The Umineko Ep7 will be starting shortly, so people feel free to hop in now! :D
Until today I’d assumed “whitewashing” (the practice of bleaching one’s skin to alter its color to a lighter and thus more appealing tone) had all but died in most parts of the modern world.
Holy fuck was I wrong.
This year, British Vogue’s November 2011 cover features none other than Rihanna (aka, the sexiest woman I’ve ever known) posing in one of her classic fierce stances in a blonde wig. When I first saw the cover I was a bit confused why Rihanna looked so different; but, knowing Rihanna’s penchant for unconventional hairstyles, I was initially able to naively overlook her seemingly Marilyn Monroe-inspired do; but a doubletake of the whole ensemble made me realize something a little disconcerting. Rihanna doesn’t just have Marilyn’s hair, but also her eyes, her pose, even her skin. “But Vogue is a fashion magazine, that look is chic, sexy, couture.” Vapid fashion vocabulary aside, it certainly sells, right? Now, I definitely don’t want to deny or minimize the blatant and subliminal sexism the fashion industry is chronically rife with; given fashion magazine’s long history of blatant sexism, it might not be immediately disconcerting to the average reader. But what is disconcerting to anyone who loves the Barbadoan babe like I do is how fucking white Rihanna looks.
As colorlines.com so eloquently put it:
It could be the actual lighting on set, it could be that we’ve gotten used to her wearing a fire engine-red wig, or it could be that someone forget to tell Vogue’s retoucher that Rihanna is in fact black.
Now before you chime in with “what’s so wrong about white skin?” I’d like to point out that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. However, there’s certainly nothing wrong with looking black, either. And call me cracked, but in my mind a few red flags go up when I see an international organization that claims to decide what’s hot and what’s not is photoshopping a world-famous superstar in the name of fashion sense.
Apparently Rihanna hasn’t been the only one “touched-up” with the desaturation tool either. Back in January of this year, ELLE India went with a lighter-tinted version of Aishwarya Rai, the sensational Star of Bollywood making headlines all over the internet and the world, and named by 60 Minutes as the Most Beautiful Woman in the World.
So why does the supposed “Most Beautiful Woman in the World” need any photoshopping? Isn’t she already the pinnacle of perfection? Thankfully, not everyone agrees. Especially Miss Rai, who stated to The Times of India that the former Miss World is “furious with the bleaching blotch-up” and is considering pursuing legal action against the magazine.
But unfortunately Miss Rai isn’t the only celebrity ELLE’s taken to the light room. Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe also miraculously changed colors on the cover of U.S. edition of ELLE back in October of 2010.
And judging from some more photo shoots taken in 2009, L’oréal isn’t above whitewashing either. Just do a double-take of international stars Beyoncé and Freida Pinto. Any red flags yet?
As colorlines.com journalist Julianne Hing points out:
It’s a common, tired practice, and the routine is well-practiced: beauty companies and fashion magazines regularly lighten women’s skin (and darken the faces of black men), pissed off consumers shout back, and sometimes an apology is issued. But come the next fall collection or election season, photo retouchers are inevitably back to trying to make women of color more attractive by lightening them, and darkening the skin of men of color to make them seem more dangerous and suspect. Color, still, is everything.
At some point you have to stop and wonder just what the fuck is going on.
Fortunately, in the case of Aishwarya Rai at least, Change.org has begun a campaign asking the magazine to issue a public apology. However, in light of the situation (no pun intended), why should a campaign be necessary? Shouldn’t ELLE make a statement free of coercion by activist groups, regretting the mistake they knowingly made? I mean they do regret their “mistake,” right? Which brings me around to my point: Why the fuck is this still occurring?
In July in India, Vaseline launched a facebook app that allows the user to lighten their profile pictures to a more “appealing” tone. In 2005 Indian cosmetics mogul Emani began a new product campaign aimed at both men and women’s insecurities, launching their new skin-whitening cream for men called “Fair and Handsome” (the women’s version of course being called “Fair and Lovely”).
Closer to home, a study conducted by Dr. S. Allen Counter of Harvard Medical School in 2003 showed some pretty frightening findings:
96% of over 300 patients in the Southwestern United States that have higher than normal mercury levels were female and all had used skin lightening products; likewise 90% of women tested in clinics in Arizona who were Mexican-American had been using the same products (2).
Women more often try to whiten their skin and as a consequence poison their bodies. These lightening creams such as ‘Crema de Belleza-Manning’, which is made in Mexico, contain mercurous chloride and is easily absorbed through the skin.As you may or may not know, toxic levels of mercury lead to mercury poisoning, which causes neurological and kidney damage, as well as being a possible cause of psychiatric disorders. It can also cause birth defects. So it’s some pretty serious shit.
Aside from the horrors that survey alone should instill, there’s more where it came from:
Doctors in the UK were confused by symptoms presented by a woman when no reason for her weight gain, stretch or stripe marks and inability to conceive could be found. It was only after further questioning that she admitted to using a skin lightening product (1).
The product, which is illegal in the EU, was clobetasol. This is a cream containing high levels of the steroid corticosteroid. Typically this cream is prescribed for skin conditions including eczema and psoriasis, and is only to be used for up to two weeks at a time.
The UK doctors reported that the woman far exceeded the recommended usage, using two tubes of clobetasol a week for over seven years.
Such products are being increasingly used by people in a number of countries in an attempt to lighten the skin. Older people as well use skin lightening to remove age or liver spots and other skin darkening conditions.
However few people are warned of the dangers of the toxic ingredients which, as well as containing steroids, includes hydroquinone. While hydroquinone is allowed in the US by the FDA, it is banned in Europe because of the potential to cause cancer.
The list of side effects of the steroid corticosteroid is long. The most serious is Cushing’s disease, a malfunction of the adrenal glands leading to an overproduction of cortisol. Other side effects include:
* increased appetite and weight gain
* deposits of fat in chest, face, upper back, and stomach
* swelling
* slowed healing of wounds
* osteoporosis
* cataracts
* acne
* muscle weakness
* thinning of the skinKind of ruins that old saying “beauty is only skin deep,” doesn’t it?
So yeah, there’s that. If it wasn’t already alarming that people are getting whiter on paper, in reality the lightening products themselves have some terrible, toxic side affects. If you’re willing to lighten your skin color for the sake of appearing more attractive, you’re also willing to risk a myriad of other much more devastating skin problems (if psoriasis, eczema, acne, and thin skinning weren’t enough of an indication). In the end, the real cost of lighter skin is often paid in irreparable or even fatal damage to the user’s health, mind, and body—and often the products themselves advertise much better than they actually perform. So why does the fashion industry support this? Why, despite not only obvious health risks and the even more obvious fact that dark skin is beautiful all by itself, is lighter skin encouraged? Maybe it happens because people don’t really know all the serious risks behind skin whitening; maybe fashion companies are simply more concerned with a better quarterly statement than the health of their customers. Or maybe skin lightening is a symptom of the stigma that remains after hundreds of years of oppression, colonialism, and racism latent in our still very segregated and unequal world today. Maybe it’s all true. Whatever way you choose to view it, it’s a grim reality and a heavy price to pay, all for the ‘right look.’ But in our world, it’s the price of beauty.
Here is a Science fair project presented by a girl in a secondary school in Sussex . In it she took filtered water and divided it into two parts. The first part she heated to boiling in a pan on the stove, and the second part she heated to boiling in a microwave. Then after cooling she used the water to water two identical plants to see if there would be any difference in the growth between the normal boiled water and the water boiled in a microwave. She was thinking that the structure or energy of the water may be compromised by microwave. As it turned out, even she was amazed at the difference, after the experiment which was repeated by her class mates a number of times and had the same result.
It has been known for some years that the problem with microwaved anything is not the radiation people used to worry about, it’s how it corrupts the DNA in the food so the body can not recognize it.
Microwaves don’t work different ways on different substances. Whatever you put into the microwave suffers the same destructive process. Microwaves agitate the molecules to move faster and faster. This movement causes friction which denatures the original make-up of the substance. It results in destroyed vitamins, minerals, proteins and generates the new stuff called radiolytic compounds, things that are not found in nature.
So the body wraps it in fat cells to protect itself from the dead food or it eliminates it fast. Think of all the Mothers heating up milk in these ‘Safe’ appliances. What about the nurse in Canada that warmed up blood for a transfusion patient and accidentally killed him when the blood went in dead. But the makers say it’s safe. But proof is in the pictures of living plants dying!
NO, YOU PIG-IGNORANT ASSWIPES.
SOME KID’S CLASS PROJECT IS NOT REAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. YOU’VE HEARD OF “DOUBLE BLIND”, RIGHT? CALL ME WHEN IT’S PUBLISHED IN NATURE.
the structure or energy of the water
what the fuck does that even mean you realize that a water molecule is made up of three fucking atoms and if you rearrange it it isn’t water anymore and you would fucking notice
the problem with microwaved anything is not the radiation people used to worry about
Here is a handy diagram I drew of all the different types of radiation:
Microwaves != nuclear reactors, so calm your tits.
it’s how it corrupts the DNA in the food so the body can not recognize it
…do you understand what DNA is and how eating works? DNA is a jumble of protein in the middle of each cell and it tells the cells in that particular organism how to make more cells. Your body does not care about whether your food has any DNA in it or not. The chemicals it cares about are things like vitamins and sugars, as well as inorganic shit like salt.
(You can denature DNA by heating it or using chemicals like urea. It is like what happens when you fry an egg, which is basically a big glob of protein—the strands break apart and it looks like tiny white strings. Very cool.)
Microwaves agitate the molecules to move faster and faster.
I…just…that is the fucking definition of heat, whether you’re heating something over a flame or in a microwave or using the Sun. The difference is that microwaves mostly affect the water molecules in your food and they don’t need to use as much heat. Water boils at 100°C, which is just about as hot as water can get before it just turns into steam; but that’s like the lowest setting on your oven. Oven- or stove-cooked food tastes different partly because it uses higher temperatures and partly because heat is transferred in a different way.
This movement causes friction
That’s not what friction is.
It results in destroyed vitamins, minerals, proteins and generates the new stuff called radiolytic compounds, things that are not found in nature.
Let’s take these one at a time.
- Vitamins are classified as water-soluble or fat-soluble. So cooking things in water will dissolve the water-soluble vitamins (C and all the B’s). Just plain heat doesn’t do that, so microwaving veggies—which keeps the water in—is actually a healthier option.
- Proteins: Breaking the chemical bonds in proteins (denaturing) is a part of any cooking. However, denatured protein is still nutritious—that’s why you can meet your protein intake with foods like fried eggs and baked chicken.
- Minerals are just chemical elements, like off the periodic table—sodium, iron, potassium. (Vitamins and proteins are very complex combinations of elements.)
Which brings me to the “radiolytic compound” bullshit. When you talk about breaking apart, say, iron—you’re talking about breaking down the iron atoms themselves. Which is a whole lot different than breaking the bonds between atoms. It takes hella radiation. You need shit like gamma rays—the OOOH SCARY NUCULAR radiation—which we’ve already established do not come from your microwave.
things that are not found in nature
What the shit does that even mean? You all know radioactive elements occur in nature, right? In rocks and also in living cells. That’s right, you have this radioactive kind of carbon INSIDE YOU. You get it by eating those delicious plants. We can tell how long ago something died by how much of it is left.
Tons of shit that occurs naturally is horribly bad for you. And tons of shit that never existed until we cooked it up is great for you—like the chemical compounds in a lot of medications.
PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THIS SHIT ARE WHY CHILDHOOD DISEASES THAT CAUSED SERIOUS ILLNESSES AND/OR DEATH THAT WE NEARLY ERADICATED WITH VACCINES ARE NOW COMING BACK AND WHY CONSPIRACY THEORIST TWATS ARE ASKING CITY COUNCIL NOT TO FLUORIDATE THE WATER AND WHY GLOBAL WARMING WILL WRECK OUR FUCKING PLANET.
LERN 2 SCIENCE. Think before you reblog. And microwave your veggies.
libertarians love to misinform people and pretend to know what they fuck they are talking about.
Maybelline “Confidence” ads. SO happy with how the colors in these turned out in printing and matting. To clarify, these are not real Maybelline ads, they were created for an advertising class.
EDIT: This is important. This means a lot to me. I legitimately believe a huge mistake was made today.
These ads were a part of my portfolio into the advanced advertising program at my school. About half of the people who apply get in. I got into the first two creative classes, intro and intermediate, and I was confident I would get into advanced… especially after I posted these on tumblr and in a matter of a few hours got THOUSANDS of notes with people saying that they loved them, most people even believing they were real advertisements and not something a 21 year old student made for class.
The only reservation I had was that my portfolio was being judged by two older men. Two men who have never worn makeup in their lives. Two men who would probably not even begin to understand what this campaign means. Two men who have never been under societal pressures to wear makeup, but then being told they’re insecure for doing so.
Those reservations might have been founded, as evidenced by the fact that I did not get in. I was rejected. I got over 5,500 notes on these ads in 24 hours, yet I was rejected for not being good enough. I can’t finish the program, and I have to figure out where to go from here.
Now to the good stuff: Tumblr is amazing. Everyone who has reblogged this, whether your comments were negative or positive, is amazing. I find it truly astounding that these have gotten so much attention. These, which are advertisements selling you something, something people inherently dislike. I am humbled, shocked, and grateful. This is the first time since I’ve been in advertising that I felt like I was doing something right… that maybe, just maybe, I could make it in this industry and make a positive change.
Those dreams were squashed today. I cried, and I complained. I’m angry — but not at myself like I thought I would be. I feel they made a mistake. I refuse to believe that I’m in the bottom 50% of the people who applied. I deserve to be in that program, and I know it. Thousands of people can’t be wrong that this is a good idea. An idea that MEANS something, and idea that resonates with many people. 2 older, conventional men can absolutely be wrong when it comes to judging what makes a good makeup ad.
Here’s where you come in. Let’s make them regret their decision. Reblog this, like it, comment on it, whatever. Let’s get this attention… so much attention that they can’t ignore it. While the decisions are most likely final, I want to make them think twice. I want them to look back, and believe that they fucked up. If it doesn’t even benefit me personally, I want them to think about how fair a panel of 2 male judges is when it comes to evaluating work done by women, for an audience that consists of predominantly people who identify as women.
So let’s do this. They fucked up; I deserved to be accepted. I know it, and I have a feeling you guys know it too.
A Church posts a billboard apology to North Carolinians for “judgmental, deceptive, manipulative actions” done against the LGBT community with the passage of Amendment One.
Finally, a makeup advertisement addressing the fact that makeup is an ARTFORM, and isn’t only used to “hide your flaws”.
Oh my god Maybelline! Well fucking done! *raucous applause and whooping*
well…i certainly agree with the message. makeup is a legitimate form of individual expression. but i’m not about to get all bright eyed and bushy tailed for maybelline.
if it weren’t necessary for them to make $$ they wouldn’t be marketing makeup this way. the beauty industry is more and more often exploiting the growing attempts to critique patriarchal expectations of female beauty. these critiques threaten the success of these companies which, more often than not, thrive on body shame and sexism. companies like maybelline only care about empowerment as long as is brings in the cashola. the green. the money, honey.
Honestly.
I’d be willing to make that trade. Rather people make social change for SOMETHING than not at all. If they want money and they get it, so what? As long as it helps push society forward and makes things a little bit better for the average person, they can go for it.
Not all effects of capitalism have to be bad.
Guess what? It doesn’t matter if Maybelline is just trying to rake in some mad buxx by pandering to a shift in the public view. Because by “pandering” to confidence and not hating imagined flaws, they’re supporting that view, spreading it, and giving it more power.
And that is something to reward with consumer money.
I am putting this out there just as an informative thing, and because what Lexxy said gave me confidence that this is an all right thing to do. (If it’s not clear, I have a ton of respect for Lexxy, dang what a cool person.)
There is a group of…
honestly i have no interest in being kind or understanding to any group of people who are blatantly rubbing their balls on the rights of an independent media art project (MSPA). if i come across em, im chewing them out, if not getting them arrested (if i’m in such a position that i can back my actions up)
Becoming aggressive and confrontational over a potential legal slight hurts the entity you’re acting on behalf of more than it helps, making its fanbase appear vicious and inconsiderate, and possibly confusing witnesses into thinking you might actually be a sanctioned representative of said entity. In short, it would make Andrew and the Homestuck community look bad. So if you’re serious about sticking up for MSPA, I would reconsider your plan of action.
Furthermore, you can’t get someone arrested over possible copyright infringement, even if you have evidence to back it up, and especially if you aren’t an official representative of the company whose IP is being violated. As a by-stander, you have absolutely no legal power in these circumstances. The only time an arrest could come into play is if the conflict has actually gone to court, and the offending party ignores their subpoena.
There is no reason to be rude in any case, especially since the person doing it may not know they’re doing something wrong, and in very rare cases, may actually have permission. The best thing you can do is get the company’s contact information, pass it along to a representative of the creator whose IP is being used, and in cases like Cosplay-FTW where the infringement is blatant, report it to con staff.
Even if the original company was involved, isn’t copyright infringement a purely civil matter, so the offending parties literally couldn’t get arrested anyway, merely fined?
Umineko’s done for today, so because there’s a few people around that haven’t seen it, I will be restreaming Higurashi starting from the beginning! Anyone interested, feel free to stop in. It is an amazing piece of horror and mystery. If you’ve seen it before or if you’re entirely new, come on in, but if you aren’t new be sure you don’t spoil it for the people that are. :D
