UrbanHaute: Yellow Fever

SJ looking hot.. this was one of the many magazines, Chinese vogue that featured the many ads of bleaching or brightening essence.

During my trip to Shanghai, China last week I noticed an obsession that made me a little uncomfortable. While I was the main attraction every where I went with curious stares and looks of mixed excitement boarding on hysteria. I was super black with my Bali tan wearing the most colorful clothing that the Chinese has ever seen. I was quite the spectacle, a peacock with my wings extended gliding on the Shanghai runway except that I was not, of course participating in the Rupaul's drag race, I am using peacock because I cannot think of another colorful proud being at the moment.

My partner and I were in Shanghai for two days after we had a long weekend in Bali, Indonesia. He exclaimed " Damn you're Black!" after our first day of sun bathing on the beach in Bali. We were on our way to dinner. I was flushed and shocked at how excited he was when he noticed that I was black. I gave him a look of WTF? I was black when you met me eight years ago. I then thought I did something wrong. I dared to think he was displeased. Thoughts of confusion in those few short seconds started to make me dizzy. An ex that I bent over backwards to please for nearly ten years on and off was obsessed with African women and made me tan over and over until I was what he desired. Now to think that someone might want me to go the other way was daunting and NOT happening. My partner lean into me that second and told me that I was the most beautiful woman in the world and that the tan was making me look "Caliente". Quickly resolving any self doubts or up coming smacks. I forgave him for using the word caliente and we had a wonderful dinner that was topped off with hot pink lingerie.

Now that you know how black I was by the time I turned up in Shanghai suddenly finding myself the big black bull in the porcelain shop, you could understand why I was uncomfortable, at first. Throughout the trip to Asia I read various fashion magazines especially the ones where I dont understand the language. All I need is pictures when it comes to fashion, reading comprehension not needed. Fashion is a universal language that one must know in order to be a fashionista or Urban Haute. I noticed one common theme when it came to beauty products for Asian women. The whiter the skin, the better your chances are of getting married, having a career, having friends, being allowed to walk the streets. I have never seen so many beauty ads in my life for one particular purpose. Some companies had two to three ads repeated in one magazine. I turned on their version of MTV and noticed that their pop is the same like it is over in the states bad R&B with worse rap. I noticed they had to be watching a lot of Beyonce and Jay- Z videos however their admiration for black music has nothing to do with how white they crave to be. As I watched further they had a show about a huge block buster movie that was premiering in Shanghai. The men looked normal as far as their skin color, a couple were smoking Bruce Lee hot. I noticed that the women besides looking 12 were all very fair skinned. Not one woman in the movie or on tv that day was what I perceived to be the normal tone when it came to Asian skin. They looked like ghosts. Unnaturally white, nearly transparent. They do love Micheal Jackson. So maybe he started a transparent trend.

As I looked closer at the women on tv and in the magazines I did not get the sense that they wanted to look Caucasian. I am not sure. I read one article stating that it was a result of eurocentrism sweeping the nation. I read another article that claimed it is apart of their culture that extends back centuries. Skin complexion indicated your status and class in society. If you were dark it was evident that you were a farmer out in the fields all day thus dark, filthy and poor. Being whiter indicated that you were in the house basically doing nothing all day perhaps playing Mahjong and drinking tea. The preference was to look like you were not working that hard or at all. What came to mind was the preference over here in the states where the rich go and tan to show that they can travel on a whim to any exotic location they choose blind folded on the map. Tan in the USA equals wealth. Tan in China equals destitute. The odds of this BS is mind bugling. The people who could potentially be responsible (eurocentrism) for the bleaching in China, India and Africa are now tanning! WTF? Are we all nuts? or fruit cases? How about a mixed bag of nuts and fruits?

Why did I for one second at my Goddess age, one millimeter of a second become concerned and confused at my partner's exclamation that was not immediately clear if he was pleased or terrified. It was the insecurity of being bombarded by all types of impossible standards that a sane person knows is an illusion. It was the fear of losing my man to a tan. I felt that I looked good when I looked in the mirror, I saw an ancient African Queen staring back at me and the gold dress I was wearing with my elaborate jewelry brought out my skin making me shine like royalty. So why did I doubt myself thinking maybe I went overboard at the beach if only it was for a second. For the rest of that trip I stop tripping and had to reevaluate some things. As I walked down the streets of Shanghai with my head high like the Shange that I am among the lovely stares from the Asian men with out loud compliments I realized it will never be complexion that defines a beautiful woman. It is in her walk, her eyes, her spirit, it is in her being.

I brought home the Chinese Vogue featuring the beautiful Scarlett Johansson. On my way back during my 15 hr flight straight back to NYC I thumbed through finding over 20 ads marketing skin bleaching creams.. some companies made an appearance twice marketing the same exact product. MIXED NUTS & FRUITS.