What do beauty and cosmetics teach us about being white?

The following paper addresses what it means to be white through qualitative research and autoethnographic writing about beauty, with the intention of revealing the complexity of its personifications. In this way, it contradicts assumptions that take for granted the desire to incorporate “white” and...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Gómez, Andrea Carolina Urrutia
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE)
Repositorio:Revista de Estudos Antiutilitaristas e Poscoloniais
Idioma:portugués
OAI Identifier:oai:oai.periodicos.ufpe.br:article/261279
Acceso en línea:https://periodicos.ufpe.br/revistas/realis/article/view/261279
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:beleza
raça
México
brancura
branquitude
beauty
race
Mexico
whiteness
Descripción
Sumario:The following paper addresses what it means to be white through qualitative research and autoethnographic writing about beauty, with the intention of revealing the complexity of its personifications. In this way, it contradicts assumptions that take for granted the desire to incorporate “white” and beautiful features, as well as the understanding of the body as a passive and homogeneous artifact. The article uses historical and conceptual lessons about beauty, race and ethnicity, to then argue through plural definitions of the body how both are embodied in Latin American realities, particularly in Mexico; and ends with questions about the borders between beauty, whiteness and humanity. To do this, it recovers the corporeal and discursive knowledge of workers in the cosmetics industry in Mexico City from the author's doctoral ethnography; along with lessons from pedagogical content taught on the topics involved and personal experiences as a racialized academic woman.