Some of the most avid fans of tanning that I personally know are Mexican-American women who feel as though they're "too light". They live in a predominantly white area and feel as though they really have to represent their ethnicity, supposedly fighting against the hegemony of blonde sorority girls. But things like this are just reminders of how "race" are total constructions, predominantly made by white people.

vlucca,

In your opinion, is this a white only phenomenon? For example, if it were white women living in a predominantly African-American (instead of Mexican-American women in a predominantly white area), would the white women feel compelled to darken themselves or would it be different?

Not really related but...

During the election season, I saw Bill Richardson talk here in NH a bunch of times. One point he brought up repeatedly was he was the governor of a border state. A 90 year old little ole (white) lady said "Governor, we're a border state too." He paused for a minute and thought about the US map, then said "I guess you're right!"

"(which still surprises me in the day and age of skin cancer)"

Disturbing is what I would call it. Melanoma rates are rising, I've had two family members diagnosed this past year. I don't understand what the motivation is to tan anymore, especially to such an extreme.

This reminds me of a time, fifteen years ago, when I went on a Geology Club trip from Kentucky to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. We didn't have any problems getting into Canada, but we had fun crossing the border back into the US. The two darkest individuals in our group were flagged by the US Border Patrol. The first was a Kenyan exchange student. The other was a full-blood Cherokee Indian woman whose arms were covered with peace sign tattoos. Neither one had any identification that wasn't issued by the college. Needless to say, it took a few hours for our group to pass through customs...

I did a google search for "Tan by design 344-7110," and I have discovered that this billboard is probably from Sarnia, Ontario. It's a Canadian tanning salon, and the border is the border with Michigan. For some context, Sarnia is about an hour away from Detroit.

Although as WanderingOak pointed out, being detained because of your skin color is an issue at the US/Canada border as well.

Conversely, when I was in China, I could not find face mouturiser without whitening agents in it. I do not even want to know what they are. I certainly wasn't going to put bleach on my face.

Good post.

Amazingly, I've seen debates on places like Jezebel.com where some white commenters insisted that a white person getting a tan was the equivalent of dark-skinned people using bleaching cream.

I live in Santiago, Chile, and the gym I go to just added tanning booths.
So, (1), why are there tanning booths in a gym, when rates of melanoma are on the rise, and
(2) why are this gym's patrons (almost all middle class Chilean women) buying into it?

Chile is much more racially homogenous than other parts of Latin America, but Chileans are very consious of race, and I know plenty of people who are nicknamed "Negro" (Black) or "Chino" (Chinese) supposedly because they have darker skin or indigenous features.

I think that for the women at my gym, having skin that is light enough to tan is a status symbol, and they show it off by tanning.

Ive never seen the appeal in tanning beds. Why would you 'fake' like you spent a day in the sun?
Also with the awareness of skin cancer it seems like a stupid risk to take.
Why do people want to have a tan, and is that reason really so important to risk your health or do they just not beleive that it is unhealthy to spend time in a human easy bake oven?

Tanning started as a symbol of wealth in the west. It was a contrast to the old "Southern Belle" ideal of a pasty complexion being a symbol of not having to work outside, therefore desireable. In the 20th century, those who didn't have to work INSIDE after the industrial revolution showed off their leisure status by being tanned from hours ar recreational activities, like going to the beach. A suntan showed that you weren't working in a factory or sweatshop. It showed that you were free to lounge around a pool.

Tanning helps camouflage cellulite and can create an illusion of being slightly thinner - also, American culture has an idea that if you are pasty white, you aren't sporty/active you're sickly or lazy. That's why there are so many fake tan sprays that abound, and slow-effect tanning lotions to create the an illusion of a natural tan over time.

"if it were white women living in a predominantly African-American, would the white women feel compelled to darken themselves or would it be different?"

Evidently so. I can't speak for everywhere, but in D.C. there is a street (sometimes called "Black Broadway") that used to be populated by black people, but due to regentrification the black community has been pushed down the street. Now you'll notice that adjacent to a historic Duke Ellington venue is a tanning salon.

Louche:

That's hardly proof.

A white woman is living in an African village and decides to wear the local dress. Does that make her any less white?

Emily:

I agree. I know some people from Central and South American countries and European skin color and hair texture are definitely considered more valuable.

I can confirm this sign is in sarnia Ontario Canada