Here in North America we often confuse “colorism” with it’s flashier cousin “racism.” While they have a lot in common , colorism tends to be quieter and more insidious, usually occurring within people of the same ethnic or racial background.
Most commonly, colorism involves a preferential treatment of those with lighter skin.
Colorism occurs in many communities, including in North America.
We often hear the most about Southeast Asia through news and think-pieces about the popularity of skin whitening products in Korea and neighboring countries.
But skin lightening is a multi-billion dollar industry that has a hold all over the world.
Besides the issues of prejudice against people with darker skin tones, there are also a lot of health concerns .
Though regulations are improving, many of the products contain ingredients like mercury, steroids, or bleach.
Malaysian photographer Catherhea “Cat” Teohthis originally envisioned her latest project as a way to “piss off fatphobic folks.”
But, as she told Hello Giggles , “I just want big girls to be able to look at themselves with love. Because sometimes you just want to feel enough, in however your body looks right now.”
While searching for models on Instagram, she ended up also focusing on women with darker skintones.
The final group features a bunch of Southeast Asian models with varying skin shades as well as one model who is Afro-European.
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When asked about colorism among Asian communities, Cat said that it was “heartbreaking.”
“Dark-skinned women are still constantly facing rejection and persecution simply because of their skin tone.”
Even in North America, where Asian representation in media is slowly improving, we still don’t see many darker hues.
We’re still used to seeing paler, skinny Asian women and men, which gives the false impression of that being the norm in Asian countries.
Projects like Cat’s can play a small part in breaking down that myth.
Removing stigmas against weight and dark skin tones is a slow, torturous process on a good day.
But by presenting a more realistic look at the diversity of Southeast Asian women, Cat is adding her voice to the mix.
Besides the photography, “The Thique Clique” project includes a video component too.
So far, only a trailer has been released, but it looks to be a fierce and beautiful piece of art. I look forward to seeing the rest!
h/t: Hello Giggles
