The last decade in the U.S. has seen a fast progression of Asian culture diffusion. Journalist Julia Hollingsworth cited Susanna Lin in her CNN article, who said, “The growing interest in East Asian pop culture reflects these changing demographics and cultural awareness in the US and the West”.
In a society captivated by boba tea, K-pop, and the irresistibly cute vibes of the kawaii trend, it is easy to get lost in the kaleidoscope of Asian pop culture. However, behind the vibrant trends lies a truth where beauty standards are as intricate as a K-drama plot twist.
Toxic beauty standards are prevalent worldwide, especially with the popularization of social media in our generation. These standards coerce thousands to alter themselves to fit expectations, pushing forth insecurities, sickness, and anxiety. Asian beauty standards are no exception.
Historically, Asia has already had negative standards, notably foot-binding. Like many standards, foot binding was caused by an attempt to mimic an influencer, in this case, the emperor’s favorite concubine who had abnormally small feet. Her feet were believed to be the reason why she was so beloved and was coined “lotus feet”. Smithsonian Magazine explained that during the thirteenth century, millions of Chinese women endured the pain of snapping their feet and wrapping them tightly with bandages. Although these women would struggle with walking for the rest of their lives, it fit their beauty standards, making it a source of pride.
Another example of an unhealthy standard is that of teeth dying. During the Heian period, Japanese women stained their teeth black to create a clean smile and to mark the transition from youth to womanhood. According to Medium, this practice spread to other parts of Asia, including Thailand, China, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Teeth blackening was seen to be a sign of wealth and status. Due to the lack of medical evidence and research, teeth blackening was considered a healthy habit as it supposedly fought off infections. In reality, CDHP explains that teeth blackening can weaken the teeth’s enamel, making it more vulnerable to infections and decay.
Today, while foot binding and teeth blackening are abandoned trends, there are still a concerning amount of dangerous beauty standards. One of Asia’s most prevalent ones is the desire to have pale, white skin. Originally, it was ideal to have white skin as it was a sign of status. Wealthy women did not have to work in the fields all day or tan as a result.
Because of this standard, many women have taken desperate measures to remain pale. Asian women are often seen wearing long sleeves, long pants, a mask, and carrying an umbrella on the hottest of days to hide from the sun. However, some women take further measures. The National Institute of Health reported that many Asians, especially Southern Asians use skin-lightening treatments.
According to their study, “Of the 175 participants, 55 (31%) respondents used a skin-lightening product before.”
Although many women have achieved a lighter complexion, skin-lightening is not without its side effects. According to NHS, skin lightening can stem from a plethora of negative effects, including kidney and liver damage, skin thinning, blood vessels becoming visible, and skin turning darker. Furthermore, by following this trend, the idea of pale skin supremacy is perpetuated further. Skin-lightening practices reinforce racism by emphasizing harmful beauty standards that equate fair skin with beauty, success, and social status. This not only fosters self-hate and low self-esteem among individuals with darker skin tones but also contributes to the discrimination of those who do not conform to the ideal.
Another prevalent standard is a thin body. While many cultures admire a slim body, Asian countries go to extremities. The perfect body is bony, with a flat abdomen, a distinguished neck, and a protruding collarbone. There has been a recent emphasis on a protruding collarbone, with a new trend emerging. A TikTok by user chinesewithmia reported that a new trend is for women to try and fit as many goldfish as they can in their collarbones. Not only is this inhumane, but it increases the need for an unhealthily skinny body. This pressure has resulted in many women’s mental health declining with severe anxiety, depression, and even anorexia.
Asian culture may embrace elements that are child-like, kawaii and adorable, but women’s bodies do not have to be child-like. To show off their body, numerous Asian influencers wear clothes meant for toddlers or their own children. The Independent stated, “Xiaohongshu and Weibo — China’s Instagram and Twitter — have been flooded with pictures of women wearing children’s T-shirts in the changing rooms of Uniqlo”. This trend further underscores the distorted expectations, revealing the problematic nature of these beauty ideals within Asian culture.
At one point in our lives or another, we have stared in the mirror and been unhappy. If only we could be skinnier, have thicker lips, have longer lashes, be prettier. The feeling of being not attractive enough and the pressure to change ourselves to conform to beauty standards is universal, but Asia has gone to the extremes. As we reflect on our personal struggles with self-image, remember that the distorted ideals of Asian culture serve as a poignant reminder – beauty should never be a sacrifice or a definition of worth. Society’s standards may be pressuring and dehumanizing, but we can redefine beauty, dismantling unhealthy standards.
