Hi Eugene!

Well, skin-lightening is a $10 billion dollar industry, Eugene. A 10 BILLION dollar industry.

And where do you think such ideas about the beauty of white skin that have been promoted around the world came from, Africa? No, Eugene. They come from the West.

And, yes, while I do indeed agree that a pale body on a beach is not the desired look for many, they are in the minority.

The overwhelming majority of people on Earth who become afflicted with skin cancer (35–45%) are folks of European ancestry, Eugene. The people most likely to suffer damage to the skin by the sun’s UV rays are white.

So no, the image of tanned skin is not the standard amongst whites in America and never has been.

Thanks for writing, Eugene.