Wow. You have among the palest skin I have ever seen.
This may explain something that has always puzzled me. When family friends moved back to New Zealand, they passed through Hawaii and spent a few days there. Asian people seemed utterly fascinated with their light-skinned red-haired daughter. The daughter was only 6 or so, so it wasn’t yet boyfriend trouble*. People were apparently following them around and asking for pictures of her.
[sub]*We saw them last year, and the girl is now 10, smart, cute, still with the red hair, and has a charming accent. She’s going to break a few hearts soon, if she hasn’t already.[/sub]
I read that with the Indian Caste system which I believe is now supposed to be defunct,the highest caste,the Brahmins were white and as you went down the caste system the skin was darker culminating in the Untouchables who were Black.
Ironically Europeans coming from outside of the Indian sub continent were classified as untouchables inspite of their skin colour though whether this was actually put into practice in daily life seems unlikely.
Well…part of me is like “Yeah, break the mold! Don’t let yourself feel you need to be light-skinned because of cultural pressure!” (even though I know you’re in the US now it still exists, I’m sure) and the other part of me is like “Dude! Skin cancer!”
I smoke like a chimney and drink like a fish. Skin cancer is the least of my concerns.
Joking aside, I don’t tan deliberately, but one clear summer day outside is usually enough to turn me quite brown. Last summer I went to a baseball game with my friends and the next day I was a rather nice shade of bronze. (I’m good about using sunscreen, FWIW.)
They’re often marketed to people looking to fade freckles, age spots, etc., but they’re usually stocked in pharmacies’ ethnic supplies section; in my own store, we stock most brands in the Hispanic and African-American specialty sections, with a couple higher-end brands stocked in standard skin care. Quite a few pharmacies reduced their selections when the FDA began making noises about taking hydroquinone (the usual active ingredient, which disrupts melanin production) off OTC, but AFAIK nothing happened with that, and sales continue.
I totally feel you on this sentiment.
As a Pale Indian dude born and raised here in the States, its a totally weird concept to me, and it’s not something I really like (your phrasing on biggest problem was quite apt).
Nothing beats having your distant family members talking about your future, and offering advice with terms like “well, he’s quite fat, but at least he’s pale, you better keep him out of the sun!”
:smack: Gotta love that bluntness at least. :dubious:
