Racialization of Fox Eye Trend

Olivia Wang 

Overview

According to the fashion trend today, fox eye photo shoot has led to unrealizing racism action.

In the recent month, fox eye fashion trend has been blowing up where celebrities or social media inspires would post pictures yet pull their eyelid towards up which apparently makes it more slanted . However, this have brought up to the attention where this can seem to be somewhat racist to Asians. This latest challenge started just not long ago where the move started by a white influencer. This originally started from teaching people how to create a fox eye look, where the after look would show as “elongated, narrow and upturned almond eye shape”. As this trend become more popular and more people started to take photos by pulling their eyelid, people have been noticing for culturally appropriating by imitating and making fun of Asians. As part of Asian community, people do not like to be mocked since they may be triggered from their memories of being bullied or having the experience of being isolated because of having small eyes or looking differently comparing to other people.

History

According to Liang, she expresses the word “chink” is a powerful word that can turn to personal attack where calling Asian people small eyes, as she described that the word “chink came from the Chinese courtesy Ching Ching and also the word china”. Knowing that all colour has their unique feature and Asians just happens to have smaller eyes out of all the colours, because of the long-term racism towards small eyes, Asians has become sensitive when someone calls an Asian chink . As racism does not just goes away itself, knowing that the issue will be around for decades and the only way to stop the issue to become more serious is to not bring up the names. Other people may not understand why the word "Chink" effects Asians this much, but the most important point is that people should not attack other people based on their race or attack them by mocking other people.

Issues

Trends

Fashion and trends come and go fast, however there are some trends that may stay longer. Fox eye have become one of the popular social media posts where they would pull their eye up to look more like slanted, however this trend started by a lot of Hollywood celebrities where they took this as a fashion and new trend to look more sharp, but what they are not noticing is they may have brought up a sensitive topic towards other race. As a lot of celebrities may not realized they brought up to the attention of being racism yet they truly were just being fashion, however, to many Asians point of view this was “an act of appropriate that ignored the racism and discrimination many have faced in western countries and communities”

Ignore underlying racism

According to Wang, the fox eye trend seems to be appropriate only because celebrities were doing it, Asians find this unacceptable where they can just start a trend based on a racist joke. Even though so people took action to apologize for their actions but rather they were insincere by also thinking why Asians are so sensitive. According to Wang Caucasians "putting on make up, pull their face up and undergoes surgery to make their eyes looks more slanted, is the biggest issue where she find it inappropriate and unapologetic cultural appropriation". As Wang being Asian herself, she was supportive with people with ideas and creating new trends for the society where they can contribute and create a fun lifestyle for everyone, however she doesn't feel right for them to mock the slanted eye look, because no matter how the society is now, eye slanted will still feels like they are mocking Asians even though if they didn't meant it the way.

Cause

Pointing out the issue of fox eye trend, this has caused some unpleasant childhood memories for some people who were bullied . According to Deng, he pointed out even though fox eye slanted is a trend now however in the past slanted eyes was one of the biggest insecure part for Asians Asians however takes this “chink” eye very serious, as one of the celebrities who were part of the Victoria Secret fashion show model Gigi Hadid where she posted a photo of herself mocking Chinese people. As Asians takes mocking eye serious, unfortunate Gigi Hadid was denied from her VISA because of disrespecting Asian's feature . As we all should respect each individual's culture and background, people might does it unconsciously but people should know when things are getting more serious, then they should know when to stop.