What's up, beautiful people? This is IYASASA RADIO by Akane and Minami. In this
radio, we are going to talk about random topics in Okinawan Japanese and
English.
はいたーい。
ぐすーよーちゅーかなびらー。
上。
イヤササレディオのアカネとミナミやいびん。
うぬレーディオでぐすーよーんかい。
英語と沖縄口座にいっぺーうむさる話。
つづけやーでし、うむとーいびん。
Quoting whiteness to beauty is perpetuated all across the Asian continent, especially
in Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Indian beauty standards. A lot of this
pressure comes from mothers and other family members, says Niki Kana, associate
professor of sociology at the University of Vermont and author of Whiter. Asian
American woman on skin color and colorism. She explains that women are repeatedly
told the light near white skin is beautiful and that they need lighter skin
to attract the mate and succeed in life. History tells us that the desire for the
pale skin has always existed in Asian culture. In ancient China, for instance, pale
skin indicated elite status while dark skin meant you farmed or labored long
hours in the sun. This desire eventually led to skin whitening that has grown into
the multi-billion dollar global industry in Asia today. Popular brands like
L'Oreal, Nivea, and Lancome are major names in a business selling skin whitening
soaps and creams that promise clean and pure results. I know when I walk into my
local Indian market, I'm going to easily find whitening creams and soaps lining
store shelves, but it's much more than that, says Kana, who grew up with a white
mother and South Asian father. She notes women will go to the extremes of
undergoing whitening laser treatments, take whitening pills, and even use whitening
face covers or face skinnies to protect the skin. Skin whitening is a massive
industry that preys on the insecurities of people of color, especially women, she
says. Regardless of which standards, we are trying to adhere to comparing
ourselves to an idealized, often unrealistic image can be demanding to our
self-esteem, especially when most of us can never measure up. After being confused
all my life trying to fit into two different beauty standards, I'm finally
completely happy with my medium brown skin and medium-sized brown eyes. Kana
considers all beauty standards, not just Asian beauty standards, toxic and unhealthy
for women. Across Asia, many women go to great lengths to lighten their skin, even
going so far as to apply chemicals to their skin, like mercury or bleach, she
says. And in the West, many women risk cancer by exposing their skin to harmful
UV rays to get that sun-kissed look, while others nearly starve themselves to fit
unrealistic beauty standards that tell them that they should be thin. To
understand why people make the beauty choices they do requires a nuanced
understanding of history, culture, and sociological issues that influence them.
For some of the protagonists in my book, If I Had Your Face, there are few
opportunities for socioeconomic movement in an incredibly competitive society,
she explains. So some women choose plastic surgery to better their prospects
for a better life. Instead of criticizing the way we look, Kana encouraged us
instead to look at the history of these beauty standards and ask ourselves who
we're really benefiting when we perpetuate them. The cosmetic companies
and clinics making money off our insecurity or the media that tries to sell us an
idealized version of beauty that doesn't really exist.
Long, everything.
After I became a university student, I could choose whatever I wanted to wear.
I always liked fashion.
But you were wearing skirts as a uniform when you were in high school, right?
I couldn't say no to wearing skirts.
I didn't have any hatred to wearing a skirt, but in high school, I always wore long socks.
So, you know, I just show my knee.
Oh, yeah.
Knee.
I couldn't see my feet.
I was scared of the bar.
Because it's not a knee.
I was so jealous of people who didn't care about it.
Even my arms.
When I was 21, I went to San Francisco.
There were two Spanish best friends.
I got along with them.
I got along with them.
I'm still friends with a girl from Barcelona.
In elementary school, there's nothing to do with a high school student.
There's only drinking or partying.
Let's go to Union Square to have sunlight.
I was like, what does that mean?
Union Square is in the middle of downtown.
It's not as big as New York, but it's small.
Union Square.
It's getting smaller and smaller.
So, I was like, okay, let's go.
I took out my extra clothes.
We were just staring at the sun.
I thought it was a game.
But they were shining.
They were smiling a lot.
It's not bad to think of them as stereotypical Spanish people.
They have a good meaning.
At that time,
Minami was told not to grill meat.
Because it's bad for your skin.
I was alone at that time.
I was like, if I grill meat, will I be as bright as them?
It's cool.
Even your personality changes.
It's cute, and I looked like an adult.
I thought I'd try it.
We grilled legs together at Union Square.
I was like, let's go.
I see.
It's painful.
It's itchy.
I was like, what am I going there for?
I haven't been feeling well since I went to the beach.
I got sunburned, and I thought it wasn't good at that time.
But there was a restriction on eating and the sun.
I was irritated.
At that time, there were Spaniards.
I got sunburned and came back to Okinawa.
I wore shorts for the first time in Okinawa.
I was like, what should I do?
My legs are dirty.
My mom was like, you should get sunburned.
She said my legs were more beautiful than before.
I see.
I was like, I knew it.
I thought everyone was fooling me.
But when you get sunburned, you get covered, right?
I don't know if it's because my skin got a little thicker.
I had a lot of pores.
In principle, it opens up when it's warm.
It's covered well.
I don't know if it's because of stress.
At that time, I was like, it's because of the color of the wheat.
Before that, I liked sunburned skin.
If I say I like it, I don't know about my own body.
I'm surrounded by noisy mothers.
I don't have much confidence in my voice.
I was worried that my skin would be damaged again.
I couldn't take the balance.
Which is good? To get tan or to hide?
Like the gloves I wear when I drive.
I hate it.
I was told to put it on.
I was like, what is this?
After that, I was able to set my own standards.
Great.
Thank you for your long speech.
How about you?
In my case...
You have tan skin.
Born with tan skin.
I had a complex when I was little.
It's not a complex.
In some articles, it's like...
This whitening consciousness is often inherited from parents.
When I was in the gym,
my mom always tried to cover all my body with the sunblock.
Sunscreen.
It was like, it's a sin to get tan.
But I got really tan.
Right away.
Your skin is already done.
I got really tan and black.
Since I was a kid.
I couldn't peel my skin off.
My dad is really tan.
It's already inherited.
He's from Iejima.
But...
I grew up and I dated with an American guy.
And they always tell me like, I like your skin.
They were white.
They always told me I had good tan.
They told me I had good tan.
I got a new tan.
And then...
My fashion was exposed.
Until now, it was better to be white.
But it was a pain to be white.
I couldn't be white.
I couldn't be white, so I gave up.
Then I accepted my body type.
Like when Minami was in San Francisco.
When I was in New York.
Winter was long.
Summer season was short.
It got a little hot.
Everyone went to the beach right away.
Everyone got naked and went to the beach.
Getting tan.
Everyone did their best to get tan.
In a nutshell.
After I did that, I got really tan.
The standard with everyone.
The speed.
Something like that.
It's not just about tan.
I have bigger arms than regular Japanese.
I have muscles.
I still have them.
It's not popular by Japanese guys.
But every American I hang out with.
They always make a compliment.
Like you have a good muscle.
Do you work out?
I was like, is that a compliment?
Thank you.
It was a compliment.
From their perspective.
But it can be rude.
In Japanese terms.
Yeah.
But I also think it's good to be thin.
I think that's good too.
So even if I'm complimented.
I can accept 99% of it.
But 1% is still a little distorted.
who have small buttocks.
I want to see more.
There aren't many in Okinawa.
Maybe.
Okinawans are still afraid.
By the way,
the buttocks
and the lips
are major.
That's true.
Buttocks are sold at convenience stores.
That's why.
I think they're sold at convenience stores.
I think it's easier now.
But
it's hard to research
for people who do it for the first time.
Buttocks
are done in a hurry.
Hospitals are too busy.
They let people
who weren't designated do it.
I don't know
what changed.
After that,
I got a counseling from another person.
He said my skin was very dry.
I didn't notice it myself.
But I could tell
the difference.
I see.
Buttocks are sold at
convenience stores.
The purpose of it
is to reduce the face line.
Buttocks are used
to loosen the muscles
around the neck.
Buttocks are used to
loosen the muscles
around the neck.
I see.
For example,
when you tighten your teeth,
the muscle around the chin
will be loosened.
But for people who have big teeth,
the muscle will be loosened.
For people who have strong teeth,
the muscle will be loosened
because they bite hard
when they sleep.
I see.
When you tighten your teeth,
the muscle will be loosened.
I see.
I think some people
do buttocks at the dentist.
That's interesting.
When you become an old lady,
everyone should do it.
Old lady?
What do you mean?
When you get old.
What?
I don't know.
I was told that
it's not early to do buttocks.
Do you start doing it when you're in middle age?
I don't think it's necessary
but it's normal.
For example,
when you put in a thread,
you should
hold it down
for 1 or 2 years.
So if you start early,
you should
hold it down for 2 years.
I see.
When you become an old lady,
you should hold it down
for 1 or 2 years.
So if you start early,
you should hold it down for 2 years.
So if you become an old lady,
you should hold it down
for 1 or 2 years.
How do you do it?
What I did was
I used a thread
that doesn't melt in your face.
I used a small needle
and put it
on the side of your face.
Around your face
when you smile.
Of course, it depends on the person.
Of course, it depends on the person.
You pull it.
I put a needle
from the top of my nose.
When I reach my lips
or my target area,
I put a thread there
and pull it out.
I pull it from the top of my nose
and design it.
I didn't look at it.
I think I put 6 yarns.
I think I put 6 yarns.
We can choose
the type of thread.
There's an expensive
for middle
40, 50
target.
For old lady,
you get the top one.
I'm relatively young, so I thought it would be better to do a younger version than the old one.
Did it change after you tried it?
Normally, I recommend it to everyone.
You can tell if there's a part of me that has changed in a month or so.
Oh, I see.
After that, you can't tell.
That's interesting.
It's easier to do it if you ask the person who did it.
And I think everyone has their own way of doing it, but I think it's better to do it because it's so efficient.
If you're worried, it's better to do it.
I put in a little money and raised my face.
That way, I can be more motivated for the face care after that.
That's true.
It's Yami's logic.
I think it's better to be motivated than to do it over and over again.
It's mentally good.
Be careful not to overdo it.
When you do your plastic surgery, make sure to check your oral information.
I recommend that you talk to the person who did it at the same hospital as you.
What made you want to start doing it?
I wanted to make my face feel refreshed.
You've been thinking about it all along?
Yeah.
I see.
When I tell people about my worries, they say,
That's why you're cute.
That's why you're cute.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's what's attractive.
I've been thinking about it all along.
I've been thinking about it all along.
I've been thinking about it all along.
No, no, no.
The kind of things that you can do things...
The kind of things that you can do things...
I don't know if this is plastic surgery, or beauty,
I don't know if this is plastic surgery, or beauty,
or an exquisite line.
For me.
So.
So.
Don't you think it's not the same as what you used to say,
Don't you think it's not the same as what you used to say,
plastic surgery?
I've been thinking about it all along.
I kinda feeling like I designed my face.
line.
Line. I don't...
I don't really...
I don't really know what I want to do.
I don't really know what I want to do.
I see.
I think you're the type of person
who looks at other people's faces.
If you do this,
you can tell
what you want to look like.
If you want to look like this,
you can do this.
If you want to look cool,
you can make this part smaller.
You can imagine what you want to look like.
So...
Your life is always a transition.
So...
You're always looking for something.
You're always looking for something.
But if you're always looking for something,
you can become like Minami.
you can become like Minami.
Anyway, I want to evolve every day.
Anyway, I want to evolve every day.
So...
I don't just spend money.
I exercise, too.
I do a lot of things.
I study a lot.
I think about my head.
I think about my appearance.
But...
Persuing their beauty...
Persuing their beauty...
I think people who pursue their beauty
are popular.
I want to be popular.
Isn't it like that?
I think people who pursue their beauty
are popular.
I think people who pursue their beauty
are popular.
It's the same with fashion.
It's the same with fashion.
I guess I have like a certain
I guess I have like a certain
ideal
of the best version
of my looking
in 30 years.
It's a long journey.
It's a long journey.
There's something I'm aiming for
There's something I'm aiming for
There's something I'm aiming for
I don't really
worry about what other people think.
I don't worry about what other people think.
I've already been looking at the future
I've already been looking at the future
and been improving day by day
and been improving day by day
I don't hiss and hiss
I don't hiss and hiss
She is interested in her self.
When I do my hair properly, I feel like I'm going out vibes.
That's why I do my makeup.
I don't do it when I'm at home.
I know that.
I'm aiming for a perfect makeup when I'm not wearing any makeup.
You have a very detailed category.
It depends on the occasion.
I think there is a difference between when I do my makeup and when I don't.
I don't want to take a break.
It's like a transformation.
I don't want to show up naked.
I want to show up naked.
When I do my makeup, I feel like I'm armed.
Please look forward to Minami in 30 years.
What did you say?
Minami in 30.5 years.
That's why.
We are 30 years old now.
I think we are in a very good condition.
30 is a little...
I feel like I'm in my 20s rather than my 10s.
I feel like I'm in my 40s rather than my 30s.
I feel like I'm in my 50s rather than my 40s.
I feel like I'm in my 50s rather than my 50s.
I think it's good to go to a place where you can live depending on your generation.