You Look Black!

From July 22, 2008

An interesting aspect of my life here with the children is the importance of skin color and race in Cambodia. In Khmer culture, skin color is tied to class. Darker skinned individuals are seen as lower class. Peasants and farm workers usually have darker skin from being in the sun all day, so this is seen as negative in Cambodian society. Lighter skin is favored and associated with higher classes. I noticed how prevalent these ideas about skin color were as soon as I stepped off the plane. All the girls commented on my light skin and told me how beautiful I was. When I go to the market, I am usually stopped by older women who tell me how they love my light skin and small nose.

Accordingly, as much as they love people with white skin, I have seen the children say extremely racist things about people with dark skin. One example occurred when we were at the airport a few weeks ago, waiting for a new intern to arrive. I have noticed that when the kids travel to the airport and see people of all types and nationalities, they tend to laugh and make fun of the people who are not like them. They openly point and laugh at people of color. One of the older girls pointed at a man with dark skin, perhaps of African descent, and said, “If the new volunteer looks like that, I will tell him to get back on the plane.” I was shocked! I could not believe that one of the sweetest girls at the orphanage was being so blatantly racist and offensive. I ignored the comment at first, not knowing what to say. But then, she asked me, “Would you be happy if your skin looked like that?” I told her that it would not make a difference, since I was the same person on the inside and skin color really does not matter.

Earlier today, I had a discussion about skin color with the same girl. Having returned from the beach, my skin is darker than when I left. She came up to me and, with a look of disgust, said, “You look black.” Laughing it off, I told her I tanned on the beach. She told me I should stay out of the sun, because I was so beautiful before and now my skin is so dark. Seeing how serious she was, I told her that no matter what color my skin is, I am still the same person. She walked off, with the same look on her face, as if to say, “Why would you deliberately darken your skin?”

I am not sure how to respond in such situations, because I do not want to imply that my cultural views are correct and theirs are not. However, it is extremely troubling to know that the children place so much importance on skin color. I think I dealt with these encounters correctly by telling them my opinion, and letting them know that there is more to a person than what is on the outside.