable to establish how light their skin tones
would have to be in order to achieve their personal expectations or satisfaction level. We asked
respondents about the information they used when shopping for whiteners. How did they evaluate or
change opinions of their product options? The results are presented in Table 2. We found that over 80
per cent of consumers relied primarily on commercial information sources about whitening products,
even when considering (if ever) product safety and tolerability. Efficacy perceptions were strongly
influenced by branding and marketing initiatives, particularly if endorsers were actors, sportspeople, and
newscasters. Few consumers searched for information on their own or used information supplied by
others. Fewer relied on objective or professional sources of information, including possible health
concerns. Less than 20 per cent consulted health professionals, scientific institutions, government health
agencies, or voluntary organizations. For decision making, consumers ranked these sources of
information of significantly lower value than any others. On what information sources did their actual
product choices and continued utilization depend? We found reliance on the same ones (See Table 2).
Low price/relative affordability (64.2 per cent−72.2 per cent) is an important decision factor. As toxic
whiteners sell at much lower prices than safer ones, they are more accessible to, and highly popular
among, Classes D and E female respondents, who constituted 40 per cent of our sample. Relatively few
consumers based their selections on safety and (AYAN PA SAME SOURCE)

13.3 per cent−21.3 per cent). Fewer than 25 per cent consulted a physician before buying. Many skin
whiteners, including banned (toxic) ones, can be easily purchased in the Philippines without a doctor’s
prescription. Several consumers further informed us they had difficulty understanding product literature
in its conventional format. (Masy nabasa dina ko about thiiiiis san yun pucha di klo namaalal pero i have
that source ont he list)

esults In the present study, 56.2% of female students reported SLP usage among 760 respondents (mean
age ± standard deviation [SD]: 23.6 ± 3.4 years; range: 18-30 years). A total of 372 respondents (62%)
had a light brown skin tone, and 152 respondents (39.3%) had a light skin tone. The sociodemographic
characteristics of the study participants are presented in Table 1. Only 36.3% of participants believed
that SLPs could pose a harm to the skin. One fourth of SLP users and nonusers were unaware of the
active ingredients in the product (Table 2). Many respondents believed lighter skin is associated with
beauty, youthfulness, and social advantage (69.1%, 59.3%, and 60.5%, respectively). Respondents
reported media influence with regard to perception of a lighter skin tone (Table 2). With regard to skin-
lightening practices in our study population, we found that SLPs are used specifically to attain a lighter
skin tone. Many users were dissatisfied with their current skin tone as the color of the skin had returned
to normal because of ineffective regimens (Table 3). (See Table 4.) After adjusting for several
confounders in the multivariate regression analysis, we found poor mental health status (episodes of
depression, presence of PTSD syndrome, and pathologic Internet use) to be associated with skin-
lightening use. Furthermore, knowledge of harmfulness and active ingredients in skin lighteners affected
skin-lightening practices significantly (adjusted odds ratio: 0.35 and 0.16, respectively; 95% confidence
interval, 0.24-0.50 and 0.09-0.28, respectively *(SAUDI STUDY)\