It’s almost Summer 2016 and you all know what that means! Time to lay out in sun, rub your body down with some oils, and get the perfect sunkissed tan before bikini season is upon us. While I can’t deny that sunbathing on a blanket with a good book and pair of shades is one of my guilty pleasures, I’ve seen a few pictures that have surfaced that have me questioning how dark a (white) person should allow themselves to get before they start crossing into offensive territory.
Now, excessive tanning isn’t a good idea, for many reasons. The most obvious one is the risk of getting skin cancer. Many who frequent tanning beds expose themselves to harsh UV lights that could potentially damage their skin for a lifetime. But something that isn’t as talked about is how utterly offensive it is to purposely turn your pale skin into a dark brown like it’s just a simple summer accessory and not an entire race of people.
I’ve seen this image floating around on Twitter recently, captioned with “Summer Goals!!!” If you notice, her bikini lines are significantly pale, a stark contrast to her deep brown tan. If these are your “summer goals” then maybe you ought to rethink a few things. Her “new” skin tone is oddly similar to those who can’t help but be tan (read: brown) year round. It’s quite close to the same type of skin color that people have been systematically oppressed, shot at, and unjustly profiled for having. Many would argue that it’s unfair that a white girl (or man, they tan too!) gets to, for lack of better words, “try on” a darker skin tone just for the summer and not face any immediate repercussions for it. There’s something fundamentally wrong with your tanning technique if a skin tone that is underrepresented and harshly stereotyped the rest of the year is your desired outcome; when you know it’s only going to be temporary because it’s a good look for the beach.
A salon in Sweden also sparked controversy over this matter. The salon in question sells spray tan that can essentially turn you, well, black. They offer shades with titles such as: Violet Onyx, Caramel, and Chocolate. Images first surfaced on the salon owner’s Instagram and then circulated on Tumblr, bloggers angrily pointing out that you can apparently now “buy their skin tone in a bottle.”
The spray tan turns your skin into a deep brown shade, one that obviously resembles many people of color. The owner of the tanning salon also released a statement via Instagram following the backlash:
“I’m in chock for the response I’ve gotten and may have responded and commented the wrong way because I expect Ppl to know how Spraytan works . I’ve got a lot of feedback and mostly been called ‘black face’ and racist…I understand why it might seem that way and I apologise for the miss understanding my pic may have approached. I will never understand how ‘black ppl’ is facing the world and it’s sad to know ppl don’t get respect just because of their looks.”
(Ya’ll, that’s a direct quote copied and pasted from @Emmaatans Instagram! Remember that she’s Swedish and that she’s only trying her best to translate it into English!)
She then goes on to explain that approximately twenty to thirty percent of the spray tan washes off after a shower and leaves her clients with a natural -looking golden tan instead. She says that it was never her intention to make anyone appear black or to contribute to something as harmful as blackface. Whether or not this is true, (I’m unsure, I’ve never used spray tan or know anyone else who has!) it sure did help open up a debate on what constitutes as a more natural tan and what qualifies as definitely too dark.
There are also many tanning oils on the market, with names like, “Black Storm” and “Paint It Black.” There’s even one that promises to give you a Hawaiian tan, turning your skin the same shade as those who live on the islands. The oils are up for anyone to purchase and their marketing relies on selling the idea of a drastically dark skin tone to those who want it.
I’m not condemning those who want a more natural, golden look for summertime, instead of the ghostly pale result of hiding inside during the snow season. Actually, spending time out in the sun has many mental and physical health benefits! As long as you’re taking care of your skin and making sure you don’t do yourself any harm, I don’t see the problem! Just make sure you’re aware of the boundaries and the lines that you could potentially cross when you decide to hit the beach, lake, or tanning booth this summer! And always stay safe!
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