Spotlight

Face fallacy

SW asks if fair's fair

By: Tatat Bunnag

• Did you know •

Some types of skin-whitening products are believed to use harmful active ingredients like mercurous chloride.

It seems that newspapers, magazines, movies and television constantly tell society how the ideal man or woman is supposed to look.

In many Asian countries, particularly Thailand, the mass media has convinced many people that fair skin is more beautiful than dark skin. This idea is reinforced by the ever-increasing array of skin-whitening products. Everything from pills to facial scrubs, face masks and deodorant are supposed to help lighten people's skin.

Student Weekly recently went out and asked some city strollers to share their thoughts about the myth that it's necessary to have light skin to be beautiful.

	"I think that many girls want to have light skin because it's popular and trendy. They think that pale skin looks clean and shows up people's natural beauty. But everybody has their own individual taste." Dear Buranarat, 25, exhibitor at Supernormal studio
	"I've been talking about this issue with some of my friends and we all agree that it has to do with current trends. People see good-looking Korean and Japanese actors with pale skin, and they want to be like that too". Supry Ront, 20, university student
	"It's not necessary to have fair skin to be pretty. But you have to feel good about yourself to be beautiful. So if somebody feels that fair skin makes them look better, then there's nothing wrong with that." Piyanun Uthaisangchai, 24, grad student
	"I've have never thought that I have to be light skin to be pretty. There are so many brown and dark girls that are very beautiful and sexy. The media says that white skin is better than dark skin, but really the only important thing is having healthy skin." Kasawan Kungvalpivat, 24, singer with Slow Reverse
	"The media brainwashes people. Commercials and soap operas on television make people feel less confident about the condition or colour of their skin. And eventually people want to buy the whitening products they advertise on TV." Pasu Intaramanwong, 22, university student
	"Some people are just too blind to see the beauty of variety." Thip Penpayap, 21, university student
	"People with dark skin dream of having lighter skin, while people with pale skin like to go out and get a suntan. Humans always seem to want what they don't have." Thiyaporn Panikbutr, 24, grad student
	"It's not necessary to have light skin at all. People should be happy with whatever skin they have. Everybody looks good with their natural skin colour". Siwanut Boonsripornchai, 21, singer with Summer Dress

fallacy (n): a false idea that many people believe is true

fair (adj): pale in colour

reinforce (v): to make an idea, opinion, etc. stronger

array (n): a collection of things that is large or impressive

stroller (n): a person who is enjoying a slow relaxed walk

myth (n): something that many people believe but that does not exist or is false

show up (phrasal v): to make something become visible

current (adj): happening now

brainwash (v): to force somebody to accept your ideas or beliefs, for example by repeating the same thing many times or by preventing the person from thinking clearly

variety (n): several different types of the same thing

suntan (n): the brown colour that somebody with pale skin goes when they have been in the sun