By Wendy Min
On my way back home, I found myself standing among some girls in their early 20s. Most of them had their hair dyed. Some went for blond. Others went for brown, with one going for grandma-gray, with blue streaks. While the latter might seem to be just an experiment or a way to express ourselves, for Asians to dye their hair is too often characterized as abandonment of their own culture to look more Western. While this might be one of the reasons why Asians opt for a hair color not associated with their ethnicity, let us not forget that there are other options that could be classified as abandoning one’s race.
I always find “being ashamed of one’s race” a bit too much to pin on someone who, like the girls whom I met on the subway, were just exploring and defining their own identity through the art of visual experimentation. It really is all about balance and attitude. I have heard of Asians feeling ashamed of their ebony hair in the past and wishing for something fairer but then that is still a personal choice – with just a hint of self-shame – for which I remain unsupportive.
For Asians to choose a controversial color such as blond is as normal as Caucasians dyeing their hair black. Being Eurocentric and obsessed to the point of alteration might be true for a few hair dyers, but definitely not true for the majority.
Some may argue that skin bleaching and plastic surgery – especially changing one’s eyelids, nose, face, lip and body – equate to self-shame.
Again, while it is true that the media has heavily directed us into accepting a sense of standard beauty, the reasons for adopting these looks might not simply be self-hatred. The roles of confusion and hatred of other people’s judgment should not be discounted.
It would be good for everyone to not feel the need to always use culture and shame as an excuse for someone’s decision, especially when directed at people of your own ethnicity. For those who feel the need to overhaul some part of their appearance just so their own distinct features are erased and forgotten then I say, simply: Don’t do it. As cheesy as this sounds, we are all beautiful and unique in the way we are made to be. Sure, it is terribly hard to maintain this view, especially when words and media attack us.
The truth is that if I – someone with a very punchable and not so attractive face – get by OK like this then so can anyone else.
