Fair-skin is better. Fair-skin is a privilege. Fair-skin is the beauty standard. This is colorism.
The desire for lighter skin tones is most commonly attributed to colonialism. The Spanish colonial period lasted from the sixteenth century to the nineteenth century and during that time they established a racial caste system to discriminate against the natives of the lands they conquered. In the Philippines, the peninsulares–who were Philippine inhabitants of pure Spanish descent and were born in Spain–rested at the top of the hierarchy. However, the native Malay people (Indios) were placed at the bottom of the system but still treated better than the negritos, the black people who were brought over as slaves. Thus, the privilege of a person became associated with their concentration of melanin. Though the abolishment of the caste system came with the independence of the Philippines from Spain in 1898, the preference for white skin was further implemented when the nation was colonized again by the Americans in the same year. The Philippines has been an independent republic for less than 80 years which is nothing in comparison to the 381 years they were under Spanish and U.S. rule.
However, there is another factor that explains the prominence of colorism in the Philippines: classism. For example, the binukot who were in existence before Hispanic rule. Binukot is a label put on a wealthy girl––chosen for her beauty––that is not allowed to step foot in the sun, secluded from her family, and not allowed to work. This practice comes from the belief that the seclusion of a woman puts her at a higher value when it comes to marriage. Thus, the binukot exemplifies how fair skin was associated with wealth. Colorism existed before the Europeans came to the islands; colonization was only the stimulant to a stronger rejection of darker skin tones.
The effects of colorism are especially seen in the Philippines beauty industry. According to a WHO research study stated in a CNN article, 40% of citizens use skin whiteners. Despite the many studies that prove the health risks (kidney damage, skin rashes, etc.), many Filipinos are persistent when it comes to using them. To use my family as an example, many of my relatives (both in America and in the Philippines) whiten their skin and are seen cowering away from the sun. The artists my aunts and my mother praise for their beauty are ones who look mestiza––meaning fair-skinned and/or racially mixed. Whiter features are the beauty standard and traditional Filipino features are seen as subpar.
Filipinos are a diverse people which can exist in a multitude of skin tones. However, the praising of whiter skin/features and the shaming of darker skin causes some to lose confidence when it comes to their ethnic and cultural identity. I want to have pride in my Filipino features without others telling me I shouldn’t.
Image: Mary Anne Culimlim, Avon Boutique, poses with the multitude of skin whitening products that are available at her store in Manila, Philippines.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/02/health/skin-whitening-lightening-asia-intl/index.html#:~:text=Routine%20skin%20whitener%20use%20ranges,to%20the%20World%20Health%20Organization.
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