From Australia's SBS by Anna Choy
Change My Race (Part 1) by Sablicious
Anna Choy creates a documentary about being Asian in Australia and what is considered beautiful under a European ideal. Overall, the documentary is intriguing. Background is that Anna Choy herself is "biracial" - her mother is Caucasian, her father is Chinese and she grew up in Australia. She is married/partnered and has a child.
It sounded like she was jaded by her "Asian" characteristics. What is refreshing is seeing other races besides mine discuss racial politics. The documentary opens with a Caucasian woman from a local university, Dr. Meredith Jones.
But travels to the Asian Cosmetic Surgery Capital of the world in South Korea. They had a listing of all services including, Orthognactic procedure. One doctor, Dr. Joo Kwon does angle resection for a "baby face". That is one does not do well to take care of themselves, they are being "ugly by choice". A lot of people are doing "face smashing". It is a more attractive person, but less Asian.
Moving back to Australia, several Asian women and girls were interviewed on their ideas about cosmetic surgery. Why destroy functional attractive faces. Psychologist Roberta Honigman says there is a nexus between medicine and culture. Doctors enable peopel who feel they need to "fix" the aesthetics of their bodies - i.e. surgery is not medical necessary. She stated that in the 1910s-1920s in America, Jewish and Irish immigrants would use these procedures to be a part of the culture. Immigrants want to help children for maximum opportunity.
Growing up Asian in a predominantly White communities, Asians are not expecting the faces they see - the eyes, nose and in some ways mouth.
Only similarity to what we do as African Americans is bleaching cream.
Many Asian Australians feel Australian, but don't at time. They still feel like foreigners.
Chloe Munoz who is a modeling casting agent says White Women from Australia would sell more magazines on covers.
More lighter skin is a status of wealth. Not working in the fields. It is ideal human, people of color are a variation of human.
Beauty works on a subconscious level.
Ruby Hamad as a feminist got plastic surgery on her nose to look less Arab or Middle Eastern. Did she choose to grow up into an environment that was not hers with that influence?
We no longer look like our parents children and your children will not look like you.
The producer for this show was Julia Redwood.
What I thought about the documentary content? I felt sad. My thoughts are that Asians are stronger than that. They are better people than they give themselves credit to do. They survive by placating white people, but they never really will be able to completely do it. From my point of view, many various countries in Asia are outmaneuvering America and other countries with their capital enterprises.
Asian women do not have to aspire looking more White to be attractive. Where is that pressure coming from? In the documentary, it was said it was from the family to give them opportunity. But I don't believe that, I think it comes from men. It is a "misogyno-jeune" like "misogynoir" but from Asian men. Men pedestalized Blonde Hair-Blue Eyed women. And since the stereotype of Asian women are as subservient, have they placated their men? I don't know? I know Black women won't placate their men worth a damn. At the same time, our relationships are lacking.
However, no one can dictate how another person feels about their race or ethnic group. That person needs to define it for themselves.
