White Skin: Why Racism In Asia Isn’t Quite What You Think

By Matthew Kepnes On August 19, 2008 · 183 Comments

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Visitors to Asia may be shocked by overt forms of “racism.” But as the author discovers, it’s not the same understanding as the West.

In Asia, white skin is in / Photo William Wang

Over the last few decades, Western nations have tried to become a “post racial society.”

We try to look past skin color, ban discrimination, and teach tolerance. From our birth we are taught that everyone is equal and everyone deserves the same chance.

Even if we don’t always live up to our ideals, we still strive to reach them.

When I traveled to Asia and lived in Thailand, I was shocked to see so much “racism.” They loved whiteness. The whiter your skin the better you were.

From Korea to Japan to Thailand, dark skinned people are looked down upon. Everyone strives to be white- every skin product has whitening in it and everyone stays out of the sun.

It was the complete opposite for us in the West, where coming back from a vacation with a tan was considered a priority.

The Importance Of White?

While visiting the region, I was always shocked to hear people talk about how ugly black skin is, and how important it is to be white.

I’d constantly admonish my students about off color jokes only to have the another student waive me off “No, no, it’s OK. I am black and ugly.”

Asian countries look down on dark skin not because of racism but because they don’t want to be perceived as poor.

Another student later made it clear: “In the west, you always worry about color. You have a racism problem but here we just accept it. We don’t care.”

There’s a creation story in Thailand. In the beginning god created man. At first, he cooked the people too much (dark skinned people). Then he cooked them too little (pasty westerners). Finally, he cooked them just right (light skinned Asians).

When I first heard this story, it only reinforced my belief in a racist Asia. It wasn’t until later I learned about the cultural and class context and then I saw this “racism” in a different light.

In countries where “whiteness” is preferred, you’d think there would be racial tensions but there aren’t. In Asia, there are no race riots, no KKK, no nationalist parties, and no race based organizations.

Historically, dark skin was associated with people who worked in the fields (also known as the poor). The upper class stayed indoors and in the shade. Asian countries look down on dark skin not because of racism but because they don’t want to be perceived as poor.

Question Of Class

In Asia, it’s good to be white. TV stars are white. Models are white. Everyone is airbrushed until they look like ghosts. But I wouldn’t call them racist.

To them it’s not about race or ethnicity it is about class. If someone from the West promotes whiteness, it’s racist. “Oh you can’t do that. People will be offended.”

The more politically correct we get, the more uncomfortable with race we become.

But in Asia, it is different. Dark skin is poor, white skin is rich. They promote whiteness because no one wants to be perceived as poor. In Thailand, I saw plenty of dark skinned people in high ranking jobs- their current prime minister is dark skinned.

While they prefer white skinned, they don’t look at a dark skinned person and think “they are less of a person.” The same is true all over Southeast Asia. Driving a BMW in the West says you’re rich and classy; in Asia, the color of your skin says it.

In the West we obsess over discrimination as we try to live in a post-race world.

Yet the more anti-discrimination laws we pass, the more politically correct we get, the more uncomfortable with race we become.

Same Same, But Different

We see everything as black, white, or yellow.

The more we try to make race a non-issue the more of an issue it becomes. We may consider it racism but to Asians it’s not about race. Skin color is laughed and joked about in a way we find hard to understand. It still can make me uncomfortable.

Maybe we should take a cue from Asia. Maybe if we want to become a post racial world we need to stop worrying about race.

I’m not naïve enough to think Asia is a utopia. Discrimination does occur in Asia. But there it is more about questions of class rather than pure skin color.

When you stop making something an issue, it suddenly stops being one. Then we can all sit back and laugh and just enjoy each other- regardless of skin color.

What do you think about racism in Southeast Asia? Share your thoughts in the comments!

About The Author

Matthew Kepnes

Matt Kepnes travels because life is short and cubicles are not fun to sit in. Visit his personal website, NomadicMatt.com.

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Joe Tippytoes

Racisim is as human as anything. It happens in the animal kingdom. Racisim is ugly in many ways don't get me wrong, but so is many natural things in this world (thing of a cougar eating a deer)

It is thanks to Racisim that so many cultures have evolved. It is a very basic thing to thing ones race or culture is better than the rest. If you don't think your the best than you change to the best.

So is it racisit to say black people are taller than average. No because you can measure it. Does that mean there is no short black people, heck no. We are varied in every race but there is many things that are slightly differnent over a big enough number.

Should humans all mix up in everyway and become on race of people now that its 2008 ? I don't know.

I really hope some of the tribal people we know not to much about that live in the forests and things stay intact as long as they can.

Peace.
Joe Tippytoes

Racisim is not unique to darker people. I am white and when I lived in Harlem for a few months people were VERY racisit to me, also being from Windsor if I went to Detriot people would stare you down all the time. I find MUCH rasicim toward me in Canada from Asians and east Indians, heck I can walk by a group of Indo-Canadians and they alot of times make some comment to do with race. You ever here some black guys talk about white &^^&'s ?
It doesn't bother me at all. Unless I get refused good service at a Sushi resterant, than I am mad.
You can yell about the "root" of it. But I think if another race was the one that took over the world, they would have been the same.
Joe Tippytoes

part2
The only reason white people from Europe ruled the world in many ways so long is because there was so much effort put into weapon building and making new things, there was most of the population living under the rule of a small group of people.
Its safe to say that the old building in Europe are nice because there was so many poor almost slaves to be whipped into building these things.
When people were truely free like in Native north America or Africa, they were not going to toil their life away building a building for rich kings. They would instead build a small homes for themselves and instead build up a varied set of skills, and afford WAY more free time.
Danny

I think that racism is active on both sides, I'm African American and i admit that i've seen other blacks be racist to other people, or asians being racist to blacks. I think that we should all try to tackle racism. And live with the fact that different skin color is not any way to judge a person ( you shouldn't judge someone at all). Just because your black doesn't mean that you are poor, that should violent, and that your dumb or whatever. I think every skin color is beautiul and we should respect that…… Go OBAMA… Yea
Christine

I have experienced racism as an Asian American, and trust me, it's not funny. It hurts you emotionally. I think the darker-skinned Asian kids are laughing it off because they're hurt so deep inside that they virtually have no self-esteem. So they have no way to deal with it but just to laugh at themselves. That's what happened to me. When I was in middle school I'd just voluntarily make Asian jokes and constantly say how Asian people suck. I'd make a mistake and I'd laugh at myself and say "man I'm so Asian."
Christine

My sister is pretty dark compared to me (I'm really pale- I'm paler than most of my white friends), and when we went to Korea people we didn't even know asked if we were sisters. And when we told them that we were, they'd be like, "dang, then how come the younger one is SO dark? Did your parents adopt her from SE Asia or somewhere like that? Or is your mom Vietnamese (Korean man-Vietnamese woman marriage is pretty common over there) and you happened to look like your dad and she your mom?" My sister'd just laugh it off, but not because she thought it was funny. Because she didn't want to get up to their face and create a fight. Later on, she came to believe that dark skin wasn't pretty, but then we came back to the States and now she likes her darker skin. Racism is not just something you should laugh at. It's not funny. It hurts other people's feelings. You shouldn't be racist even if that person you're being racist of is taking it "funny".
And like the person above said, GO OBAMA.
j.s.

"Maybe we should take a cue from Asia. Maybe if we want to become a post racial world we need to stop worrying about race. "

a nice sentiment… too bad race and class (in addition to gender, sexuality, and nationality) are and never have been mutually exclusive categories.

race is inextricably connected to class–even/especially in asia. although asian countries have a distinctly different historical history/context than that of the "race-obsessed west," it important to note that just because you don't the same language for something doesn't mean the thing don't exist.

i see what's happening in asia as more of a neoliberal trend to argue that difference and inequality don't exist simply by not talking about it. therefore, based on this logic, because asians don't talk about "race"–but use "class"–instead… racism is no longer as "relevant." but this is a lot like color-blind advocates in the u.s. arguing that just because you don't identify your "race," that you ban "race-based" programs like affirmative action and just sing "multicultural, post-racial obama land" koombayah and racism disappears. alas, inequality just doesn't work like this. indeed, this sort "lipservice liberalism" is in fact much more insidious than the overt KKK version most self-described "non-racist, racially-sensitive" purportedly decry against. it's worse because it hides racism and inequality at the larger structural, systematic level. instead, it reduces "inequality" to individual acts committed by bad people. if i'm not "racist" towards people, there is no racism seems to be the logic. nevermind that i still benefit from a race/class/gender privileged position.

case in point, in asia, if you're white and you speak english, you are privileged. if you are born and raised in the u.s. and try to get the same job as a white speaking westerner in asia, you'll experience a new brand of "racism" very quickly. in this case, the author's argument that asia's central mode of discrimination is class-based disintegrates quickly.

in anycase, the author is correct in saying that class tends to be a more prominent feature among the discourse of inequality in asia. however, race and notions of race, are clearly just as prevalent–even though asians themselves don't necessarily talk about it or think about it on those terms. the disjuncture between race-based hiring policies within the lucrative english language business in asia is but one significant example. native asians own perceptions of what constitutes a "real westerner" (a white face versus an asian, latino, or black) one is also another strong indication of how hollywood's hegemonic pull in asia has successfully persuaded native asians themselves to believe in a "white-is-right" world order… ultimately, what you see in asia is quite similar to what you see in the u.s. asians as honorary whites, often more than willing to play the decisive role of "almost white" against a black/white racial binary. class matters in asia, yes. but race was never not an issue, as well.
Shameful

You are heartless. How can you laugh at someone's pain. If someone tells you that making fun of their color hurts them, you should stop it. If someone tells you they like it, you should find them help.

This is no kinder than jokes about white men having small penises. It isn't that hard. Treat people with respect. Being decent is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT, than being funny.

Taihaiti kitty

White men have huge dicks.

Ask to see. They will show you.

Shorty

Hey,

It's not okay to make fun of someone for being dark, but what about making fun of someone for being short, or for being dumb? I mean, presumably you can't really change any of these things either, but why is it more acceptable to talk about someone being short or dumb, than to talk about someone being dark? I think what the poster meant about the way Asians think of skin color is that it's not any more sensitive than to talk about someone being short or dumb. Certainly, it's still not nice to make fun of people for things that they cannot change, but it's not on the level of a hate crime as it is in the US to talk about someone's skin color.
http://skin remelie

It is not a surprised to me when you mentioned about the skin color racism in asia.
I was one of the unluckiest person who was teased by the the color of my skin. Since I started going to school they called me negra, or ugly dirty. Even if I am one of the most talented person or most intelligent at school , still people think you are not capable of things. It is so hard for me, so I have tried different whitenning product to bleach my skin yet I was not lucky to have that white skin. Now I am in the west , it’s a different story, for the first time somebody likes my color..Now I an a cnadian citizen I don’t know if I want to go back to my own country. coz Everytime I go home they kept asking me why I am still brown?
http://www.snuzz.net Snuzz

White people are privileged? You, my friend, have not been to Asia, gweilo
http://mock-heroic.net mock-heroic

im really not sure if its so much about race or class – being a malaysian female having spent the last 8 yrs overseas i would say it’s just a different perception of beauty. older generation females in asia generally want to be as fair as possible and dont see being tanned as being attractive whereas it’s different in countries like europe or australia. younger asian generations (as opposed to the older) who have studied overseas see the attractiveness in being tanned, in it suggesting you’re someone who gets out and does things, travels, whatever.
HyderabadChick

.
Sylvia

I like to have lighter skin, personally, but for me it’s got nothing to do with race or class – it’s just personal preference. i.e. I just think light skin suits me more, in the same way that some people prefer to have long legs or red hair. There’s nothing wrong with short legs or blonde hair – people just have different tastes. Actually I think pale skin can look very pretty. I have never lived in or been influenced by Asia, and I couldn’t care LESS about trends or whatnot. I like light skin just because I do.

That being said, I don’t give a hoot about anyone else’s skin colour. I don’t treat people differently just because of their complexion. I just prefer this for *myself*, and that’s my business. Not everyone with pale skin is racist.

And discrimination goes both ways too. When I tell people I don’t want a tan, they look at me like I’m crazy. They’re like, “How could you POSSIBLY want to be white, that’s DUMB!” – so arrogant. Why can’t you just respect people’s preferences? Not everyone’s perception of beauty is the same. If someone wants to be white/black/orange/purple/green, at the end of the day it’s their skin and their choice. No colour is better than any other colour, it’s simply a question of personal choice.

So my point is, this isn’t always a racial issue so much as a cosmetic issue. Superficial, yes, but racist – not necessarily! It’s perfectly acceptable to whiten or darken your skin so long as you don’t try to force your ideals onto others.

john

sorry, you are fooling yourself. because of recent history white folks have made white the color of power and you are unconsciously following that dictate.
most people in the world are some color .

http://www.travel-living-bliss.com Shelz

I think it might not be completely true that Asians prefer white is due to race or class. It’s just how Asians love fairer skin that we thought fairer skin looks ‘cleaner’ and prettier on us. It’s like how those models are so skinny and it creates a trend or a perception to the public that skinny equal to attractive. That’s why there are uncountable slimming products in the market.

Same goes to the skin color here in Asia. Making skin look paler is very deeply rooted in Chinese tradition. In the old days of Chinese Dynasty, the queens already used pearl to whiten their skin. We believe that whitening can cover many flaws and we always aim for flawless skin. So really.. it has nothing to do with class.

There are a lot of tanned skin models here in Asia who looks gorgeous too. They definitely don’t look poor. But it doesn’t mean everyone with tanned skin would look as gorgeous. It’s pretty much on individual taste.

Cheers.
D

Making fun of anyone is all about one thing and one thing only: low self esteem on the part of the person making fun. Racist behavior is a very serious personality deficiency.

Unfortunately for the person who has to deal with this psychological and emotional as well as social disorder, they are in the midst of social and emotional battering of the kind that has become a disease and is probably not able to be removed as it is institutional and within some societies glorified and held up high.

This is an example of how sad the human being can be. Despite their intelligence and creativity the human psyche is also rife with serious personality flaws and racisim is one of them.
svenai

Yes, you have summed up Asia’s situation perfectly. Thank you sir, for this insightful article.
Henry

no…that’s not racism in Asia…. that’s just a trend of beauty. Asian prefer whiteness like women prefer being beautiful. If you are black, you’ll still be treated as same as the others. Black can share all of public utilities such as restaurant, store, telephone, toilet, sink, seat….etc.
http://elephantsleg.wordpress.com Oliver

Interesting take, but if you really think “they don’t look at a dark skinned person and think “they are less of a person.” ” then I can only imagine you haven’t been here long enough. As you say, it’s perhps a class issue more than a race one, but the middle and upper classes ABSOLUTELY do look down on the working classes. Some condos don’t allow “the help” to ride the same elevators as the residents. The political troubles last year were all about class – and when the middle-class, educated “yellow shirts” can lay seige to an international airport for a week while the army does nothing, and the rural, dark-skinned “red shirts” get violently dispersed, the vested interests appear clear.

And for sure, people can joke about skin colour. Many people joke about physical appearance and it seems a lot of Thais would not be offended to be called ugly or fat, either. But, when a dark-skinned Thai ABSOLUTELY cannot get a date because of his/her colour, or cannot get certain jobs because of his/her colour, do you think that is acceptable?

And that’s without even touching on the subject of the black and south Asian people in Thailand. A great many Thai people will tell you without any shame that they point-blank would never date a black or Indian person, and that is entirely due to their skin colour. An educated, middle or upper class black or Indian person in Thailand is for the large part considered unattractive by Thais, and that’s without knowing anything of their background. So, where is the “class” argument there?
Widya

Asian people don’t discriminate dark skinned asians? TOTALLY WRONG!! I’m a dark skinned asian (not too dark, more like tan). and I’m from Indonesia (Southeast Asia). I’ve been living in the U.S. for 4 years now.

Some of what the Author said are true but apparently he didn’t stayed in Asia long enough to investigate further. It’s true that dark skinned one laughed when other people make jokes of their skin color, NOT because they’re okay with it but because there’s nothing they can do about it and by joking along with them makes it less painful. My mom and brother have light skin and they made fun of me all the time, I had to laugh it off but it hurts deep inside.

Over there, having a light skin is very important, especially for women. The darker you are the less beautiful you are. My mom (she has a light skin) used to worry about my skin color, she’d buy different kind of whitening products for me to try to improve my skin tone. I never felt pretty at all, don’t get me wrong…I have a pretty nice looking face & body but most of the guys didn’t look at me that way (because of my skin color). I used to be so stressed out about it, but now that I live in the U.S, everything is the oposite. People here are actually think that I look great, I got compliments everyday, guys are hitting on me all the time, some people have asked me why I never thought of going to modelling school or something like that. It makes me feel better, but honestly…I still think that I’m not pretty. Thats how bad the skin color discrimination over there have made me feel.

Of course asians don’t think about it as a racism, it can’t be, because we came from the same race to begin with. But it’s still a discrimination. There are many job oportunities that require you to have light skin (NO KIDDING). Trust me, when it comes to discrimination, asians are way worse than westerners. If a company is trying to sort out the resumes for interviews, most of the time they’d pick the good looking one. If they don’t like the good looking one (if they’re too stupid or something) after the interviews, then they’d interview the rest. But sometimes they don’t really care if they’re dumb or smart. Unless it is a high position like managers or higher, it’d be a different story.
Oh, if you are a handicap, there’s no way you’re gonna have a job, you’d end up living your live doing nothing and being useless. You think you can get a disability check from the government? NOPE, not one penny. Sorry for being harsh, but thats the awful truth.

Another example. In the U.S, most of the times you can argue with your manager/boss, stand up for yourself, defend yourself. Over there, higher up people are always right and you have to listen of what they have to say due to respect of their position.

I can share many other examples of “discriminations” in Asia. But they’re too many. Hope you can get better understanding of Asians.
bella

totally right.. I´ve never lived in Asia, but I´m an asian in Europe. And my parents have friends and such with asians, so I kinda know how they work. One typical asian thing that I hate is that, asian strangers talk about you very openly, no matter the situation. And they just say what´s on their mind without even thinking, I don´t have any major problems with my skin-color, but I´ve acne and I´m not the thin asian girl that many asian are, you know it´s very rare to see a fat or medium-sized asian since they´re in general so small built. Well I knock off all those stereotypes by being mediumsized and have acne. When ppl see me they just openly comment on my acne and my size… “wow, so big your daughter is!”

and my relatives, they´re even worse, they just scrutinize you ffrom top to toe.. it´s really uncomfortable, but what can I do besides smiling and laughin off their rude comments about me?!

As an asian that has lived all her life in a western country, I really long for that asian culture that I watch on asian-tv-series and such. But deep inside I know that I´ll never be able to live a happy life anywhere except for here, people would simply not accept me in the country my parents come from and I´d feel like an alien together with those natives!
Joi

Last few months ago, I noticed all of a sudden that my skin seemed darker and a bit yellow. Since I don’t normally obsess about trying to be pale, I never paid much attention to my skin, so I wasn’t sure if I had always looked like that or maybe I was getting yellow with age,. I went and got some blood work done to make sure it wasn’t some disease. Blood work came out fine, but after finding I’d started on vitamin B and was taking them everyday for a few weeks, the doctor told me to stop for a while and then only take about two a week in the future. Lo and behold it’s been a two months since taking any and my skin coloring has gone back to its original very pale, blue/green veins prominent and all that. Yellow or darker coloring was not the norm afterall. ^_^
I don’t know if my experience applies to anyone else, but it’s just a suggestion.

Btw, I was actually very self-conscious about my pale skin growing up because while all my western friends would tan themselves to a crisp in the summers, my mom wouldn’t allow me to do the same. I used to envy the darker skinned Asians too because they’d get compliments on their natural “tans” while I always felt a bit like a plucked chicken in the summers. But now I’ve grown into my self and am happy with what I have. So I guess it’s all relative?
http://guides.suksanvillas.com joe

The thought that the color of a person’s skin is somehow similar to height, intelligence, or other racially independent traits is missing the point entirely.

Skin color is important enough in Thailand, where I live, to affect a person’s job prospects, perceived social status, and certainly how attractive they are considered.

I can’t help but consider the consistent efforts in movies, commercials, books, and culture to portray white as beautiful and dark as dirty to be deeply harmful in a country where most of the people naturally have a darker complexion.
http://guides.suksanvillas.com Suksan

The whitening fact about Asia is fascinating. It is everywhere. I first witnessed this obsession back in 2000 when I visited Singapore and thought it was very funny, since the whites wants to have a darker complexion from tanning and the Asians (although not dark at all) applied lotions and creams to keep them as white as white can be.

Another article about how they advertise and promote whiteness can also be read href=”http://guides.suksanvillas.com/general/white-skin”>Here
http://elephantsleg.wordpress.com Oliver

Joe, agree completelty. The portrayal of a “white-skinned” Thailand via the TV, advertising, music videos and movies is ridiculous. The people in these media represent maybe 1% of the real population and as you say, the suggestions that these looks are desirable/advantageous when the overwhelming majority of people here do not look like that is indeed harmful.
Debbie

I don’t know what to think. Im latin american and I have always liked asian cultures… Japanses, korean and Chinese. But For example, right now I like a Chinese Boy, who doesn’t like me because Im not white (Im not black either… lets just say Im Cinamon color.. Like tropical)… and also Latin girls have diferent bodies than asian girls… Most asian girls are so soo sooo skiny and they look ´pretty… But us latins we have curves… and Sometimes it make me mad because they are so close minded… I mean… they only like asians… Can somebody explain that to me?
domino

Im from indonesia, which is in Southeast Asia, but i am currently living in the US, and thats how i can speak english properly. I just want to agree with the author. In my country, people want to get white. They just do, but they did nothing about it, as far as I know. Me and my friends liked to stay out in the sun (not because we like to get tan, but becuz all the fun things are outside! we get bored inside), and we were all dark skinned. and I mean REALLY dark. We have summer all year long, no reason to stay inside all the time, unlike in US where it turns to graveyard once a storm comes. And your prettiness really is measured by your skin color. Even if you have the most gorgeous eyes, nobody will notice if you have dark skin. you would still be considered ugly. But if you have really white skin (for asian), no matter how ugly you are no one will comment about your appearance. Right now, I am pretty pale for an asian. I have never been this pale before, cuz its just been winter. I never go tanning. I guess its human nature, the harder it is, the more they want it. Asians, who are naturally neutral, rather tan, want white skin. but whites, who are naturally really really pale want tan skin! I wish people were more grateful for who they are! Its really weird.. and yeah, we DO joke around about our skin color. Thats why when i first come here i was surprised by how careful people are toward racism.
Binta

This was a great article. Now I know why white LOOOOOOOOOVE Southeast Asia so much. I never quite understood it. I once had an Asian friend that ‘hated’ going back, because they were disgusted by the love of white skin. His explanation was in a different context, but same ultimate result. I dunno. It just makes so much sense now.
Vince

I’m sorry but I completly disagree with you. Racism is said not to exist, because people deny it. race riots exist! in china in the 70s against African students up till the 90s. Now the police has a better grip on the people to retain a favourable image in the west but blacks are still denied jobs au masse in China, Korea and Japan! Racism is real. Asians dont realise it tho. This classism is just a small factor of it and a bad excuse.
anupam

welcome to INDIA. we had a popular song in vintage days movie (1970, film-purab aur paschim (ie- east and west ))which sings like

“”"Kaale Gore Ka Bhed Nahin
Har Dil Se Hamara Naata Hai
Kuch Aur Na Aata Ho Humko
Hamein Pyar Nibhana Aata Hai”"

which meant –

we (in india) dont discriminate between black and white
but have connection to every heart,
we might not be very skilled in anything
but we are trustworthy in love ,

in ground reality there are every ethinicity in india
from ultra-white punjabis (some of them can even put western europian to dark )and north indians to darkish south indians and chinese look alikes north-eastern
but no discrimintion here, even many of gods in hinduism are black (kali ,krishna to name a few )

yeah like everyone else round the world here to a guy prefers a beauty (fairere skin in most cases ) and most beautifull bollywood hereos and heroine are fair skin(thanks to make-up artist )

HyderabadChick

I currrently live in South India and have been here for the last 6 years. As a dark-skinned, african featured black female – I completely disagree with Mr. Anupam. But I have certainly heard that opinion expressed repeatedly.

When I travelled here with a white female colleague, she remarked after a few days “People talk to me but they don’t talk to you.”

Visiting INdian restaurants with a pale skinned Dominican colleague, waiters repeatedly spoke to her then walked away. One day she stopped a waiter pointed to me and asked “Don’t you think she wants something too?”.

When I first arrived at the Hyderabad airport I watched my three white, male colleagues walk towards the exit, while I was stopped and questioned by security officers.

In the IT park where I work, I’ve often been amazed at the difference when I arrive on my own (and get asked to show ID) versus when I arrive accompanied white males – and get waved in with no questions asked.

But, I’m sure that’s just me being overly sensitive. Surely, there’s no racism in India.
Thomas

I have always said you dont have to be white to be racist

G

EVERY SINGLE STRANGER who says to me “you are so fair!” – and I know they mean it as a compliment – then says “(is it because you are) Japanese/Korean?”

So, apologies to the writer, I can’t agree with “fairness racism” being purely a class thing since the above mentioned attitude always makes me feel like I’m a lesser being than Japanese/Korean girls – although we’re exactly the same shade.

(Ironically some of my Japanese girlfriends are very tan. We joke about swapping countries.)

Anyway. Malaysians (and I suspect other SE Asian countries, although I won’t generalize outside of what I personally know) generally discriminate against

1. all foreigners
2. unless you are white or obviously well off, then you get super nice treatment
3. a good British / American accent can also persuade people to think you might deserve better treatment

“In Asia, there are no race riots, no KKK, no nationalist parties, and no race based organizations”

Nope, Malaysia for one still has race based political parties and there is definitely racial ‘dissatisfaction’ and murmuring in coffeeshops, etc.

But I should stress that racial tensions here are definitely NOT because “whiter skin is better”.

sam

”
But I should stress that racial tensions here are definitely NOT because “whiter skin is better” *************** I agree. Some years ago a Malaysian Chinese who was an Au Pair working here in the U.S. spent a week of her vacation at my home in New York. She told me there is discrimination against Chinese (bare in mind she is a fair skin Chinese with typical looks of the diaspora). She said there is official discrimination that allows the native Malays to get ahead in jobs even when less qualified. So, Malaysia apparently is an exception to treating their brown people as second class citizens as in other parts of S and SE Asia.
sam

”
But I should stress that racial tensions here are definitely NOT because “whiter skin is better” *************** I agree. Some years ago a Malaysian Chinese who was an Au Pair working here in the U.S. spent a week of her vacation at my home in New York. She told me there is discrimination against Chinese (bare in mind she is a fair skin Chinese with typical looks of the diaspora). She said there is official discrimination that allows the native Malays to get ahead in jobs even when less qualified. So, Malaysia apparently is an exception to treating their brown people as second class citizens as in other parts of S and SE Asia.

Widya

This is a reply to “G”

Oh my god, I agree with you completely about how Malaysians treat foreigners. Being from Indonesia, I always wanted to go to Malaysia, especially Petronas. So I got the chance to do that after I actually live in the Unites States. Last year I visited Indonesia & stopped in Malaysia (just to see Petronas). Long flight made me hungry, I got something to eat as soon as I got to Kuala Lumpur airport. I spoke Indonesian (since they could understand it). I tried to pay with a US $20 bill, that lady was so rude telling how my $20 bill is so ugly blah blah blah. It was far away from ugly, there was creases on that $20 bill. Then she raised her voice and became angry. She had no respect for me. Let me make it clear that I talked very nicely but I’m tan (of course). She wouldn’t accept my credit/debit card either. There was another lady there and she acted the same way. Then I got to the hotel, made the same mistake (spoke Indonesian), they didn’t treat me like they’re supposed to. I thought they’d treat me well when they know I’m from Indonesia (since we’re neighbours).

Then the next day (when I went to Petronas), I decided to speak English. The minute I spoke English & tell them that I’m from the U.S. (when they asked)…everybody was sooo nice to me. COMPLETELY different from the day before.

To be honest, I don’t think I will come back to Malaysia EVER again!!!

P.S. I bet if my white American husband was with me, it’d be different story!!
Anaya

It is absolutely true about Racisim in Asia…..Iam an Asian, born in India and lived in Europe and US…You just need to check the matrimonial ads in newspapers to understand this phenomenon. “Sucessful business man seeks good looking FAIR skinned girl from so and so caste!!” take any Indian newspaper’s sunday edition….they r full of such ads!!

The markets are flooded with skin lightening creams and bleaches, all leading lady movie stars are fair or they r so made up they look like white ghosts….The best part is when a child is born, if its a boy its OK to be dark…but if its a girl who’s dark then its a BIG thing!! The saying goes that the boy will find a nice girl anyways even though he is dark but for a dark skinned girl its difficult to find a good groom.

Forget about Asia…within india there is racism between northern India (where people are relatively fairer) and south india where people have darker skin tones…the northerner consider themselves “more pleasing” and handsome……I can go on n on abt instances……but I think its just ingrained in our “systems” be it west or east ! Which is a really bad situation though!
baba

Just a secret that any old bald white guy can get a young asian chick easily in Asia..

Fact, they looooovvveee ur white skin and having a mixed baby is considered a prize…. I notice the women walking with pride when they have a white guy on the side. Welcome to Asia
Niko

What the author fails to understand and by proxy makes his whole argument (i.e.it’s not racism, it’s fear of poverty) completely invalid is that social & economic status are a part of racism, not separate. Some could argue that racism IS about the amount of cash in your bank account. The author’s premise is proven wrong by his own remarks. He is describing racism! The idea that skin color or race is attributed to, or symbolizes something completely erroneous (it means you are wealthy, smarter, etc.), is what racism IS. Just because it happens to be between Asians does not mean it in racism because the inference is that if you are white you have more white privilege and therefore are naturally superior. Wow, no offense but before writing books on racism or race, the author should read a few more books on what racism is all about,
http://none Alex

The need to conquer or make one feel less is indicative of a person who is already feeling inferior and therefore must put forth an extreme effort to make others think the contrary. To be able to live with everyone in peace regardless of exterior pigmentation (which is due intellectually speaking to hereditary and genetic disposition as a result of ones regional weather and food) is a sign of true intellect and humane behavior. To argue anything other than that is nothing more than excusing ones socially conflicted and mentally ill behavior. Animals only attach another animal for either territorial reasons regarding protecting their young and mate or for food. They never do it for sport or fun or for racists reasons. They don’t reason on the same level humans do which is why it is even more distressing that humans reason their racists behavior. It is an old sickness that was spread throughout humanity and continues to spread because humanity continues to excuse this sick, sordid, and unreasonable behavior. Look around you and see all the social inequalities. There are people in this world that depend on the masses to use sick and sordid behavior patterns such as racism to distract them from the real issue and that is all the inequality that creates poverty, sickness, and eventually early death. STOP feeding into their desire to have YOU and I hate each other so that they can live happily at the top of the food chain while WE spread vile beliefs around in hopes of feeling better about ourselves and our conditions (indentured slavery). Indentured slavery cares not what pigmentation, religion, neighborhood, country, culture, nor hair texture you have. Indentured slavery is the equalizer among the masses. So be nice to one another. If you are an indentured slave (must work to survive) then you are no different than the other indentured slave regardless of amount brought home. As the economic malaise continues to spread it is best to find common ground among your brothers and sisters and not participate in the insanity.
mark

asian americans (mostly women)are racist towards other asians(men),or asian americans,,,”oh ur so short,and small,,u dont look aggressive,which is what i like,i like to be dominated in bed,im short and tiny i like my men twice or triple my size.”I want a white man or black man so i can look like a celebrity and look better than other asians..”..Asian women have been played to the white mens stereotypes,bigger is better..blonde is better white skin is better..and also black too now..black is the same with white women..white women been played to the black man’s sterotype..\”im black im big and aggressive and tough”..gangstah ;luvin is better than the rest”.

God’s mistake was creating multiple races..better yet,creating mankind
/www.bravenewtraveler.com jewel

IM A ASAIN!
and i dont really think there racist, they just want to be white!
Mr. i dont think you’ve been to the whole of Asia.
If u go to the Philippines you will understand hot hot it is there, then u want to get whiter!
I went to the Philippines and when i came back, i had to take a flight from miniopolis to tx!
and i thought they were being more racist to the Asains!
kikay

I am an Asian American: parents are from Philippines and I’m first generation American. I am the white fair skin Southeast Asian type that gets compliments whenever I travel back to Asia. In America, a lot of AA (Asian Americans) cannot believe there’s a thing as having light skin from southeast Asia (specifically the Philippines) but of course- all races have various skin colors, etc. The older and immigrant Asians are the ones who seem to like that I’m white because they see it as I’m rich and I’m.. “Chinese/Korean/Japanese”! Once, this hair stylist couldn’t belie e it. She was a Korean… She just said, “oh… But your people are black.” ouch! I think that was more of a racist thing even though she liked and said I was very beautiful for a Filipino. She basically thought I had to be one of the three north eastern ethnicities. I asked a friend and my Chinese friend said Southeast Asians are looked down upon within those north east Asian countries.
Chris

Typical dumbed-down, stupid, fat, ugly white dude. Let’s start with how white people ruled the world for so long. So you occupied few countries, but so what? The Asians have conquered close to 2/3 of the earth. And you actually consider 100-150 years “so long”? That’s only a century, maybe a century and a half, tops. This is the reason why your kind is looked down on. Somehow, some way your disgusting white race builds a delusional fantasy of how great your race is, when in fact, your race was the last one to be civilized/cultured. While the East Asians and the Mediterraneans were trading, your white kinds lived in cages, jerking off to one another. Let’s move forward to modern time. The power has shifted back to Asian countries. We own your white ass. You and your descendants will forever be our little white slaves. ROFLMAO!!!
GTFO_Jwboy

“In countries where “whiteness” is preferred, you’d think there would be racial tensions but there aren’t. In Asia, there are no race riots, no KKK, no nationalist parties, and no race based organizations.”
What an idiotic comment by this jewboy, as Asia don’t have mass-immigration of 3rd world people, creating conflicts… Asia stays 99% asian, Africa stays 99% african, European founded countries = for everyone…

HyderabadChick

Race based tensions absolutely exist in Asia. By western definitions, they are smaller in scope than racial tension in the west.

There is no KKK as such, but there are fundamentalist religious & political groups that exist and function along ethnic lines. The ideologies of these groups resemble the KKK’s in intensity and in unilateral concepts.

These exist in China, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia that I know of.

sam

I agree. I chat with someone from Thailand years ago who lives in the U.S. She told me she belongs to the Karen people. She mentions exactly the discrimination against her people. I believe these are northern Thai people more toward the mountain. Thailand has a number of what can be considered indigenous tribes who definitely are out of the mainstream and have their own type of “racial” discrimination.

Darius

True That
Arohanui

I don’t think you know what you are talking about. I have lived in Japan for many years and also travelled around Asia a little. Dark skinned people are also considered “cool” here in Japan. Some young Japanese spend their days trying to perfect the perfect tan and think the darker the better. It depends on what genre of popular culture they are interested in and who they idolise/copy. You can buy tanning products in the same aisle as the whitening products, and from what Japanese ladies have told me the reason they use UV products and hide from the sun is to prevent aging. There are also some areas of Japanese popular that encourage the darkening of skin, such as the gyaru (???) girls you see all around Japan. A few years in Thailand and maybe a trip or two around South East Asia don’t qualify you to make such sweeping genaralisations. This article in my opinion does more damage than anything by giving people with no experience of Asian culture the wrong idea about what is going on here. Shame.
Been there – agree with the author

I don’t think it’s such a skewed perception to describe the MAJORITY of Japan and other Asian countries as having strong preferences for having fair skin and for people with fair skin.

The gyaru don’t represent anywhere NEAR the majority. This is a fad among a small percentage of Japan’s youth.

Their ‘fascination’, as such, has little impact on the experiences of dark-skinned black people in Japan.

The fairness preference is also confirmed by Asians themselves, particularly those men and women who are relatively darker skinned – and dark skinned Asians don’t even close to being as dark as blacks, mind you.

This attitude among Asians doesn’t remain in Asia – It travels with them to other countries.

In spite of dressing conservatively, learning words in the local language and using polite behaviours, I’ve received the same wary looks, refused entries to public places from Asians in the States and in Australia as in India or Malaysia or in Sri Lanka.

If you, Sir, have had a different set of experiences regarding Asian attitudes towards dark skin – Great!

This article isn’t what will cement a particular view of Asia and Asians in people’s minds. Their personal experiences while being in those countries, however, might.
Casey

I think you’re confusing skin tone and race. These are two entirely different things, If I decide to lie in a tanning bed every day for the next month it will definitely change my skin tone, I might very well be darker than many of my arab and asian friends but it doesn’t change my race. I’m still Caucasian and two siblings can have very different skin tones but I don’t think anyone would suggest they’re then two different races. There is racism in Asia, when you’re actually dealing with different races of people. However the idea of skin whitening really isn’t that different from our idea of tanning. As you said, it is about wealth not race. If you’re light skinned in Asia is shows your wealthy enough that you don’t have to spend the day working in the field, If you’re tan in America it shows you’re wealthy enough to spend the day lying on a beach instead of working in an office and here we (currently) find the darker skin tones much more beautiful then pasty but that doesn’t mean people of the same race with different skin tones are likely to be treated any differently.
Laura

It’s not racist because they are not talking about race. It’s like talking about curly or straight hair… Actually when I was living in Thailand I found the people are racist (lovely though lol). We all are really. But in places like NZ there are so many different cultures you get used to it while in asian countries the percentage of foreigners is lower, so they’re not as used to it.
feby

I live in southeast asia, and yes, the people here are mostly want to have white skin. I said WANT TO HAVE WHITE SKIN ONLY. I agree with the writer that this isn’t racism. the women here believe that the whiter = the prettier.
but they don’t judge that the darker skinned women are ugly or deserve less than the whites.

just like Laura said, it’s like talking about curly or straight hair. I’m not white, and I’m not black. I’m in betweener, and most people here are “in betweener” just like me. Men and women here found that the white-skinned people are more attractive, but the darker-skinned people can be attractive too. It all depends on the person.
Donna Kattleya

As an Indonesian,I can say it’s true having white skin in Indonesia is very popular, although i think some people don’t think that way nowdays, but still some people are crazy enough to have white skin. They are trying so many whitening products or buying whitening products to have white skin. To some Indonesian, having white skin is prettier and getting more exclusive maintenance.
To me, it does not matter whether we have white, yellow, or black skin, what matter is our good deeds and respect others.
WhenI do my job, to translate the advertising from Indonesia to English it’s a dilema to translate beauty products that contains whitening. When I translate the words from Indonesia that saying the good things about having white skin it sounds like discriminating other colors that people have. So I hope one day people here will change their mind toward the skin that someone possesed, that is having yellow or black skin is also attractive as much as having white skin.
k

i live in Korea sorry about my english.
white skin are not privileged.
there are too many people who want to tan their skin to be darker, and they dont judge people by skin color. i think people who have dark skin want to be whiter and people who have white skin want to be darker.
Kenni

Were dark skinned Asians ever enslaved unto their white skinned Asians? Racism in the west IMO had a lot to do with slavery and the racial tension that ensued. Black people in the west had to fight hard to get some measure of being treated as human beings at the very least. IMO that is why you cannot compare being black in the west and being dark skinned in Asia. Apples and Oranges. History is key.
AsianRights

Help make laws in america to stop this abuse. Theres nothing different from them to anyone else in the world. only there culture. HELP STOP THIS
Vishnu Venkatesh

I think you aren’t quite seeing it right. Sure there is a huge color bias in Asia towards light skinned people, and really that isn’t too far off from “racism” as you put it. The fact is that in Asia it is socially acceptable to be racist because from olden days society was divided across racial lines.

I think it is really naive of you to say that there are no “nationalist” or “racist” political parties/movements in Asia, just because you spent a little time in Thailand. That hardly counts. I live in Malaysia and the government here is Facist, for lack of a better word. They base everything on race and the Malays or so-called “sons of the soil” get more benefits than people of other races, in terms of education, housing, subsidies, you name it.

The fact is that most Asians have a miserable inferiority complex when it comes to race, largely due to European colonization and the ideas about eugenics and racial superiority that were put into their ancestors’ heads and passed down from generation to generation. If you look at tv commercials in all parts of Southeast Asia, all the models/actors on them are biracial, i.e. half white half asian. The reason for this is that most Asian people have an inferiority complex, and still place a social premium on european genetics, and that is why the Thais probably treated you like you were made out of ivory and gold when you were down there (don’t deny it).

East Asian Woman

I hope you realize that Asians represent approximately 2/3 of the world population (thanks to Genghis Khan). I wish you would specify SE Asians from NE Asians. NE Asians, of course are Northern Chinese, Koreans and Japanese. The reason why I separate Chinese from North to South is due to the vast size of China. Northern Chinese look very different from Southern Chinese. Anyways, the NE Asians are proud of their image and feature pure, NE Asian looks in their commercials, TV Dramas, movies, magazines and such. Why? Because NE Asians are light skinned naturally. It’s the SE Asians and Southern Chinese who are stereotyped as the Mexicans of Asian, in other words, dark skinned, short and little “slow” in the intelligence department. Isn’t that why SE Asians complain that NE Asians look down on them? This whole inferiority complex might be rampant from SE Asians but like I said, I hope you specify it’s the SE Asians. NE Asians are too proud of our own race to be insulted that way. Don’t get me wrong. NE Asians do think Europeans are attractive looking, however, we know NE Asians are superior race to Europeans as well. Especially we got our global power back!!!

“south” Asian

“…Anyways, the NE Asians are proud of their image and feature….Why? Because NE Asians are light skinned naturally..”
That seriously amused me. While you say “N.E Asians” are proud of their race you make it a point to strongly mention how “fair skinned” they are and that S.E Asians are inferior because they are darker! (hehe)
Whilst you tried to rebut the author who says Asians have begun to fancy light skin you do prove how dim-witted you are by presenting a fine paradox in your post to the readers (so much for others Asians being “slow” in the intelligence department)

P.S : Something tells me you sure are not running the Chinese Govt. or else China would’ve been divided by now into a north and a south on the basis of skin shades ! …god i might just die laughing… Every Chinese should get a good laugh after reading your post..

“south” Asian

correction there:

not “others”, I meant “south”
East Asian Woman

Obviously I have hurt your feelings. Your lashing out comment is very typical from dark skinned Asians. I wasn’t arguing with Vishnu’s comments. Only thing I was challenging is that NE Asians do NOT worship Europeans like SE Asians do. That’s why I told him to differentiate between NE and SE Asians since 2/3 of global population are Asians. Understand??

Yes, if I became a Chinese leader, first thing I would do is divide North and South China since even back in history, these two regions were very much different. Northerners were into politics, education and innovations. Southern Chinese were ostracized more or less and went into small businesses. All these Chinese living abroad, especially USA, comprised of Southern rural Chinese. That’s why they are short in stature, less educated, darker skinned and run their own business. They’re opposite of Northern Chinese who are taller in stature, highly educated and invented many great inventions that Europeans copied and unfortunately claimed it as their own.

You know that SE Asians have inferiority complex towards not only Northern Chinese but Europeans or anyone with lighter skin than you? Oh, be my guest and show my comments to other Chinese. Most likely they will agree with me. Let me give you a piece of advice on behalf of all Asians. Stop worshiping whites. It’s quite embarrassing and a disgrace to all Asians.

“south” Asian

Looks like I’ve made someone really anxious! (you are a natural comedian I must admit)
So by that same theory you propose, North Koreans must be “superior” to the South Koreans because they live farther up north and hence would be “taller and fairer ” than S.Koreans and that N.Koreans are more intelligent than S.Koreans following the same dim-wit reasoning (now you’ve made it amply clear that you don’t even run the S.Korean Govt. or for that matter even the French govt. given Mr. Sarkozy runs it [giggle])
Correction there:
During the Deng Xiaoping reforms of the 1980s, South China developed much more quickly than North China leading some scholars to wonder whether the economic fault line would create political tension between north and south.
There goes your long and completely ignorant theory about China.
In south China, in many cases people of two towns which are next to each other are vastly different. Now I leave it upon you to measure how many inches are they to the north and south of each other and come up with yet another fancy theory of how one is superior to another just because he/she is a shade lighter or taller than the other (he he).
Also, “South,” in China is the area from Shanghai down to the border and believe you me, many in Shanghai are more educated and higher up the social strata than you’ll ever be, given your unabashed ignorance.
You say the immigrants to the western countries are mostly south Chinese. How foolish because going by what western Chinese restaurants mostly concentrate on ie. noodles and dumplings and that it is the northern Chinese who are more into noodles, dumplings etc and that the Southern Chinese eat more rice -based food than wheat based, your facts are completely wrong and largely pardon me amusing.
Southern Chinese are considered more industrious and entrepreneurial than the Northerners but the Chinese, unlike you, are a bit on the intelligent side to know that these divisions are both stereotypical and unnecessary. You quite clearly are a S.Korean and would want to replicate in China what you did with your own country: divide it into a north and a south.
“You know that SE Asians have inferiority complex towards…. anyone with lighter skin than you” Now that’s news to me.
You are unknowingly presenting that which is suspected, a clear fascination towards lighter skin (and in your case a fierce one at that).
“Only thing I was challenging is that… ” Believe you me; to me you appear to be, more than anything a little analytically challenged.
And please stop forcing your views on people: “S.Asians worship whites”, divide China into a north and a South just because YOU find a difference in skin shades…
Your posts vindicate the author’s views completely. One simple advice: Sweetheart it is your success, and not how fair or tall you are that is more important! I’m not fair and as you would’ve noticed from my posts, i couldn’t care less (lol).
“south” Asian

And dare I say your own posts are typical of a dumb East Asian woman who contradicts herself in every statement, one who fancies light skin fiercely considering appearance and not aptitude to be more important.
sam

Yes they do. Especially northern Chinese they can worship European image just as Southeast Asia does. I remember chatting with a girl from Shanghai which is to the north east in China I believe. She had a white American boyfriend and all she ever did was talk praise. Then when I mentioned how the Europeans had invaded China and made them so ashamed she said that is all in the past. She was not interested to deal with the Opium War and how China had to surrender Hong Kong to the British in a 100-year lease.
Wong

Don’t hate us cause we’re efficient.

http://waegooktom.blogspot.com Tom

No racism based on skin colour in Asia?!? Hahahahaha oh dear….I live in South Korea, and based on this country, that’s just not true.

It’s hardest for black people to get jobs and work here. I’ve known people be fired for being too brown-skinned and parents complaining about it. How can a foreigner with brown skin possibly be an educator?

They may not be internally racist i.e. to other Koreans – but they most definitely care about skin colour when it comes to non-Koreans.

East Asian Woman

Tom,

Since I couldn’t reply directly back to your illogical comment, go ahead and scroll down to my reply. Continue to check back as I expect replies to my comments.

THOMAS

I found whilst in India and Thailand it was noticeable to see dark skin people doing all the dirty jobs.

ashwin

In India the laborers mostly belong to two states : UP and Bihar and people from these two states are a little dark skinned.
Just a pure coincidence.

An Asian

—There’s a creation story in Thailand. In the beginning god created man. At first, he cooked the people too much (dark skinned people). Then he cooked them too little (pasty westerners). Finally, he cooked them just right (light skinned Asians).—

I am Thai and I have never ever heard of this creation story. Did you just make it up or may be you hear this from some other non-Thais? Also, majority of Thai people are Buddhist and thus generally do not hold the concept of “god created man” to begin with. To me, this article is ignorant at best.
Kris

Fascinating read!
As a son of an western ambassador(I was brought up in India and have traveled to some Asian countries), I couldn’t but agree with some points. At the same time my personal impression on the perception of color in Asia is somewhat different.

For example in Thailand, people look up to you if you are a white mainly because they source most of their income from tourism with Europeans spending huge amounts in this country as tourists(Malaysia and Singapore also share the same story). Young white men thronging places like Pattaya, spending away on prostitutes, are looked upon as sources of hard cash.

It’s completely opposite in for example in India where if a girl has a white (European looking) guy by her side, she is looked down upon as promiscuous with pedestrians staring down at her, sometimes even passing snide remarks! Even her parents would reject it since white men are foolishly looked as those who don’t keep marriages together!

A trip to Japan made it clear why whites are favoured over other tourists. White men there are looked upon as clean shaven successful business executives. Plus the Japanese have been the only Asian power to be recognised by the West leading to a subtle sycophancy in their culture, something which can slowly but clearly is creeping in South Korean values (no complaints from my side hhehe ). Having a tall westerner (than a short Jap) by their side somehow seems more fashionable. This TO SOME EXTENT explains why some East Asian girls smile away in pride having a ‘white’ guy by their side.

These factors have had their share in making a white skin more favourable than a colored one even in Asia.

East Asian Woman

I agree with you in all aspects, except one. Are you sure about South Koreans being proud of having a white boyfriend? You see, maybe due to Korean prostitutes marrying American GI’s, that in majority of Korean perspective, it is looked down on when Korean woman is with white males. Even in the United States, where the majority race is white and white men are top dogs in many industries, it is still looked down upon when Korean women are with white males. Many people make comments about Korean women with white guys as white washed, self-hating, promiscous, ugly whore. But some of these Korean women end up marrying to them because Korean men are very selective when it comes to choosing their mates. Someone in other posts mentioned about Koreans date each other in the same socio-economic strata. Hence, many Korean women married to white guys in the U.S. didn’t fare too well in education, on the uglier side, in other words, is not on a favorable place to be “chosen” in arranged dating/marriage. (This still goes on amongst Koreans). Now, if you look at an highly attractive, highly educated, high quality Korean women, most likely she will choose to be with another Korean men. Not white men.

I’m sure you know what I’m talking about since even in white race, the better quality whites get together and the lesser desirable white males go for Asian women. There is this stereotype of AF/WM IR relationship in America. The white guys are either fat and ugly or geeky looking nerd. I already explained the stereotype of an Asian women. With that being said, when white guys are proud of dating an Asian women, don’t be. You’re dating a less desirable, lesser quality Asians.

Being Educated by Asia!

Wow!

What an AMAZING conversation.

Let’s see if I understand the message: If you’re white and have selected an Asian mate – don’t be proud of the person you’re dating/ married to – because the person is a lesser quality!

After all, if one is not ‘selected’ by the more northern, taller, lighter Asians – obviously you’re of poor quality.

There’s nothing like learning. Thank you for the education.

East Asian Woman

You’re very welcome. Glad to teach you.

http://waegooktom.blogspot.com Tom

He was being sarcastic…

What a ridiculous thing to say. I know plenty of beautiful, well-educated Korean women who, I can assure you, have NEVER been prostitutes that are dating or married to equally intelligent, good-looking white men. Likewise, I have a lot of Korean male friends with good jobs and educations dating similar white women.

I myself am dating a well-educated Korean guy with a good job, and consider myself to be well-educated with a good job, too.

Your attitude towards inter-racial dating is disgusting and perpetuates the Korean mindset of a Korean who is dating or married to a non-Korean being somehow “lesser”. ???.
Being Educated by Asia!

@ East Asian Woman – Of course you are, YOur Highness.
—————————————————————————–

@ everyone else but East Asian Woman

Years ago, when I was young, I actually believed that the world was on an ever upward swing. That people would more and more be judged by who they are, what they do and achieve and less by their appearance or ‘so-called-class’.

Visiting and living in various parts of Asia taught me differently. That need to stratify people and to use disparaging terms to separate will never disappear.

I grew up thinking that the asocial tendencies of some of the very poor were counterproductive and misdirected energy.

But the more I meet and hear from people like many of the above – the more I understand the ‘take no prisoners’ behaviours of the disenfranchised. In the end – these are their responses to the type of competitive arena led & upheld by such as East Asian Woman.

The more I heard of those people’s opinions the more I was shocked. I felt the fool for all the years I thought decency was enough to deserve respect.

Kris

(pardon me for the grammatical errors you may notice since the above was written in haste)
http://Yahoo.com Thess

New generation never think about the color of your skin,they look how deep is your pocket,many Asian women golfers is brown and dark skin,tennis players,and other professional sports women and men are busy to expose the sun every day while pocketing a million dollar price money. Some other white Asian girls and boys tried to be whiter to look attractive,or maybe people think she is wealthy person.
American

WOW and I thought Americans were emotionally and socially crippled. Just goes to show that the disease called racism is like a cold passing from one person to another; it has reached pandemic proportions. The mind of mankind continues to degenerate in something liken to a ball of wax.

TE SMITH

“BALL OF WAX” lol that is funny, humanity is just like kids in middle school , little cliques and all

East Asian Woman

Tom,

No shit Sherlock.

Considering the type of Asian women you white dudes consider beautiful, ummm…in Asian beauty standard, that is below average to ugly. Trust me, East Asians have very high beauty standards and unlike in western society, outer beauty is very important to be successful. Some might call it shallow and superficial but throughout history, beauty was very important in Asian society. Just study the lavish costumes, the ornaments, the hair, makeup, it’s quite exquisite. I digress.

Like I said, white dudes do not know the true Asian beauty. Some of the “beautiful” Asian girls you show off is quite funny looking. You do know there is a saying about geeky looking and/or fat, creepy white guy with ugly, self-hating Asian whore, right? That’s what majority if not all Asian people picture when you hear AF/WM IR relationships.

I don’t have problem with IR relationship since I welcome WF/AM IR relationships. It’s just the type of Asian girls that date the type of white guys are disgusting and revolting. I tend to feel what I see. Also, I find it ridiculous how people are always bringing up the exception and not the rule. Hell, I did see a real handsome, fit white guy few years back, when I’m used to seeing fat, hair receding, out of shape, hairy white guy that talk like a baboon from being dumbed down so much.
East Asian Woman

It seems I have roused up the dark meat Asians. They always do. Their inferiority complex towards anyone with lighter skin than they are always on the front line defending their skin color and how they’re not jealous. For them to write this long paragraphs defending themselves proves how much inferiority complex they have towards others. Be honest with you, your dark skin color doesn’t bother me since I’m glad I have light skin and people around me all have light skin. It’s your worshiping white people because of your dark skin AND how you cower down to them is what bothers me. I truly, truly wish people don’t lump all Asians together because when white guys talk about how Asian girls do this and how Asian girls do that clearly indicates dark meat Asians. Why? Because lighter skinned Asian women go for lighter skinned Asian men. They find white guys creepy. It’s the dark meat Asian women that whore themselves to whites in hopes of pulling them out of poverty. They get off on being controlled by white men and love the idea of having babies that aren’t disgustingly dark like them. Then, they have the audacity to make fun of other Asians just because she married a white guy. You see, white guys know all this, so they blog to make fun of Asians on this. But, they lump all Asian women together, which I find to be very disturbing. It’s same thing as lumping white trailer trashes with educated ivy whites. Listen, you dark skinned Asian sluts. If you want to whore yourself to be accepted by white men, be my guest, but make sure you let them know you’re from either South China or SE Asia. What a disgrace to all Asians.

Oh, BTW, I hope you feel better after your long winded paragraph, because I didn’t bother reading it even though it was addressed to me. Whatever it says, I’m sure it goes in the line of “Southern Chinese are same as Northern Chinese” or “Southern Chinese don’t have inferiority complex” or “you must hate yourself because you think you’re better than everyone else” blah blah blah. The responses are usually almost the same. lol
East Asian Woman

While we’re on the subject, here is something repugnant that is becoming too familiar. There is a program called Fast Money which is hosted by a Chinese girl named Melisa Lee. How lovely to put a Chinese girl smack in the middle of several white dudes. LOL. For the name of money, this Chinese girl just sold herself. When will these “I wanna be accepted by white society” Chinese girls see that money isn’t always the answer, their pride is. Instead of trying to be accepted by white society your goal, why don’t you create your own society and let others beg to be accepted by you. And you wonder where Asian girls are whores, or Asian girls are into white guys, or Asian girls are self hating whores that love white men stereotypes come from. Chinese and SE Asian girls are whacked!
“south” Asian

With that kind of an unwarranted language, you come across as a woman who is in want of a better education (which clearly contradicts your theories about high class S.Korean women, your highness).

“I’m glad I have light skin and people around me all have light skin…” (you do know how to make people laugh)

May peace be with you and your vision of ghostly whiteness (lol).

East Asian Woman

I’m really getting to you, huh. It’s alright. Usually the dark ones do. What unwarranted language? As long as the words I use are found in English dictionaries, than I believe it’s warranted. So there goes your high class East Asian women theory.

Why does “I’m glad I have a light skin and people around me have light skin” make you want to laugh? I’m being honest. People around me have light skin. What’s so funny about that? Are you so upset that you don’t and thus you pretend to laugh to hide the resentment? I know the dark skinned ones have deep hatred and resentment towards light skinned people. I’m only speaking the truth. I tend to be the type that speaks what’s on my mind head on. I don’t beat around the bush, nor do I try to sugarcoat anything. That’s how I get my message out loud and clear. Obviously you have a problem with that. And you know what? I don’t give a shit. The funny part is, most people feel exactly as I do. Except they don’t say it out loud because it’s considered taboo subject. And they’re afraid of backlashes. However, if I come across a conversation or a blog such as this, I tend to give my opinion head on. Who the hell are you continuing to criticize me? I don’t remember criticizing you. Just because you happen to fall in a category that I reference to when I mention dark skinned Asian women, well blame your parents. Why are you ignoring other parts of my points? You didn’t say anything about dark skinned Asian women whoring themselves to white dudes. Or you didn’t mention anything about you dark skinned Asian women cowering to white people but feel resentment towards other Asians that stand up and win against white people. Why don’t you say few things about those? Huh, huh???

“south” Asian

But sweetheart you never answered my questions too.

My only resentment is arising out the cramps I’m experiencing in my stomach while laughing this bad (lol).

Again may God heal your upper storey as soon as possible.
White Euro Woman

East Asian Woman, seriously, but seriously! Quit posting on here, because you’re polluting this blog.

You talk about S and SE Asians having inferiority complex about their skin, but you’re seriously obsessed with white skin….Woman, you have a problem! You need to take care of that issue that you have, and your issue is that your superiority complex comes from an accute inferiority complex that you deep down deny yourself.

Your posts sound completely sick and ”whack” as you call it.

And, btw, South China is economically better developed than North China. South China is the s**t! It has some of the best, most successful cities in China! Most people I know of, they go to South China either for business reasons or travel. It’s just an important part of China and culturally, it is very sought after and must-see. Take this from a European woman!

I highly doubt that you have any level of education, or at the most High School diploma….with your mentality. You need to get off your high horse and think outside the box, or else, you’ll be seen as a retard for the rest of your life and people will avoid you because of that.

In the end, nobody cares which part of China you come from! It’s what you can put to the table (what you know and can do) is that matters! And no, S Chinese are in no way or form uglier, inferior, stupid or untalented than anyone in North China. That’s just ridiculous. Seriously, piss off.

john smith

there is a light skinned virus that whites have generated and passed around by europeans and americans particularly because of the military successes in the early part of the century followed by economic success.
the question of beauty is relative to every ethnic group, white americans like skinny girls with long hair, asians like petite girls, black americans like big girls, etc. etc.

East Asian Woman

To the contrary of white people’s popular belief, whites do not have much of an impact on East Asians. For centuries, concurring with the author’s post, dark skinned represented poverty and light skinned represented wealth. And I emphasize the word LIGHT skinned, and not WHITE skin. Asians find European descents being too white as in “you need color in your skin”. East Asians have golden skin with light undertone and Italian descents have golden skin with dark undertone. So yes, some Asians are “whiter” than some whites.
Being Educated by Asia!

No, black Americans don’t like big girls. They tend to be resentful when others make that claim. Their preferences match those of the mainstream – in the US anyway.

TE SMITH

i beg to differ with you, the phenotype that black men like is considered “fat” by white america and the phenotype that white america says it likes is considered flat butt and skinny by black men.
the difference is that white america has the media propaganda to set the “official” standard
you ever notice that the problems of bulimia and purging are almost exclusively a white problem and not a issue in the black community??

American

Your idea about your people is base and lowly. You neither come close to the spectrum of humanity nor an individual in particular. What you preach and to some degree advocate is disgusting.

You have strayed into the darkness of self hate for your own brothers and sisters. Sadly what you purport is also preached by others in their countries too. People like yourself and those in their country who do this are the reason the world is a mess. You are the reason there are strife within society which works in the favor of those who hold real power. You spew forth lies about Irrelevant differences. Your campaign about superiority is more than likely mirrored by your self loathing, self pity, and low self esteem, which you vomit up out here.

Meditate and find out how you strayed into this horrible space of anti-social behavior and shake from yourself the daemon that speaks to you night and day while polluting your mind so that your mouth may reach others with foul, trashy thoughts and words. Look into the mirror and realize how ugly you have become.

It’s ok you are not the only one who has been injured by cruelty but why pass it on. Why be the channel of hatred and divisiveness; instead of the channel of love for all things. The Creator made us all together the same. Only fear and lowly behavior opines otherwise. Many seek to destroy what was meant to be a beautiful kaleidoscope of species that recreate themselves over and over again. You miss the point with what you say above. So do others who think like you. Open you heart and leave this ill will behind. Dump it in a hole and walk away from it.

“The mind (like a parachute) works much better when it is open.”

Author Unknown (likely they learned before jumping)

tesmith

My dear Amerucan, (A) you simply do not know what you are talking about
(B)your assumption that everyone has the same aesthetics as you is provincial at best and pretty damn stupid.

Madworld

I really wonder in what century “east Asian woman” is living and is she even conscious of how pathetic she sounds? You are saying that SE Asian women are bringing shame to all Asian women, well from what I have read from all your comments, you are the one bringing shame to all Asians in general (women and men) with all you hate and ignorance. I believe it is not entirely your fault to have turn out that way as your parents failed in their role of raising you as human being with feelings for others. I really pity you.

I think you have a huge lack of self-love and really need to work hard on it so you will be able to see the real beauty of others.
East Asian Woman

Truth hurts, I know. Most of the people replying back angrily are dark meat SE Asians or creepy Asiaphile white trailer trashes. Let me educate you more! Those half breeds produced by lowly blue collar American GIs and poor, uneducated Asian whores are up and arms about how they’re being discriminated in Asia. I wonder why they don’t cause a wave in western society because they are being hated there as well. Maybe, they’re used to the history and realize nothing can be done. The sickening part is these halfies are forced to accept themselves as Asians because white society considers them Asians. Then they realize Asians don’t accept them either. So they start venting their frustrations out on them. I’m not talking about the mixed ones where the father is Asian and the mother is white. I’m talking about those that the mother is an Asian whore. They need to know the truth about their whorish mothers and how she prostituted herself for better life to their loser, low life fathers. Any society would ostracize such a messed up family. Especially Asians. Asians live in a class-oriented society. Dark skins are forced down to the lower peasant class. Mixed halfies where the mother is Asian whore are forced down to the lower peasant class. Nowadays, since people don’t practice noble and peasant social classes as much as before, you might see these losers on MSM. You low life losers know this but lashing out on the messenger because like I said, truth hurts and having someone else say it makes your blood boil. Good!
p.s. I actually love myself and glad that I am 100% LIGHT-skinned Asian. I’m happy that I don’t have dirty dark skin nor ghastly, disgusting white skin.

TE SMITH

east asian woman = very weird, but i guess it is better to know about the weird ideas floating around in folks minds
??

The way you write you have a lot of self hate. Many koreans wound up like that after learning that their relatives were comfort women. Your attitude makes it painfully obvious that your bloodline was tainted. I can proudly say that, being pure blood allows one to be thankful for the help of westerners. They allowed our country to prosper and become what it is. You might want to go back to the north where your juche mentality is accepted. Intelligent south koreans know that without foreigners, we’d be nothing.
Dave

It’s ashamed that with all that Light Asian skill, you’re still and dumb ugly whore. Also you talk about these peasants as if you’re some sort of rich tycoon’s wife. Well I’m dark skinned so let’s make a bet. I bet you my father’s company makes more money then the combined income of your whole family this includes extended family. By the way my fathers company makes 10-15 million euros a year in sales every year. So if I’m dirty, dark, and still beyond generations of richer then you might ever be. How does that make you feel?
Fghtfsdssr

Get over yourself and move on..

But what’s it to you???

So the goal of this tirade is not to avenge a personal wrong, but to make sure that wherever an Asian woman had the audacity to marry a non-Asia – her children owe it to you to feel badly about themselves?

huh – ok.

Interesting that this doesn’t extend to Asian MEN who marry non-Asians.
Emily

East Asian Woman obviously has personal issues she has to sort out. S. Koreans are generally afflicted with poor self-esteem and a deep rooted inferior complex due to Japan’s superiority over them. It’s sad and pathetic how East Asian Woman bases her own self worth on her physical appearance, most notably her skin color. Don’t mind her and please do not judge ALL NE Asians because of one mongrel. And darling, continue hating on ghastly, disgusting white skin all you want – if it weren’t for those Korean-prostitute lovin’ American GIs you wouldn’t be alive today Heck, you’d be annexed to Japan if it weren’t for whites!
White Euro Woman

Btw, again, S Korea is widely known to be very prosperous, especially the film industry.

East Asian Woman needs therapy by all means. She obviously has mental issues, or is trolling. One of these two.
ODB

umm…there isn’t “racial tension” between the different skin colors in Thailand because they are all one race with a variation in skin tone within that race. That’s worlds apart from the difference between distinct races that we have in the west.

There will never ever be a post racial world. Why? Because white people like to delude themselves that they are the only racist ones (in the west) and if they learn to see past race then the race problems will be solved. However, the truth is that all races are racist. The exception being that non-white races very often feel entitled to that racism (reference the widepread accepted reverse racism in pop culture) due to their generally lower socio-economic position. The result is that there will never be a post racial world, as nothing makes a “post racial” person “racial” quicker than when they realize that the people that they try to get along with hate them for their race. Its almost similar to saying that there will someday be a “post-gender” world. Its never going to happen (but for different reasons).
Jcw_1967

All you have to do is go to Wikipedia to find numerous examples of genocides committed by murderous racist Chinese people:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocides_in_history

This guy doesn’t have a clue, if we let them they’d kill every white person alive

salty

Are serious? there is no proof that chinese committed genocide from the link you just posted…why are you mad at china/chinese? while this article has nothing to do with them
salty

Are serious? there is no proof that chinese committed genocide from the link you just posted…why are you mad at china/chinese? while this article has nothing to do with them

guest

My English is not good, Excuse me.
First I think you point is pretty reasonable, we really don’t have to think about racism too much. If people love each other, racism is not a big deal. But southeast Asia can’t be an appropriate sample. Thai people are very different from Korean and Japanese. Thai people love mixed-blood beauties very much, you can tell this from their native Tv series, The leading actors and actresses are always mixed-blood. In Korea, Japan ,and China, the audiences don’t buy it.
In Korea, Japan, and China, People all like their skin color to be lighter especially women do. we thind white color can make yellow skin looks more healthy and beautiful, but we don’t accept the skin as white as European people, we think too white skin color is sort of pale and unhealthy, It’s not pleasing.
Thousands of years before, in many acient fictions and myths, there are many beautiful female charactors who have whith and flawless skin, I’m very sure It’s nothing to do with west people. At old times, our ancestors even considered west people as strange monsters—No offence to anyone, it’s just the old history, acient people had limited knology about the world.
It’s said that you people don’t prefer skin color as white as snow either, is it right?

Rozie

you make lots of sense…colourism or shadism exists especially among Asians and blacks. I am black of a lighter complexion and woo in Africa if you are light skinned you are automatically beautiful, you get more favours like in jobs, at home even at school(while growing up i never got beaten for any wrong thing i did, right now when i go to visit my relatives, they all adore me like am some sort of a goddess)!!…like in my culture before a woman gets married you are supposed to be kept in doors for like a month so your complexion can become lighter, it’s just people with identity issues that think such a belief is racist yet they will ignore the colourism existing in their own cultures or races…. so thanks for the insight…one question though is there a chance an Asian guy would be interested in a pretty black girl? i got this crush it’s so strong but i am so unsure what to do about it!!! (currently in Thailand….they say am the prettiest at university but would they be willing to be more than just friends?)

fucking hell

nigger ftw
Ashia2cute

“Historically, dark skin was associated with people who worked in the fields (also known as the poor). The upper class stayed indoors and in the shade. Asian countries look down on dark skin not because of racism but because they don’t want to be perceived as poor.”
the lighter skin basically says: my skin is light like this because i have enough money to hire people to do my outside work while i rest in the shade
your skin gets darker from being outside in the sun, so to them that means your the highered help.

Leuralli

You do realize that skin tones vary in East Asia, right? It’s not because they work outside; they are naturally that color. Some people are lighter, while others are darker. This is an excuse to put in racist caste systems to keep people “in their place” due to skin tone.
joy

yes but the hired help at some point was african black slaves, white people’s treatment of black people lead to the association tht aians have that white is better than black which is racism

Evillahermosa91

ha funny that creation story we depict it differently. instead of the white being perfect its brown being the perfect. lol im filipino so that maybe why cause most of us are brown
Dsfsad

They can talk about dark skin and light skin in jokes and what not because it’s just variation of complexion in the same race. Most of these countries you speak of are mono racial countries. It’s like brown haired white women wanting to be blonde…that’s not racist it’s just preference. It’s not the same thing in the west with slaves and slaughtering of indegenous peoples and imperialism.
Dsfsad

They can talk about dark skin and light skin in jokes and what not because it’s just variation of complexion in the same race. Most of these countries you speak of are mono racial countries. It’s like brown haired white women wanting to be blonde…that’s not racist it’s just preference. It’s not the same thing in the west with slaves and slaughtering of indegenous peoples and imperialism.
Dsfsad

They can talk about dark skin and light skin in jokes and what not because it’s just variation of complexion in the same race. Most of these countries you speak of are mono racial countries. It’s like brown haired white women wanting to be blonde…that’s not racist it’s just preference. It’s not the same thing in the west with slaves and slaughtering of indegenous peoples and imperialism.
Elisatraugott

I lived in China for a while, and there really is no difference between the racism there and in the US.
You are misinterpreting the bluntness of it as a “don’t care about racism” attitude. Well, I assure you, they don’t care because they are all amongst their own kind. If you’ve ever lived in the south in a homogenous town of white people, they are just as blunt with staying white. Even a tan white person is white (no epicanthic folds, thin nose, and in a couple of weeks, they’re white again.
Also, I went to visit my rich African trading friends. Talk about upper class. They were discriminated against during the Asian games because of their skin. I am of a lower class and of lighter skin. They didn’t degrade me by searching me and I had the bigger bag full of goods. But, they didn’t hesitate when she and her husband tried to enter the subway.
Think again. Or at least, work on not seeing people through your own eyes, but through an objective glass, so to speak.
Jetli

i see all these as a naive act and also an act of ignorance , because the only foriegner the chinese recognise are americans. thank God for basket ball! they might no believe there are black skin americans.i dont even believe they could complain about racism in other countries cos they cant even controll racism in ther own countries.the chinese are prejudice, dirty,decieving,cheat,ignorant and not educated people
Kattygurl

I totally agreed with you because I am Asian too. When I was little I always hate my genetically tan skin. My mother never gets tan, only gets burn under the sun but my dad is the opposite. You can imagine when I was growing up people keep saying to me, your skin color looks just like your dad, or my grandma used to tell me a story about when I was born, I was red and dark. My mom was so worried but the nurse told her the color will fade away so she waited and waited. The redness faded in a month but my skin is still very tan. Now in the US the opposite happens. Lots of white girls like my tan skin and they said it’s sexy and makes me look toned. When they said that, I really want to tell them, when I was little, I dreamed of your pale skin color all the time. Lol, just a thought. I don’t know about Thailand, but where I come from skin color is NOT a symbol of class. We only want paler skin because of the influence from the media. Because the grass is greener on the other side. Because we want what we can’t have.
Kattygurl

Just a short P.S.
I don’t think skin color is associated with class or race in Asia, not from my country at least. We Asian can get tan easily and the tan usually won’t fade away for months or even years. This is why we want paler skin and we try to stay out of the sun. Just like I said, we want what we can’t have.
Marissa

Have you ever known any black Africans who live in Thailand? Life is not easy for them, they are constantly dealing with blatant race-based discrimination and outright hostility because of the color of skin they were born with. I feel your article here seriously downplays the racist attitudes in Thailand, perhaps you need to do more research.
Imarjunv

I am South Asian and, the proper term is COLORISM.

White skin = Higher class, Richer, have the “luxury to stay indoors and do hard labor” so they don’t get dark.

Dark skin = Low class, Poor farmer that does hard labor and got dark.

This is the perception in ASIA, I know this because I am Asian.
Imarjunv

I am South Asian and, the proper term is COLORISM.

White skin = Higher class, Richer, have the “luxury to stay indoors and do hard labor” so they don’t get dark.

Dark skin = Low class, Poor farmer that does hard labor and got dark.

This is the perception in ASIA, I know this because I am Asian.
Leuralli

Well, I wasn’t expecting anything amazing but this is a terrible article about race in Asia. Some of the points are ridiculous (racism would get better only if we didn’t “worry about it!”) but then again I see that the author is a white man. With that, understand that the author hasn’t been a victim of racism himself and as a result wouldn’t know anything about racism or colorism without doing research. So just take this “information” with a grain of salt.

I’ve lived in East Asia and have witnessed first hand how hostile they are toward darker skinned people. They are viewed as ugly and less than human. Bleached out and airbrushed actresses with loads of plastic surgery are promoted as beautiful. The shameful part is the quote from the child that has internalized the hatred of darker people with the author brushing it off as just a joke and nothing to worry about. That’s simply appalling.
warmongeramerican

white american are extremely racist and genocidal people just READ their history…
just google these two titles by famous american historian :

American holocaust: the conquest of the New World byDavid E. StannardA People’s History of American Empire by Howard Zinn
there is a free version on the internet: http://www.historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshistory.htmlthe european (dutch) massacre the chinese when they lost economic competition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1740_Batavia_massacrewhite people wipe out 100′s of millions of native people just to keep themselve pure, but one of their weakness is they keep breeding with mongoloid womenUSA is a crumbling empire now, but they will hold on to their power as much as they can, they will try to wipe out 2/3 of china’s population since they see them as a threat, world war 3 is coming very soon

angryamericunt

white american are extremely racist and genocidal people just READ their history…
just google these two titles by famous american historian :

American holocaust: the conquest of the New World byDavid E. Stannard

A People’s History of American Empire by Howard Zinn
there is a free version on the internet: http://www.historyisaweapon.co...

european (dutch) massacred 10,000 chinese when they lost economic competition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1...

White people wipe out 100′s of millions of native people just to keep themselves pure, but one of their weakness is they keep breeding with
mongoloid women
History will repeat itself over and over again….
USA is a crumbling empire now, but they will hold on to
their power as much as they can, they will try to wipe out 2/3 of
china’s population since they see them as a threat, world war 3 is
coming very soon

guest

No, your reply is
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001536081598 Nonah Justin

not just in Asia it also in meddle east Arab didn’t like black or chocolate women or mixed, Arab men fall in love with a white woman and they respecting her & doing everything she said …. even when the men have black or chocolate skin he never want to chose black or mixed women
JDUB

I agree with you, I live here and see this crap everyday and
well I feel like I made a mistake to come to Thailand. These people make me
sick of their racism. Even to foreigners they are racists. They are always
charging you more than everyone else and now I discovered they are giving
tourists their own menu with higher prices. Also I would like to add that it is
not even safe for a tourist to come here because my friends ended up cutting
his arm open to the point where you can see the bone and no one even cared to
help us out to get to the hospital. They all just took a quick look and then
continued what they were doing. Also tourist have been getting robbed more than
usual and as for working foreigners they will sometimes mess things up for your
papers at immigration and not admit but laugh about it and you still pay for
it. This is a very bad place. These people never admit they are wrong and that
they are always right. These are people who don’t and will never care about
you. These people will purposely start fights with you knowing that the corrupt
cop society will always favor them and get you put in jail or paying out a lump
sum of money for bribery. I hope some of you will read this to not waste your
time coming here because these people not only do not care for themselves but
for the rest of the world who comes here. It is really depressing knowing these
are people you can’t trust and that this is a place where good people are truly
hard to find. This is Thailand and I advise people and hope to please see this
message before coming to Thailand and go to somewhere more safe and beautiful
on your holidays. Thank you for your time.
JDUB

I agree with you, I live here and see this crap everyday and
well I feel like I made a mistake to come to Thailand. These people make me
sick of their racism. Even to foreigners they are racists. They are always
charging you more than everyone else and now I discovered they are giving
tourists their own menu with higher prices. Also I would like to add that it is
not even safe for a tourist to come here because my friends ended up cutting
his arm open to the point where you can see the bone and no one even cared to
help us out to get to the hospital. They all just took a quick look and then
continued what they were doing. Also tourist have been getting robbed more than
usual and as for working foreigners they will sometimes mess things up for your
papers at immigration and not admit but laugh about it and you still pay for
it. This is a very bad place. These people never admit they are wrong and that
they are always right. These are people who don’t and will never care about
you. These people will purposely start fights with you knowing that the corrupt
cop society will always favor them and get you put in jail or paying out a lump
sum of money for bribery. I hope some of you will read this to not waste your
time coming here because these people not only do not care for themselves but
for the rest of the world who comes here. It is really depressing knowing these
are people you can’t trust and that this is a place where good people are truly
hard to find. This is Thailand and I advise people and hope to please see this
message before coming to Thailand and go to somewhere more safe and beautiful
on your holidays. Thank you for your time.

AK

I’m offended. It’s about business, and consider that a lot of the people there live at a lower condition than westerners it makes sense that they will try to get the better deal. Foreign money is worth a lot there.
You don’t know anything do you?

JDUB

I agree with you, I live here and see this crap everyday and
well I feel like I made a mistake to come to Thailand. These people make me
sick of their racism. Even to foreigners they are racists. They are always
charging you more than everyone else and now I discovered they are giving
tourists their own menu with higher prices. Also I would like to add that it is
not even safe for a tourist to come here because my friends ended up cutting
his arm open to the point where you can see the bone and no one even cared to
help us out to get to the hospital. They all just took a quick look and then
continued what they were doing. Also tourist have been getting robbed more than
usual and as for working foreigners they will sometimes mess things up for your
papers at immigration and not admit but laugh about it and you still pay for
it. This is a very bad place. These people never admit they are wrong and that
they are always right. These are people who don’t and will never care about
you. These people will purposely start fights with you knowing that the corrupt
cop society will always favor them and get you put in jail or paying out a lump
sum of money for bribery. I hope some of you will read this to not waste your
time coming here because these people not only do not care for themselves but
for the rest of the world who comes here. It is really depressing knowing these
are people you can’t trust and that this is a place where good people are truly
hard to find. This is Thailand and I advise people and hope to please see this
message before coming to Thailand and go to somewhere more safe and beautiful
on your holidays. Thank you for your time.
Dan

I live in Thailand, and I can tell you that they *DO* judge you if you are dark skinned. You will be relegated to lesser paying jobs, you will not have the same opportunities as other people, and you will meet almost every aspect of your career with a closed door. They are very, very racist. I have an Indian student who was treated completely different from all the other students during her Visa trip, despite having the exact same credentials. She was turned away after having already paid 2,500 baht for the visit—the difference? She was Indian, and the others were Chinese and American. Thais are a class of people who do not see below the surface on anything, so the racism is never rationalized or elevated to a higher level of discussion or discourse (much like the racist whites in the states have tried to do under the guise of traditionalism). Instead, with the Thais, racism goes no deeper than, “You’re black so you’re bad, smelling, stupid, dirty, and poor.” But does this make it any better? I postulate that the racism isn’t any less damaging or harmful to a person’s chances in this society–indeed, it is more damaging–but that outward displays of it and violence as a cause of it is due strictly to one thing: Thais are non confrontational passive-agressive avoidance marathoners. (I’m half Thai by the way–The top of the heap-stack).
Dan

I live in Thailand, and I can tell you that they *DO* judge you if you are dark skinned. You will be relegated to lesser paying jobs, you will not have the same opportunities as other people, and you will meet almost every aspect of your career with a closed door. They are very, very racist. I have an Indian student who was treated completely different from all the other students during her Visa trip, despite having the exact same credentials. She was turned away after having already paid 2,500 baht for the visit—the difference? She was Indian, and the others were Chinese and American. Thais are a class of people who do not see below the surface on anything, so the racism is never rationalized or elevated to a higher level of discussion or discourse (much like the racist whites in the states have tried to do under the guise of traditionalism). Instead, with the Thais, racism goes no deeper than, “You’re black so you’re bad, smelling, stupid, dirty, and poor.” But does this make it any better? I postulate that the racism isn’t any less damaging or harmful to a person’s chances in this society–indeed, it is more damaging–but that outward displays of it and violence as a cause of it is due strictly to one thing: Thais are non confrontational passive-agressive avoidance marathoners. (I’m half Thai by the way–The top of the heap-stack).
Dan

I live in Thailand, and I can tell you that they *DO* judge you if you are dark skinned. You will be relegated to lesser paying jobs, you will not have the same opportunities as other people, and you will meet almost every aspect of your career with a closed door. They are very, very racist. I have an Indian student who was treated completely different from all the other students during her Visa trip, despite having the exact same credentials. She was turned away after having already paid 2,500 baht for the visit—the difference? She was Indian, and the others were Chinese and American. Thais are a class of people who do not see below the surface on anything, so the racism is never rationalized or elevated to a higher level of discussion or discourse (much like the racist whites in the states have tried to do under the guise of traditionalism). Instead, with the Thais, racism goes no deeper than, “You’re black so you’re bad, smelling, stupid, dirty, and poor.” But does this make it any better? I postulate that the racism isn’t any less damaging or harmful to a person’s chances in this society–indeed, it is more damaging–but that outward displays of it and violence as a cause of it is due strictly to one thing: Thais are non confrontational passive-agressive avoidance marathoners. (I’m half Thai by the way–The top of the heap-stack).
turkishlaowai

Well Im a turkish who studies chinese in Beijing and this is my second year. And I hardly belive south and southeast asians are really racist about that white skin thing.And the funny part is I have really pale white skin in Turkey no one cares but when I came to China everything changed. At the begining it was cool but after 6 month I start hating it.I was like “what kind of nation can be racist against their own race?” Yes China is a nice culture or whatever but I can not accept this kind of understanding.Because I know “some of them” just came near me because of my skin colour but you guys even dont have self respect why should I show you respect than? Its making me crazy.Last year it was so seriours that after living 7 month in Beijing I had that heavy depression.. Becaıse not all the chinese but some of them just came near me because of my skin colour it was so hard to describe but it was like…I was thinking they are so pathetic because they dont have the talent of loving the person doesnt matter how he or she looks.. I know now you gonna say why are you complaining after all you are pail white but the thing is after a while you are just saying “ok that is so much Im done…”
guest

i belive i read this article before and i never understood now that i came back thought about it.. things make sense, in a lot of kpop or asian pop vids u can see that they look really pale excpet for the one that is like tanner than the rest, then u see a concert when there is no sruff to make u look pale. I’m saying the i can see the difference i guesss. I dont like racism because many people try to stop it though there are stiil people who just put racial slurrs and everything else out there u know and somtimes i think that they r truly unhappy with themselves that they have to make other people feel bad about them selver.
guest

In India, there exists the caste system, codified in 100AD with the colour of your skin indicating your social status and what career you are allowed to undertake, very dark people in India are considered “untouchables” with the only job allowed for them is the desposing of corpses. So this theory may be true for Thailand, but in India skin colour is a basis for social restriction and discrimination (as it is in the US)
AsianGirl

well as i’m being a teenage asian girl, I’m pretty sure that we’re not racist or trying to discriminate anyone by their skin color. But we really really do want to be white because we believe it’s prettier. To be honest, I don’t even know who invented this kind of judgement but this is how it is and it has beee kinda like this for a very long time. And trust me, it’s not even about poor or rich. It’s just prettier.
Being tanner-skinned myself, I find it really hard for a tan girl to stand out or to be perceived as “the pretty one”. While the other girls who are just ok looking perceived to be pretty just because they have lighter skin tone. Especially if you want a career in acting or modeling or something like that.
I often got a comment like this “if you’re a little whiter, you will be a lot prettier.” And believe it or not, white skinned is one of the top criteria that asian man looks for in a woman.
So sad but true, I wish I could say that i’m proud of my tan skin but I just can’t help going with the flow and try to be whiter… just because I wanna have a boyfriend.
And that’s how we think.
Again, nothing about race or class or wealthiness. Just pure beauty trend.
AsianGirl

well as i’m being a teenage asian girl, I’m pretty sure that we’re not racist or trying to discriminate anyone by their skin color. But we really really do want to be white because we believe it’s prettier. To be honest, I don’t even know who invented this kind of judgement but this is how it is and it has beee kinda like this for a very long time. And trust me, it’s not even about poor or rich. It’s just prettier.
Being tanner-skinned myself, I find it really hard for a tan girl to stand out or to be perceived as “the pretty one”. While the other girls who are just ok looking perceived to be pretty just because they have lighter skin tone. Especially if you want a career in acting or modeling or something like that.
I often got a comment like this “if you’re a little whiter, you will be a lot prettier.” And believe it or not, white skinned is one of the top criteria that asian man looks for in a woman.
So sad but true, I wish I could say that i’m proud of my tan skin but I just can’t help going with the flow and try to be whiter… just because I wanna have a boyfriend.
And that’s how we think.
Again, nothing about race or class or wealthiness. Just pure beauty trend.
AsianGirl

well as i’m being a teenage asian girl, I’m pretty sure that we’re not racist or trying to discriminate anyone by their skin color. But we really really do want to be white because we believe it’s prettier. To be honest, I don’t even know who invented this kind of judgement but this is how it is and it has beee kinda like this for a very long time. And trust me, it’s not even about poor or rich. It’s just prettier.
Being tanner-skinned myself, I find it really hard for a tan girl to stand out or to be perceived as “the pretty one”. While the other girls who are just ok looking perceived to be pretty just because they have lighter skin tone. Especially if you want a career in acting or modeling or something like that.
I often got a comment like this “if you’re a little whiter, you will be a lot prettier.” And believe it or not, white skinned is one of the top criteria that asian man looks for in a woman.
So sad but true, I wish I could say that i’m proud of my tan skin but I just can’t help going with the flow and try to be whiter… just because I wanna have a boyfriend.
And that’s how we think.
Again, nothing about race or class or wealthiness. Just pure beauty trend.
ActualSouthEastAsianGirl

It is racism, as class is associated with skin color, but it this type of thinking isn’t prejudice or discrimination against other people. It’s a body image issue. I didn’t care about my skin being light until I entered school and met others who do.
Think of it like how girls want to be skinny. Asian girls want to be light because it is considered pretty.
ActualSouthEastAsianGirl

It is racism, as class is associated with skin color, but it this type of thinking isn’t prejudice or discrimination against other people. It’s a body image issue. I didn’t care about my skin being light until I entered school and met others who do.
Think of it like how girls want to be skinny. Asian girls want to be light because it is considered pretty.
Luke

“In countries where “whiteness” is preferred, you’d think there would be racial tensions but there aren’t. In Asia, there are no race riots, no KKK, no nationalist parties, and no race based organizations.”

I’m afraid I disagree. The May 13, 1969 riots in Kuala Lumpur arose as a result of ethnic tension between the Chinese and Malay populations following parliamentary elections — the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) is an example of one race-based organization, with a former UMNO Youth Information Chief describing the organization as the “protection and champion of ketuanan Melayu [Malay supremacy].” Japan’s right-wing undercurrent, the uyoku dantai, is a major source of concern for minority populations during public holidays and days of historical significance.

Other examples of just such race-based politics and social organization abound in Asia, as they do in the West — although in many countries these are fringe beliefs with little relevance for foreigners living and travelling there, it isn’t always the case: Malaysian politics has been shaped by race riots, nationalist parties and race-based organizations.
Luke

“In countries where “whiteness” is preferred, you’d think there would be racial tensions but there aren’t. In Asia, there are no race riots, no KKK, no nationalist parties, and no race based organizations.”

I’m afraid I disagree. The May 13, 1969 riots in Kuala Lumpur arose as a result of ethnic tension between the Chinese and Malay populations following parliamentary elections — the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) is an example of one race-based organization, with a former UMNO Youth Information Chief describing the organization as the “protection and champion of ketuanan Melayu [Malay supremacy].” Japan’s right-wing undercurrent, the uyoku dantai, is a major source of concern for minority populations during public holidays and days of historical significance.

Other examples of just such race-based politics and social organization abound in Asia, as they do in the West — although in many countries these are fringe beliefs with little relevance for foreigners living and travelling there, it isn’t always the case: Malaysian politics has been shaped by race riots, nationalist parties and race-based organizations.
Nat

Asians with fair skin are perceived to be more attractive…..that is all. It has nothing to do with race at all. It’s just like how most Caucasians think having a tan is more attractive. It’s that simple. No need to overthink things.
Karenfoxy72

Firstly, why try to look WHITER just so you can look RICH or WEALTHIER. Anyone who has this thinking and belief is a total joke. This is rich-poor racism and is a thinking of poormindedness. Of being ignorant and uneducated.

I am Asian and I am in Asia, i have a fairly good skin colour in my thinking if that has to be said in case you wonder, but I love all colours and love brown and even love Black skin. Its TRUE, There is skin colour racism in Asia.Go to most hotels and you will see the bleached coloured hair asian with white skin or white bleached skin. Not many Asians are informed or will acknowledge this. Look at most Flight Stewards on most Asian Airlines. A whiter asian even when dead ugly walks and models around like the most beautiful person in asia–just because of that WHITE skin. We are one of the most racist people in the world without even knowing it. Not knowing it doesn’t mean we are not being Racist (I’m talking about SKIN). But a lot of Asians are just too ignorant about Racism and a lot of people don’t get a job because they are not white enough. They won’t say this but the girl in your class who could not spell but have whiter skin than you who is ran 3 of the class but brown –have less chances of getting a job thats in hotel industry/flight industry. Brown /black women are as beautiful but why don’t they get the job! Now I don’t have anything about women wanting their skin to be white and the argument of tan vs white-this is individual preference to me. I understand whatever they need to feel and look good. But it is TRUE, there is racism in Asia. Korea, Japan and China likes ghostly white skin. They are already born white and they even whiten their skin endlessly. THats because no one bothers suing the advertisements on tv that always says “WHITE is beautiful”. Born with pale white skin great! but don’t think your more beautiful just because your whiter than the next girl next to you who have a better sun colour! Same as the other way around but in asia, what is it about white skinned asian and whitening products! The good thing about being naive and ignorant about it in Asia is– we don’t make too much trouble of it and we don’t highlight it too much thats why we don’t get laws enacted against it etc (even when deep inside it affects many asians -insecurity etc- as the job always goes to a whiter looking asian who had spent all her money in whitening products compared to a natural brown skin asian who has not spent money on their skin looking whiter) there are far too many other issues to deal with in Asia. But yeah THIS MENTALITY AFFECTS PEOPLE LIVES HERE. JOBS. BEING PREFERRED TO. THERE IS RACISM in ASia don’t kid yourself. Just were happier bunch to think about it too much.
Guest

Wow, you’re as stupid and racist as they come! People like you, who think like you are the lesser humans.
Guest

Wow, you’re as stupid and racist as they come! People like you, who think like you are the lesser humans.
Guest

This kind of thing existed in the West. Women from rich classes wanted to be as lightest as possible, they even used arsenic trioxide (extremely toxic) to lighten their skin to pale white. The word “redneck” comes from this time to describe a poor farmer (sunburn). This probably was a factor in the racial system.
Guest

This kind of thing existed in the West. Women from rich classes wanted to be as lightest as possible, they even used arsenic trioxide (extremely toxic) to lighten their skin to pale white. The word “redneck” comes from this time to describe a poor farmer (sunburn). This probably was a factor in the racial system.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QFHRF3N334UEYNIMCEG2BVWDE4 Christina

This is also true for the parts of South America that I have visited. Thanks for the info- I was trying to figure out why my asian roommate uses fade cream…I was beginning to think she was some sort of anglophile.
Meesterhenri

Actually, it wasnt that long ago when the whiteness of your skin was associated with money and succes in europe as well.
Meesterhenri

Actually, it wasnt that long ago when the whiteness of your skin was associated with money and succes in europe as well.
Meesterhenri

Actually, it wasnt that long ago when the whiteness of your skin was associated with money and succes in europe as well.
Patrick

Mr. Kepnes, I’m a Black male myself, and I appreciate the spirit of what I think you were trying to say. But I think that you may be overlooking the historical reality that even the most virulent “racists” always had a pretextual reason for looking down on others. I’ve never heard a KKK member say he hates Blacks just because we’re Black. The Nazis never said they hated Jews just because they’re Jews-they attributed undesireable characteristics to them: dishonesty, laziness, etc.
sam

”
In countries where “whiteness” is preferred, you’d think there would be racial tensions but there aren’t. In Asia, there are no race riots, no KKK, no nationalist parties, and no race based organizations.”

I know an Indonesian lady who lived in Jakarta who told me people attempted to drag her out of her car thinking she was Chinese because of her light complexion. At the time there were riots where malcontent Indonesians were burning Chinese businesses and even killing them. They apparently went on unabated for a while in terms of days.

The author needs to do some more research before making such a bold statement.
J_hawkes

i don’t understand how being white is considered rich and black is poor, im sure there is a lot of black people that are rich and im sure that there is a lot of white people that are poor, also you can’t be born poor.. what if a rich black family have a kid, does that make him poor even though he is in a rich family?

no wonder most of them still live in bamboo huts..

Yale

most of them still live in bamboo huts? do you live in a trailer?
Eureka

the ironic thing about what you are saying is that the japanese are more technologically ahead than any other country, and on top of that the skin color isnt based off race but general assumption. Now saying that they live in bamboo huts is a stereotype, so you earned yourself the nice shiny title of hypocrite.

learn to think out your arguments before you embarrass yourself over the internet… but i guess this advice is a bit late for you huh?
Turtle

you are missing the point. did you even read the article? it’s not about the race itself. i am guessing black (the color your skin turns from excessive heat) is considered poor because you are out in the sun a lot, which would in a way indicate work.
this isn’t always the case though, since being outside doesn’t have too much to do with work these days.But in old times, i am guessing that this was the case. since the rich can hire others to do the work for them (inplied by a previous comment).

Bright Nights

This is quite true!

In Burma (next to Thailand) people often speak about becoming lighter or darker as the years pass. ..quite casually.
http://twitter.com/lordvegan lordvegan

wow! the author of this article is incredibly naive. if the preference for white or lighter skin in asia is solely about class and not about race or racism in your opinion how do you explain the blatantly racist depictions of people of african descent in asia? you can easily do a search for racist commercials or shows and come up with things like this: http://youtu.be/tPv0NPD1Nmg
http://twitter.com/lordvegan lordvegan

wow! the author of this article is incredibly naive to believe that the preference in white or light skin is solely about class and has nothing to do with race or racism. furthermore, racism doesn’t only come in the form of outrageous hate groups like the kkk or nazis–racism takes various forms. you can easily type in “racist+asia” on youtube and come up with something as egregious as this: http://youtu.be/tPv0NPD1Nmg
http://twitter.com/lordvegan lordvegan

wow! the author of this article is incredibly naive to believe that the preference in white or light skin is solely about class and has nothing to do with race or racism. furthermore, racism doesn’t only come in the form of outrageous hate groups like the kkk or nazis–racism takes various forms. you can easily type in “racist+asia” on youtube and come up with something as egregious as this: http://youtu.be/tPv0NPD1Nmg
Lulu27

unfortunately not a well thought out article mainly neglecting considering intersections of oppression and the complexities of skin color politics. i for one don’t think it’s that complicated. if most rich people happen to be lighter than a certain gradient on the color scale clearly there is racism (structural, internalized, overt, covert, you name it) taking place. i am disturbed when people from the u.s. go overseas and think they are “post-racist” and in a position to comment on how racist other countries and cultures are. to suggest that skin color based wealth and mass media representation disparities are not racist is a form of racism in itself in my view.
Noni Murithi

Currently, I am an African American Exchange Student to the Philippines. It really makes me sick to see people dismiss me so easily because of my darker complexion. In the streets, I get looks and children are often scared of me to the point they cry. They really do view white skin as better. It is worse than anything I’ve ever experienced. People here claim that I will be prettier and live an easier life if I am white. Not once in the States have I encountered this. It’s sad, but the color of their skin RULES their lives.
M_W

It is unfair to say that people in Asia are obssessed with being white and their belief that the whiter you are the richer you look because that is not true. You can’t just say that because of the little time you spent in Thailand… Sure, Asians like their skin to be white but that’s what they view as beautiful! Like in Western countries that like tan skin – why?
I have to admit that some of them are racist, but that’s not the case for everyone. Especially Thailand, most Thai people have fair honey-coloured skin, there’s many dark skin Thai as well.. Many celebrities in Thailand have dark skin and yet they are view as attractive and they are successful.
Oh and that creation story of yours, I’ve never ever heard of it… and I’m Thai….
The whiteness of their skin is just their preference and what they perceive as beauty…
M_W

It is unfair to say that people in Asia are obssessed with being white and their belief that the whiter you are the richer you look because that is not true. You can’t just say that because of the little time you spent in Thailand… Sure, Asians like their skin to be white but that’s what they view as beautiful! Like in Western countries that like tan skin – why?
I have to admit that some of them are racist, but that’s not the case for everyone. Especially Thailand, most Thai people have fair honey-coloured skin, there’s many dark skin Thai as well.. Many celebrities in Thailand have dark skin and yet they are view as attractive and they are successful.
Oh and that creation story of yours, I’ve never ever heard of it… and I’m Thai….
The whiteness of their skin is just their preference and what they perceive as beauty…
dewoe

lets face it white skin is best everywhere, white and proud

Kaynuts000

that a fallacy…….and with this increasing global warming….everyone might wanna hold tightly onto whatever melanin they got…..cuz a time will come when that’s all can protect us….i am black and freaking proud!!
Kaynuts000

that a fallacy…….and with this increasing global warming….everyone might wanna hold tightly onto whatever melanin they got…..cuz a time will come when that’s all can protect us….i am black and freaking proud!!

Guest

melanin protects against sunlight exposure, not temperature.

Kaynuts000

that a fallacy…….and with this increasing global warming….everyone might wanna hold tightly onto whatever melanin they got…..cuz a time will come when that’s all can protect us….i am black and freaking proud!!

Nabbie

One example: I as expat went to Thai Post Office to post a 24g letter. The cashier says it is 270Baht and I replied it sounds too expensive. She re-checked it and corrected me it actually is 320Baht. Of course I decide not to buy the postage. Then I got an idea by reducing the weight from 24g to 10g letter. I asked her what price for 10g letter instead. Out of the blue, she says she “forgets” something. She admits 24g letter should be 120Baht. I start to wonder if this is to do with my looking and possibly linking to your issue.
samthepoet

re
Nabbie (unregistered) wrote:One example: I as expat went to Thai Post Office to post a 24g letter. The cashier says it is 270Baht and I replied it sounds too expensive. She re-checked it and corrected me it actually is 320Baht. ************************Nabbie it’s hard to draw any concrete conclusion from your post. I know they tend to charge farangs more for certain things than Thais. I went to the Chiang Mai Zoo with my Thai friend and she told me the price for me and for her. But I think the price at the post office should be consistent overall. As a black person in Thailand I really can’t say I felt slighted. I think when it comes to ripping people off a white person can be just as well an equal opportunity victim. Not sure what race you are but that clerk sounds incompetent or she just wanted to cheat you which happened to me in France the first time I went there when the clerk took my large bill at the metro and gave me change for a smaller bill. IMO this has more to do with being crooked than treating me differently due to my race.
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Barbrastreisandy

I think you’ve dangerously simplified this issue.

First off, East Asian countries are extremely homogeneous. For example, the vast majority of people who live in Korea are ethnic Koreans. Think about it–why would race riots or race-hate groups be rampant in a country where nearly everyone is the same race? On the other hand, one could see why racism is such an issue in the US, where almost 40% of US citizens are not caucasian. To me, it seems that although intense racism in East Asia exists, it doesn’t become a sensitive political issue because there just aren’t that many minorities around.
However, the few non-caucasian foreigners (especially Southeast Asians) that live in East Asia get a lot of crap, and in places like Korea and Japan, there’s a huge emphasis on racial purity (hey, remember Japan in WWII?) The working class-leisure class tension that you bring up is not the only reason dark skin is looked down upon. To many East Asians, dark skin suggests that you are of mixed blood and could be part Black, Filipino, Vietnamese, or Malay, etc, and these children are often thought of as an embarrassment.
Smoothcoffee

Excuse me? There are no “race base riots” in Asia? Are you ignorant or just trying to be amusing? The Koreans living in Japan have been victimized for centuries. The Chinese living in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia have been subject to race based riots – in 1997 thousands of Chinese were murdered, raped and attacked in Indonesia.
Sruthipothuneedi

color that exposes out is not important but that all releated to the heartt when the people come to know the truth by the time when they come to know that will all overr plzzzzzzz donttt isolate or comment on black peopleeeee becoze ur color is also not ever lastingg

White Skin: Why Racism In Asia Isn’t Quite What You Think

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