Wednesday 13 July 2011

Translucent Skin


Not only am I racially white, I am literally, very white. When I stay in England for long enough, especially during winter, I could accurately be described as grey.

Which is partly why I enjoy being here - the sun-induced, healthy-looking skin. In my case this is rarely (ok wait…never) mistaken for an actual tan, but nonetheless, I am happy in the knowledge that for me, it is. 

And then every so often I am reminded: no. I am still the whitest person most people have ever met.

Today for example:

Friend: You have transparent skin.

Me: What?
[Is there a more clever way to respond to statements that are so strange they need repeating…]

Friend: Yah, like a lizard.

Me: A transparent lizard? But you can't see my insides...

Friend: Wait, not transparent…translucent. Your skin is translucent. Like a lizard.

Me: You mean cicak? Are you calling me a cicak?

Friend: Haha, no, it's a good thing. I like white skin. I wish I had white skin. No, I mean, I wish I was fair.
[I'm sure I could write a whole other blog post about that]

Me: Really? But I'm not really sure if translucent is a good thing..?!


Although it kinda sounds like a glowy, shining word, I still think translucent is not really a compliment… :S

4 comments:

  1. you would know already that we Asian women are crazy about translucent skin!! :)

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  2. yup!

    but i never heard translucent before..."fair" is the normal word, right? the opposite of, "oh my gosh, i'm so dark" (usually followed by, "eww")

    hahaha

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  3. for some reason reading this makes me picture a unicorn

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  4. ooh, now it sounds like a compliment!! unicorns! :D

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