Skin color

This was on a Sunday. Emmet usually doesn’t go out with us, it’s just a normal thing to do.
I usually just say, “I’m going to the beach with Fionn,” or “I’m going to the river”

On this day, Emmet also came to play outside, which is rare！！！！
As I’ve mentioned many times, being Irish by nature, he has very sensitive skin and avoids the sun as much as possible.
That’s why I absorb a lot of sunlight and Fionn who is half Asian can tan to a certain extent, as well.

You can see the difference in skin color between them, can’t you? Emmet’s is whitish pink.
Look at Fionn’s arms! He’s got a short-sleeve tan. Fionn is very tanned this year!

But compared to me, he is much whiter.
So when he is with other Japanese who have a normal tan, they say, “Fionn, you are white even though it’s summer”

This was a cause for concern for us, because Emmet has a complex about his pigmentless skin, and it’s also troublesome (because he can’t stay in the sun).
We were hoping that our child would have Asian skin, even if only a little!

So, even though he was whiter than the other children, it was great that he had pigmentation and could tan his skin!
It’s hard to believe for most Japanese women, isn’t it?
Because in Japan, “Your skin is so white and beautiful! is a compliment.

It is common that different countries have different customs and ways of thinking, but the way we think about this skin color is completely different.
Basically, in the West, white skin tends to be seen as unhealthy and tanned skin is seen as healthy and nice.
So, if you are completely white in the summer, people think you are sick. It’s true.

Emmet’s white skin was also called “sick white” (morbidly white) in an expression over there.
It’s not a perfectly good expression, is it?

My own image is that in Europe and the United States, the richer the person is, the more tanned he or she is.
Maybe that’s because they actually go to resorts more often to get a tan and have fun!

Maybe only Japan, Korea, and China interpret being white in color as beautiful in the world.

Well, that doesn’t mean that it is more beautiful to be dark like foreigners, or that it is definitely better to be white because you are Japanese! Don’t be so judgmental.
It’s fine as long as you enjoy yourself and are satisfied, and there is no need to judge people who are the other way around.
(I should stop judging people who are covered in black clothes at the beach or at the river lol)

But if you say to a foreigner, “Your skin is so white!”
It’s good to know that sometimes it doesn’t make them feel good to hear you say it, even though you thought it was good thing.

You have a tall nose! (=huge nose) or “You have a small face! (= small head = small brain = stupid) is the same.
What is common knowledge in one’s own country is often surprisingly not common knowledge in other countries.