Unilever apologies for Thai skin whitening campaign

[nonsequitur]

Racism in Thailand is for the most part self-hate.

It's more about the way an individual feels within their own skin;

I'm not as attractive/sexy as her, she has lovely white skin; she's beautiful.

She's brown, I'm white skinned, so I'm pure.

A child's eye view.

Racism as we know it is something waiting to happen here in Thailand, but not just yet.

Technically, there is a word for racism - (judging others by the color of their skin).

It has only one meaning!

The Thais have a long way to go with their brand of racism to catch up

with the rest of the world. and here's hoping they never get there.

I like to think that Racism is really just envy - it works for me.

.

[Zatoichi]

I believe Unilever when they say it wasn't about race. It's about profiteering from and promoting the self hate many Thais feel for themselves surrounding their natural skin tone. If they loved themselves a lil more Unilever wouldn't be pushing it on them as hard. For example there are some blacks in America who use whitening products but Unilever wouldn't in a million years pull some sh1t like this there.

[Bagwan]

I suggest that everybody starts boycotting all of Unilever;s products and also petition the thai govt to take action by ceasing all this company;s operations in Thailand. Next, the Red shirts should protests and also get all their members to tash all Unilever's products thats available in any outlets and start burning down all Unilever's offices and factories and godowns. Indirectly white skin represents the power of the amart classes.

Also, burn any publications or media that carries Unilever;s ads and make sure that all other companies do not employ Unilever's staff or satff from their ad agency.

The ravings of a madman.

I suppose that you'd also burn down all the private hospitals that rent space to puveyors of fattening fast foods thus ensuring a constant supply of patients with obesity, high blood pressure and cardiac problems.

The production costs of any cosmetic and perfume are a tiny fraction of the marketing costs. For some the cost of the packaging exceeds that of the product.The female members of my Thai family have followed my advice and use only a light appliction of lipstick. If you want a clear healthy complexion all you need is a good and gentle soap used regularly, eat and drink sensibly, take regular exercise and get out into clear air - if you can find any.

[Commander Tamson]

I love it when folks decide to toss in the 'race card'.  There is always someone who's gotta end their comments with "You're being a racist!!!" 

 

Well, how the hell does that work when I'm buying tanning cream for my trip to the beach so that I can become a handsome-bronzed man like George Hamilton.  I guess when you can't win an intelligent conversation with someone, you just start tossing around the connotation that perhaps anybody who has light-skin is a racist,    Weak argument at best -- maybe even racist!

George Hamilton?!? brilliant!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[gemini81]

I love it when folks decide to toss in the 'race card'. There is always someone who's gotta end their comments with "You're being a racist!!!"

Well, how the hell does that work when I'm buying tanning cream for my trip to the beach so that I can become a handsome-bronzed man like George Hamilton. I guess when you can't win an intelligent conversation with someone, you just start tossing around the connotation that perhaps anybody who has light-skin is a racist, Weak argument at best -- maybe even racist!

Its the new trendy/hipster thing to do. It was like an epidemic last time I visited the US Canada (don't say brown bag in Seattle). Most of us are mixed race; including Thailand.

[DocN]

Again: will people in Europe or the US be treated any different, if they are white or tanned?

Will people in Thailand be treated different if they are white or tanned?

Over here : beauty concept!

On the other hand: social concept! Racial concept! Class concept!

Don't you see any difference there?

Don't you?

Really???

[internationallawreview]

I love it when folks decide to toss in the 'race card'. There is always someone who's gotta end their comments with "You're being a racist!!!"

Well, how the hell does that work when I'm buying tanning cream for my trip to the beach so that I can become a handsome-bronzed man like George Hamilton. I guess when you can't win an intelligent conversation with someone, you just start tossing around the connotation that perhaps anybody who has light-skin is a racist, Weak argument at best -- maybe even racist!

Its the new trendy/hipster thing to do. It was like an epidemic last time I visited the US Canada (don't say brown bag in Seattle). Most of us are mixed race; including Thailand.

While there a many who exploit the issues of racism (in the USA and world wide) to gain a voice or agenda, the topic here is Thailand and I do hope you guys are being facetious.

In case some of our less sardonically inclined readers are confused by a bit of levity, the pursuit of whiter skin in Asia is much more than a fashion, fad, or concept of beauty. It is so purely racist that it has gone unidentified by billions here, as they take it for granted that having whiter skin will directly lead to a positive bias (over darker skinned people) when it comes to opportunities for employment, social advancement, marriage, etc. While the bias favoring lighter skinned people (in Asia) cannot be classically defined by ethnic groups, it follows the same trend of favoritism vs. exclusionism based upon some physical trait that we commonly except to be racist. This of course is absurd as we now understand that all people are the same species, with the same capacity for learning and achieving that is only somewhat limited by our nuances of individual DNA and more greatly by access access to support and development. Sadly the Thais are perpetuating the myth of racist values and this "offer" by Unilever does just that, proposing to offer more developmental support based upon skin color, a 'racial' attribute. Pathetically, so many Thais are now following the media culture into a self loathing, quite possibly the most destructive course racism can follow, where people learn to not accept (and even hate) themselves to such a degree that they feel their own human value is less than that of others (with whiter skin).

Understanding of these life impacting issues can often be gained better by relating to real life experiences. Tears nearly come to my eyes when I recall one of my staff thanking me emphatically for hiring her.... She felt this was a life changing event for her as she was dark skinned, poor, and not highly educated - no one had ever offered her a professional position. What she did not know is that I had perceived her to be capable, adaptable, earnest, and full of ambition. She has done very well in her work and is now on the way to receiving her law degree. Of course, she still faces questions when she goes around Thailand about who gave her the car and money she earned for herself... It is assumed that dark skinned woman like her could never achieve so much.

Hopefully more readers can post their own stories about the reality of Thai racism and how this tide should and can be turned against the likes of Unilever and the village gossipers.

Edited November 5, 2013 by internationallawreview

[harrry]

I just think it is wrong when someones face is whiter than their stomach.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Offsets the "effects" of DD Charcoal donuts?

Are these whitening creams even legal in Euro (West) ?