If non-whites (especially blacks) are seen as 'inferior,' then why do so many white people risk melanoma cancer just for the sake of getting dark? Does darkening your skin mean that you're not satisfied with your natural coloring? Why not be proud of the skin you were born in? Thanks for any insight you can give me.
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Name : J.B., Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, City : Jacksonville, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Paralegal, It used to be up until the mid 1800's that the image of beauty was of very pale skin, the reason being that only the rich had such skin because the poor were getting suntans from working out in the fields. Eventually, however, the image of a strong healthy body, such as would be obtained from fieldwork, including the suntan, was attractive.
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Name : Alex29047, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 18, City : Beloit, State : WI Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, I heard that that sun tanning began sometime after the turn of the 20th century. Before that time, people with money did not have to go out and do work in the sun, so a pale skin was valued. After that time a tan skin became the sign of a wealthy person who could spend time in the sun indulging in outdoor sports and did not have to work in a factory etc, and stay pale. Besides, many people feel that a darker skin tone is more attractive, especially when exposed by a swimsuit etc. Darker skin seems to make a person look more toned and muscular and a white skin often makes a person look flabby.
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Name : kam, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 50, City : superior, State : WI Country : United States, Occupation : clerical, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, I can't say I know why, I have often wondered this myself. Historically, I have heard that white skin, esp. in a woman, was a sign of being upper class. Perhaps now tanning is viewed as a similar sign, because one has enough spare time to devote to it. However, a 'farmers' tan' is an object of ridicule. I personally use SPF 30 sun block whenever I think I might be in the sun for more than a couple of minutes. My motivation is health. I view a deep suntan, much like smoking, as an indicator that the person is probably of a lower socioeconomic class (which I would usually correlate with a limited education -- e.g., not knowing the health risks, or not valuing a healthy lifestyle). Another similar marker for me is when a person doesn't wear a helmet while biking. At least those people don't hurt me unless they also smoke!
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Name : D.B., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Humanist, Age : 49, City : Columbus, State : OH Country : United States, Occupation : Professor, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, The sun feels good. It has nothing to do with a desire to be different from what I am currently. The assumption you made that white people want to change their skin color indicates that you have assumed that they feel different from black people. Feeling different from other people in society is what drives prejudices. Stop basing your thoughts on what is different between us and try to understand what makes us the same.
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Name : me21886, Race : White/Caucasian, City : here, State : FL Country : United States, J.B., you have issues, you start defensive, with the question regarding non-whites, espcecially blacks as being seen as inferior. You then try to make a point out of a non-point. Do you wear lipstick, eye shadow, ruge (or however you spell it), paint your nails, colored contact lense, die your hair etc. etc. To change something about yourself does not mean your not happy with it. As for a suntan, it simply looks healthy. Insight...race and inferiority have nothing to do with each other.
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Name : Mark22095, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Humanist, Age : 41, City : Watervliet, State : MI Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, People like to project an image that confirms their own self image, or what they would like others to think about them. Some people drive SUVs to say 'I am a rugged outdoorsman', even though their lifestyle demands no more ruggedness than driving to the local grocery store. To white people, a skin tan projects a leisurely lifestyle that says 'I am so unhurried, so laid back, so immune to the pace of modern life that I can spend hours of totally non-productive time lying in the sun,' presumably watching the waves roll in. I don't think a white person's pursuit of a tan has anything to do with not accepting our skin color. A case in point - I remember my first summer after graduating from high school. I had a boring day job as a hospital security guard. Two of my more fortunate high school buddies (both white) spent the summer goofing off. I remember how angry I was when they made fun of my pasty white complexion, not because of their hatred of white people, but because what it said about how I spent the summer. Their message was 'We had fun all summer. You had to work. Don't you wish you were us?' Later, while disposing of their lifeless corpses in a local gravel quarry, I reflected on the value of hard work, and knew that I had made the right decision.
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Name : Ken, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 47, City : Milwaukee, State : WI Country : United States, Occupation : writer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, When whites tan, it has nothing to do with race or ethnicity. It has to do with having the luxury of being able to lie around in the sun all day instead of having to be inside working. When most people worked outside, white skin was prized amoung whites. It meant that the person had the luxury of staying inside all day instead of being outside earning a living.
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Name : Lucy22422, Gender : F, Age : 27, City : San Jose, State : CA Country : United States, JB. I believe it started in Europe where the idle rich spent 'The Season' on the Riviera's beaches (among others). It became a status symbol in that the more money one had, the longer one could sit on the beach thus the deeper the tan. This was before the threat of melenoma was as well recognised as it is now. At least, that's the way my mother explained it to me.
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Name : Tony24179, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 64, City : Tallahassee, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Retired, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, I'm a very pale white. I don't think whites that make a habit of tanning are concerned with skin cancer at all. It's true, we're not all happy with the color or our skin. Maybe being too white makes us uncomfortable. When I was younger I wished I had that deep tan that many of my peers had in the summer but that's only because that's what we perceived was most attractive. Maybe we feel naked in our white skin, or feel we 'blend' into society better with a darker skin. Do we feel pressure from the fashion magazines that tan is 'in'? I've heard some whites say that they just feel 'healthier' with a tan. They like laying under the tanning beds because it's 'so comfortable and warm'. Sorry I can't give you an answer...I wish I had one. I hope other whites give you their comments. I'd like to read them as well.
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Name : Krista K., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 27, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : student/plant nursery asst. manager, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, hereabouts in germany a tan simply signifies you can afford to go abroad. especially before solariums were as spread out as they are now, the only way to get a tan in winter, and sometimes sadly also in summer, was to ski (holidays in the alps) or to go to some place subtropical or tropical, and both was clearly a status symbol; in fact still is. as a result, people still show off their tan especially at work and you're bound to get favourable attention with a nice tan when everybody else is greyish-white, say in january or so. still, dark tans such as those trendy in the 80s have gone out of fashion and come to signify 'fake' tanning (mainly at solariums). now people go more for a gentler, golden colour.
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Name : t27562, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 32, City : munich, State : NA Country : Germany, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, I do not see non-whites as 'inferior'. I think most white people like the 'change' in skin tone that comes with laying in the sun - it's the same as wearing facial make-up except it is 'all over' - c'mon now...'black is beautiful'. A tan can also differenciate private areas on the body and make undressing your partner more interesting. I don't lay in the sun or wear make-up, but I am pretty sure that most people who smoke are not trying to get cancer.
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Name : Allen, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 35, City : Folly Beach, State : SC Country : United States, Occupation : Architect, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I really think your question is interesting. I grew up in a whites-only school and I always found it strange that girls who would never want to be confused as being non-white would still spend good money to lie in these microwave things. I've seen the case where a Caucasian female got so dark she couldn't find a makeup shade that would match her new coloring except makeup formulated especially for African American females. But to speak to your question, I believe the answer goes back to feudal Europe when the only people who had suntans were those who had to work in the fields (both men and women), so paleness of skin was seen as a sign of nobility and status--you never had to go outside and perform labor. As the years went on, however, new modes of transportation allowed (those who could afford it) the ability to travel, perhaps to the seashore or to other countries. From then on, having a suntan meant that you could afford to go on these excursions. By the way, I've heard several evolutionary biologists say (in regards, I think, to Caucasian women) that men find those with tans more appealing because they look healthier, and can possibly be a better breeding partner. These are just some things I've heard or read.
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Name : Deborah, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 23, City : Starkville, State : MS Country : United States, Occupation : Grad student/researcher, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, That's a good question. I don't think suntans necessarily look unnatural (most white people do get some tan color if they spend time in the sun), but it's not a look I go for, for the reasons you state. But I don't think white people who tan are trying to appear non-white. I don't think anyone will automatically think a tanned white person is another race. I've heard it said that tanner skin shows off muscle tone better, so some people might find it more attractive for that reason. Also, in the past, a suntan meant you were affluent enough to have the leisure to pursue outdoor activities or to travel to sunny places in the winter, so it became a status symbol. I think it's less stylish now that the health effects of tanning are better known. Regarding your last question, I don't see how skin color can be something to be proud of. It's not an accomplishment, it's just something you're born with.
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Name : Rick29868, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : Springfield, State : OH Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
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I view getting a tan as equivalent to getting a new hairstyle or new outfit. It's a small way of changing your appearance or reinventing yourself. Also, I wouldn't agree that most whites consider darker skin tones 'inferior.'
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Name : DC, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 33, City : Tulsa, State : OK Country : United States, Occupation : Chemist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
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