Last week i watched a programme about plastic surgery and race. I was shocked and a little bit embarrassed at the self hatred the people highlighted in the show had towards themselves.
As a woman of color myself i completely understand that this world is dominated by the powers that be (white people). Minorities do face discrimination, all the time whether it be overt or covert.For most of we learn to deal with it. However, i do not think changing your ethnic features to look more European will automatically make your life better. And anyone who truly believes this is a fool!
The programmes focused on three people. The first was a young Asian man with dreams of becoming a top model. He wanted to create more definition on his jaw for a chiseled, structured look, and rhinoplasty to get rid of his "typically" Asian nose. He believed this would make him look more European and raise his chances of becoming a well known model. His ultimate goal to get back at the racist thugs who attacked him more than a decade ago.And he planned to do this with his success.
There was also a Asian mother who desperately wanted lighter skin to match her children, and husbands fair complexions. This truly was heartbreaking to watch as the perpetrators who racially abused her were also Asian. She was called names like "ugly" and "black" to her face. And her children were also teased because of her darker skin tone. She used lightening creams constantly and even travelled to London in search of a professional opinion.
The worst of the self haters was East London born glamour girl Jet. A black girl who lived in a high class area in Essex. She felt that her ethnic features, her nose in particular. Made her look "poor" and " unattractive".
I didn't know whether to jump in the TV, slap the girl or hug her! She was very pretty who really didn't need surgery of any kind. What she needed was to read a few books, open up her circle of friends, who were clearly all white and probably from Essex.
By the end of the programme i felt sorry for Jet. She thought that a more European nose would make her look classy. And although her nose did still look like her nose post operation. I knew she would probably never understand that class comes from within and radiates, regardless of,
attractiveness or race.
If you missed the show catch up here
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