This Indian ad, for Fair and Lovely Ayurvedic "natural fairness" cream, makes it clear that lighter skin is more beautiful. The woman can't get a job at first; notice how she is also dressed in a sari. After her father gets her some Fair and Lovely, we see the stages of her lightening. She then goes back to the store--now wearing Western-style business clothes, like the women who previously rejected her--and gets a job. She also attracts the attention of a light-skinned man. Next we see her new, glamorous life.
So light skin = modernity = beauty = success at work and in love.
Fair and Lovely also has a line of skin lighteners for men called Menz Active. The Fair and Lovely Foundation also awards college scholarships. And provides career advice.
Here's an interesting video where Indian Americans discuss skin tone and respond to the Fair and Lovely ad:
Random fact: the company that owns Fair and Lovely, Hindustan Unilever, is owned (the majority stake, anyway) by Unilever, owner of brands including Dove and Axe.
Thanks to Chris H. for sending this one in!
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Fair and Lovely Skin-Lightening Cream Ad
Resident Evil 5: Africa Is the Dark Continent
Here is the trailer for Resident Evil 5, which is not yet on the market:
The player is the sole white person in a dismal, threatening city, apparently in Africa. The locals engage in torture (which we see in some detail) and gleefully cheer at a hanging. At one point the hero is accosted by an angry mob, all of whom just make gutteral, animal-like sounds. In a beleagured voice he tells us he just doesn't know "if it's all worth fighting for. Who knows?" Oh, the white man's burden, indeed!
Thanks once again, Patrick C.!
Romanticizing Colonialism
Rachel from Pop Feminist asked us to consider this new Hermes fashion shoot (see all the pics here). Hermes, as far as I can tell, is a French company gone international. Rachel argues that these images invoke our colonial past. She writes:
These images imply colonialism and glamorize a destructive imperial past (though it's hard to say we're "post colonial"). The choice to make the model Indian wearing British clothing -- at least the riding outfit -- symbolizes the primacy of class power to trump racial "inferiority."So the images draw on the eroticization of the Other (the Indian model, the elephants, and the exotic fabrics and decoration), but one who is subject to a civilizational project (the riding outfit). And this project has, in these images, turned out beautifully indeed! Nice find, Rachel!
The Neutral And The Marked: A Primer For Your Kids
These images came to us from Dianne who saw this on BoingBoing and dug deeper to find all these great examples!
Illustrating the way in which whiteness is taken-for-granted and others are always, well, other, Plan Toys sells these doll sets labelled "Ethnic Family," "AsianFamily," and, "Doll Family."
They also sell a "farmer" and a "farmer's wife." Dianne notes: "Women don't farm, apparently, they just marry men who do."
"Children can create imaginary stories with the Indian figures, camp, teepee and authentic accessories. They can learn about the traditional American tribe and their lifestye."
Notice how American Indian tribal difference is erased with the phrase "the traditional American tribe." Diane pointed out that the set actually combines teepees and totem poles which were traditions of tribes in the plains and on the west coast respectively.
In the "How to Play" section, it says:
"Children can imagine and tell stories about Red Indians, helping to stimulate their imagination and expanding their horizon."
Yes they really do say "Red Indians."
Diane notices that, just like the doll family is obviously white, "here again, apparently the default child is white, who can 'imagine... stories about Red Indians.'"
Ironically, the company claims that they are "socially & environmentally responsible" and promote "good values."
Thanks so much Diane!
Also in the neutral and the marked: men are people and women are women and from pale to pumped with racial stereotypes.
