Observation 2: While they care a lot about their skin color, Taiwanese people don't seem to be nearly as invested in having straight, white teeth, as far as I can tell by looking at them.
True fact that, given these observations, strikes me as slightly unusual: The most ubiquitous brand of toothpaste around these parts is Heiren Yagao, which translates as "black person toothpaste." Literally. (Although the English brand name on the box is "Darlie." You can't fool me!)
Upon further inquiry, I learned that there is a stereotype among Taiwanese people that black people have very white teeth. I guess it's not that unreasonable, if you consider it relative to skin tone.
For your own examination, a box of Black Person Toothpaste:
How about that guy on the left? Does he or does he not remind you of the stereotypical vaudevillian blackface look? It's enough to make me feel a little bit weird.
For the record, other than the cultural preference for pale skin, I've never heard anything from a Taiwanese person to suggest that they actually harbor any kind of serious negative opinions about black people. Also, I have to confess that I myself own a tube of Black Person Toothpaste...I was in urgent need of toothpaste, and it was the only kind they had at 7-11 in the big tube. Plus it guarantees whiter teeth in 14 days! But still, Taiwan. Maybe we should class it up a little bit here and drop the racial stereotypes.
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4 comments:
If you like Darlie toothpaste, check out my blog:
http://internationaltoothpastemuseum.blogspot.com/
Yur blog is interesting too!
yeah um, there's a toothpaste brand called WHITEMEN too. i saw it in my host family's house, and my host father is a dentist, so you know it must be good... right?
also, did you see the headlines when obama got elected? "黑人總統."
Rebek- please translate Katie's headline quote for those of us who don't read Chinese. Thanks!
Sure! It says "heiren zongtong," which means "black president," or "black-person president" if you want to be extra literal. it's the same "heiren" as the "black person" in "black person toothpaste." and not that i mind explaining, but i believe you have a little translation widget in dashboard that may prove helpful.
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