Written by: Sophia Wang
Art by: Maisha Kalam
The straightener sizzled as it snuffed my curls out, kinks smoothing as the hairstylist commented under her breath, “How coarse and dirty.”
I fidgeted in my seat, uneasily brushing my fingers over the straight ends. Maybe this’ll show my classmates. Maybe when I go back to middle school I won’t be known as the Chinese girl with curly hair.
This clash of characteristics always confused my friends, and myself. How could I be East Asian but have textured hair, poofy waves, and a halo of frizz? All the C-dramas I watched with my grandma emphasized the main character’s long, smooth, shiny strands. The opposing beauty standards that I felt weighing upon me due to my Chinese heritage and American upbringing led me to sit in the salon chair, desperately aching to align with one of them.
The Paler, the Better
Outside of hair, East Asian beauty standards heavily center around paleness. Historically, whiteness signified prestige (Byrdie). In Japan, geishas emerged as entertainers to the royals as early as the 13th century, and were known by their trademark porcelain skin (Maikoya). Now, the mindset has burrowed into the beauty industry, with skin whiteners projected to make over 31.4 billion dollars by 2024 (Vox). Being whiter adds to the appearance of preserving youth and innocence in East Asian countries, and that sentiment is reflected across the advertisements displayed in makeup stores.
On the other hand, American media has prided itself on their tan models in magazines, beach movies with sunkissed actors, and celebrity lifestyle anchored by tanning salons. Coco Chanel first started the tanning movement in 1920 when her fans saw her lounging by the French Riviera, and the beauty industry has yet to let go of the trend (Guardian). Modern celebrities like the Kardashians continue to expound on it, and countless magazines have put out product recommendations (Beauty Crew). The appeal in a “golden” appearance implies a healthier disposition and a fun-loving personality, along with the luxurious experience of soaking up the sun’s rays.
Slim Face, Slim Body
In addition to the childlike appearance with a white face, East Asian beauty standards praise thin, long bodies. Started on Weibo, a popular Chinese blogging platform, the collarbone challenge involves placing as many fish/coins as possible onto your clavicle and seeing how many your frame can hold (Next Shark). Dieting to reach near impossible measurements is also pervasive among young people. In South Korea, one in three women between 19-29 years have undergone plastic surgery as a faster way to achieve results, with one of the most popular options being the “jaw shaving” procedure (NPR). The patient’s excess bone is removed to achieve the small, V-shaped chin plastered on the walls of Seoul’s bus and subway systems.
Meanwhile in America, curvy bodies modeling the Kardashian butt (a rotund, pear-like behind) flooded Instagram pages and magazine covers. The hourglass figure became the ideal body type, kicking out previous images of skinny, tall models representing the dying era of Victoria’s Secret. Shapewear that emphasized the bust, like Lululemon’s Define jacket, was just one hallmark of a widespread fashion obsession with hyper-femininity (Guardian). Advocates of body positivity (which, as should be noted, have the space to speak their views in America and not China) like Lizzo, have emerged at the forefront of this movement and with the mission of celebrating what women already have, rather than reducing their figure.
The Monotony of Monolids
When I was born, my mom told me one of the first things she noticed about my face were my creased eyelids. She was so happy that I didn’t have monolids so that my eyes would appear bigger.
While I originally thought that was a shallow desire, my knowledge of East Asian media now affirms that her thoughts are justified by the majority of the Chinese population. Actors in Asian TV shows are often portrayed as more beautiful if they have double eyelids/larger eyes. East Asian second-generation immigrants are bullied by their classmates for their smaller eyes. Double eyelid surgery is so common in the East that it’s a cultural norm, and parents barely bat an eye when their children mention wanting to go under the knife (NPR). However, armed with nothing but eyelid tape that costs a few bucks and a Youtube video, young people can easily achieve the effect without the price of a $3,000 surgery.
They Will Never Be Satisfied, So You Have to Be
Double eyelids are one of the few places that East and Western beauty standards align (although, with the recent trend of “fox eyes”, that may also be questionable). But the next difference sticking out in the mirror is the color of those eyes: black (like pits) versus blue (like the ocean, or the sky). And the next feature to fix would be the nose. The list is never-ending, and appeasing not one but two sets of beauty standards is impossible. True beauty lies in the uniqueness of the individual, who could never be boxed into one toxic image or another.
Being known as the Chinese girl with curly hair is nothing to be ashamed of. With the support of better representation, I feel proud to let my hair down and wear my curls in public. To my middle school self, I may seem unrecognizable now, and yet, a familiar face, glowing with the peace of coming to terms with the paradoxical beauty standards by setting my own.
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