Week 9 - Diane Tran

Diane Tran

ASA 141

Week9

       According to the article, "Race and Beauty: A Comparison of Asian and Western Models in Women's magazine Advertisements" women were depicted in advertising and has been strongly influenced by the U.S and Europe. This article compares women's fashion and beauty magazines from Asia and the Western and how the women were portrayed in these magazines. Katherine notes, "Among these are the right to display their bodies in public without fear of retribution or punishment and the right to take pleasure in their bodies... In the Middle East and in many parts of Asia women traditionally have been expected to dress modestly and demurely" (1). In Asian countries, women are portrayed as feminine while in the West, women are portrayed a more seductive look. I feel like these different cultures are what determines and influences the fashion in these magazines. Women's fashion and beauty magazines want to print out whatever captures the public to inadvertently sell the products as well. Growing up, I would always see more Caucasian women on women's fashion and beauty magazines. This would also be the case for movies as well. It was rarely seen that Asian women or a women of color would be on the front page of magazines. This upsets me, but as time passes, we have made progress but not enough. The same goes for America's next top model, recently Justine Biticon was one of the first few that lasted long enough on the show and made strides to show Asian American girls that they can make it in the industry. This then proposes my question which is why do people idealized the Caucasian women's body and no much of other women of color? What can we do to have more women of color portrayed in movies, magazines, and the industry? 

 

Works Cited:

Frith, Cheng, and Shaw. “Race and Beauty: A Comparison of Asian and Western Models in Women’s Magazine Advertisements.”