Job Discussion Forums

[El Llama]

In Indonesia, where I teach, people seem very concerned with their skin colour. Light skin is "good" and dark skin is "bad." I believe the local reasoning goes something like, "if you have dark skin, it probably means you work outdoors. If you work outdoors, it probably means you have a crap job. If you have a crap job then you're poor as dirt, and death and disease must always be knocking on your door." I paraphrase, but people shield themselves with newspapers, umbrellas, etc from the faintest ray of sunshine and skin-lightening products fly off the shelves.

My teenage classes (usually the girls) often put their arms together to compare skin colour. Everyone points at the one with the darkest skin, chanting "kamu yang hitam" (you're the black one) and she is expected to hang her head in shame. Colour prejudice sits uneasily with me, but should I do anything about it? Is it within the purview of an ESL teacher to educate his or her students about such matters and if it is, then how should one go about it? Or am I just a mixed-up foreigner?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, guys.

El Llama

[surfingyogini]

Its interesting that here in Australia, everyone tries so hard to get a tan and look darker than usual (even getting fake tans and going to tanning salons is common) and yet in other parts of the world, light skin is more desirable. I think its a "grass is greener thing".

[cimarch]

This has been discussed several times in the China Off Topic forum, it's absolutely rife here. You see more umbrellas on sunny days than rainy, women walk along holding their handbags to shade their faces or even wear these ridiculous full-face visors.

It's all economic rather than aesthetic. The same was true in Western countries up until the turn of the century and even after, women carried parasols, wore fully covering clothes and broad-brimmed hats to maintain a 'milky-white' complexion. This was because it was an indication of rank and wealth, if your family was rich you could afford to stay indoors out of the weather and take pains about your appearance. If you were poor you were forced to work outside or in unhygenic conditions (kitchens, laundry rooms) where you developed a weathered brown or red (and spotty usually) complexion. Also, slaves were black, so the whiter you were the further removed from the 'animals' you were. The same holds true for fingernails, long fingernails became popular because they were an indication that you didn't have to do manual work, they were even used as class rankings in some countries, so many long nails for the Emperor, one fewer for his family, one fewer for nobles etc.

It is only since the advent of factories and offices that tanned skin became popular as the majority of people now worked indoors. In fact, especially with many Western climates (for example, England's), it was only wealthy people who could afford the time off to lie around in the sun enough to develop a decent tan or, more frequently given the lack of sun, go away on a foreign holiday. Your tan when you came back was a way of showing how unspeakably well your husband was doing without overtly bragging.

[ls650]

[thelmadatter]

Ive dealt with it in Mexico too but not in my classrooms. I think the reason is that my school is private so only the priviledged go there anyways. But in dating, however, Ive run into the thing against "morenos"

My best friend (22yrs!) visited me recently and a number of my Mexican friends were quite struck with her natural blonde hair and very light skin (she burns even if you just talk about the beach!). But what has bothered me are guys I date who "apologize" for being dark. Like a give a _____. I try to explain that it means nothing to me but the message doesnt seem to get through.

I would say something in the case where the students are trying to define a "black" sheep (sorry for the pun) simply by saying that all students are valued in the classroom. Dont go for the lecture -- I think it cause too many students to tune out. But actions speak louder than words.