Jamie_Lambo wrote:im actually going to start looking into when the obsession with light skin originated and whether it is in fact a western influence or not

I was under the impression that this was not a new thing at all but that it always had been like this. I looked into it a bit and found this "The concept of skin whitening and the pale skin beauty ideal is not new. The practice of recoloring one’s skin is directly related to the desire to achieve higher social status. Historically, a person's skin color has been a clear indicator of economic and social status. As early as pre-Qin China {the Pre-Qin Period (2100 B.C.-221 B.C.)}, there has been an association between one's wealth and one's skin color. Farm laborers who made a living by working in the sun were easily distinguishable from the Chinese upper class by their skin tone: farm laborers were darkened by the sun while the nobility were able to stay indoors and avoid sun damage. The same skin-whitening phenomenon occurred in the west during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Aristocrats at the time used a dangerous bleaching product, lead oxide, in order to differentiate themselves from the lower class laborers. The historic correlation between economic status and skin color naturally lead to the development of a variety of treatments in order to correct an "undesirable" dark skin tone." So, yep not really anything to do with western culture.

Generally (globaly) isn't it a sign that you didn't have to go outside unless you wanted to? To show that you didn't have to work under the sun? Sign of wealth etc?
Personally I love the sun because I come from a place of 300+ days of terrible weather a year.
In North America girls are tanning themselves to death to get anywhere near the color a Khmer girl can have normally, but sadly most are bleaching themselves.
I think Khmer girls have naturally very beautiful skin. This skin bleaching stuff is odd to me. Seems counter productive and harmful.
But I guess we all want the things we don't have.

tdanjones wrote:

Jamie_Lambo wrote:im actually going to start looking into when the obsession with light skin originated and whether it is in fact a western influence or not

I was under the impression that this was not a new thing at all but that it always had been like this. I looked into it a bit and found this "The concept of skin whitening and the pale skin beauty ideal is not new. The practice of recoloring one’s skin is directly related to the desire to achieve higher social status. Historically, a person's skin color has been a clear indicator of economic and social status. As early as pre-Qin China {the Pre-Qin Period (2100 B.C.-221 B.C.)}, there has been an association between one's wealth and one's skin color. Farm laborers who made a living by working in the sun were easily distinguishable from the Chinese upper class by their skin tone: farm laborers were darkened by the sun while the nobility were able to stay indoors and avoid sun damage. The same skin-whitening phenomenon occurred in the west during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Aristocrats at the time used a dangerous bleaching product, lead oxide, in order to differentiate themselves from the lower class laborers. The historic correlation between economic status and skin color naturally lead to the development of a variety of treatments in order to correct an "undesirable" dark skin tone." So, yep not really anything to do with western culture.

yeah thats what ive always thought/known as well mate

Macmullo wrote: This skin bleaching stuff is odd to me. Seems counter productive and harmful.
But I guess we all want the things we don't have.

much like the western obsession with tanning beds

describe that to a khmer and they will look at you like you asked to dump on their head

bolueeleh wrote:

prahkeitouj wrote:Khmer New Year is coming soon. Normally we go to pagodas with family before, during Khmer New year. I would like everyone post some nice costume of women.

by the way, can we have some photo of khmer woman in darker skin tone? this obsession with white skin is not healthy, it is brought on by idolising western culture, dark skin, tan skin are beautiful too.

I have some pictures. I'll post it soon.

Jamie_Lambo wrote:ill post a few pictures, ill been invited up to my friends village in kampong cham province again, its not a rich village though and no one really dresses up lol

Nice, Jamie.

i always wear the long one,
i not want have black skin but have many people my village have,
my Mother teach me to take care my skin,
She say boy only want marry white skin haha

Chariya wrote:i always wear the long one,
i not want have black skin but have many people my village have,
my Mother teach me to take care my skin,
She say boy only want marry white skin haha

haha too bad, many barang want marry dark skin

Chariya wrote:i always wear the long one,
i not want have black skin but have many people my village have,
my Mother teach me to take care my skin,
She say boy only want marry white skin haha

your mother want that you marry only khmer boys

the barang like khmer girls looking as khmer girl (black skin and long black hair) and not as swedish girl (white and blonde hair)

and you do you want to marry only khmer boys ?