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Abstract

This article will explore how dark-skinned individuals perceive their skin color and whether they categorize their appearance as beautiful or ugly. Until recently, the dominant perception of beauty in Indonesia was represented by fair-skinned people, and this fact is strongly related to an individual’s identity. Dark skin is considered less beautiful. However, some individuals attempt to counteract the dominant beauty discourse. Previous literature studies found two reasons that support the counter-discourse toward beauty: recognition and negotiation. Recognition is an act of countering the mainstream discourse, while negotiation is an attempt to contest one’s identity based on their skin. This article argues that women can counter the dominant discourse based on negotiation, because individuals have free choice, body autonomy, and bargaining power. This article is written based on a qualitative research, with in-depth interviews conducted with nine female informants who have attempted to counter the mainstream beauty discourse.

Bahasa Abstract

Artikel ini bertujuan untuk melihat bagaimana orang menilai kulitnya, apakah dinilai cantik atau jelek. Hingga saat ini, cantik masih diasosiasikan dengan kulit putih, salah satunya menurut orang-orang Indonesia. Hal ini menjadi penting karena bagaimana kita merepresentasikan diri sendiri berkaitan dengan identitas kita−siapa kita dan bagaimana kita ingin dilihat. Perilaku orang kulit hitam entah percaya diri dengan kulitnya ataupun tidak, adalah cara mereka untuk merepresentasikan dirinya yang didapatkan dari negosiasi identitas. Di antara orang kulit hitam, ada yang secara percaya diri merepresentasikan dirinya melawan diskursus tentang kecantikan atau counter-discourse. Literatur terdahulu menjelaskan ada dua alasan terjadinya hal tersebut, yaitu: rekognisi dan negosiasi. Rekognisi adalah saat aktor berjuang melawan diskursus, sementara negosiasi adalah saat aktor menegosiasikan apa yang ia miliki. Argumen dari artikel ini adalah perempuan bisa menolak diskursus karena negosiasi, mereka memiliki pilihan dan otonomi atas tubuhnya. Mereka juga bisa menolak diskursus karena memiliki kekuatan, yaitu melalui kekuatan tawar menawar. Artikel ini ditulis berdasarkan penelitian kualitatif dengan wawancara mendalam terhadap sembilan informan.

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