Popular music is full of various euphemisms for women’s body parts and what said entertainer will do with certain parts if given a chance. From country western to R&B to Rock to Rap, men have gone into much detail about what they will do with women’s lady bits.
But, I must admit I don’t think I’ve ever heard a man wax romantic about how he plans to bleach a woman. In a twist of bizarre political and cultural cosmetology that is exactly what is happening in India right now.
Skin lightening creams are incredibly common in many parts of Asia. The airwaves in Korea, Japan, Malaysia and India are filled with happy young men and women singing the praises of lightening their skin. By the end of the commercial being light skin-ded results in more friends, finding true love and not having people strike matches off of your dusky complexion (yes: that is featured in one of the ads) However the crème-de-la crème is the most recent commercial from Clean and Dry, a popular skin lightening product from India. Their new product, “Intimate Wash” promises to do more than lighten your skin: it will lighten the labia, invigorate the vagina and clarify the clitoris:
That’s right: skin lightening cream for the vagina. I guess Indian men don’t think that dark berries produce better juice. When you look at the ad you can’t help but laugh and then realize just how creepy the product testing for this new wash must’ve been.
While the United States has its share of aesthetic racial issues, color consciousness, creepy Asian eye-widening surgeries and an explosion of nose jobs for African Americans, we are still relatively healthy compared to our Asian, African and South American neighbors when it comes to skin color issues. Despite centuries of color driven slavery, brown bag tests and a whole decade of Al B. Sure and El Debarge videos, Black Americans aren’t as color struck as the majority of the Indian population apparently. Considering people here got very angry where when Beyonce and Gabriel Sadibe’s skin tones were lightened on magazine covers I don’t suspect that Clean and Dry will be making any headway in the African American market. But, I’m sure that won’t stop them from expanding their market and product. Why stop with vaginal lightening? I’m sure there are some guys out there looking to lighten up their privates. You want to make sure you match right?
This article originally appeared online at Politic365.com.