970x125
Colorism is pervasive in the U.S. and has negative effects on the income, education, quality of life, and relationships of many darker-skinned individuals (for an overview, see Wu & Chen, 2025). However, many people are unaware of their own prejudice when it comes to skin tone. In addition, most studies on colorism have been conducted on Black or Latinx Americans. Among some other groups, such as white Americans, darker skin has grown to be a marker of status, indicating that one can afford recreational activities like going to the beach. Yet, little is known about the role of colorism among Asian Americans, particularly in the realm of romance.
Because light skin has been traditionally valued in Asia, many Asian Americans experience pressure from other people, such as their older relatives, to be paler. In contrast to modern beauty standards for White Americans, in East Asia, pale skin was associated with status, symbolizing the ability to stay indoors rather than perform manual labor. Even today, women in Asia will sometimes go to extreme lengths to remain pale, such as wearing “facekinis” and using toxic skin lightening products.
Less is known about whether Asian Americans value light skin. The little research on colorism among Asian Americans suggests possible biases in the education system in addition to differences in wealth, however, these studies do not account for national origin, which may explain both skin tone and socioeconomic status. In addition, studies on Chinese women indicate that while first-generation immigrants prefer to have lighter skin, these preferences may fade by generation. One study analyzing Match.com dating profiles found that darker-skinned Asian Americans had greater preferences for dating Blacks and Latinxs and lower preferences for dating other Asian Americans. Colorism could account for this. For instance, the authors posited that darker-skinned Asian Americans may be excluded by their peers, which may in turn shape their preferences towards groups who accept them. However, it is possible that ethnicity and generational status, which were not accounted for, could play a role in these preferences.
Therefore, we tested the role of colorism in Asian Americans’ stated (what they say they want) and revealed (what they actually want) preferences through speed-dating Would lighter skin be more attractive? Would skin tone shape one’s preferences for others’ skin tone, ethnicity, or race?
We conducted 15 speed-dating sessions involving a total of 262 single Asian Americans (mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, or Taiwanese). Prior to the speed-dating event, participants indicated their preferences for dating various racial/ethnic groups. At the event, participants went on three-minute dates. After each date, they completed a questionnaire through which they rated their partner’s desirability, guessed their ethnicity, and had the opportunity to offer them a second date. Photos of participants were taken at the events and coded by research assistants for skin tone (how light or dark one’s skin was) using a visual chart.
Findings indicated little evidence for colorism. Overall, skin tone did not matter for one’s desirability. Interestingly, there was an interaction with gender and generational status such that both U.S-.born men and women had slight preferences for darker skin in their partners, whereas foreign-born men and women had opposite preferences with the former preferring darker skin and the latter preferring lighter skin. One’s skin tone also did not play a role in their preference for their partner’ skin tone.
Initially, we replicated prior findings such that Asian Americans with darker skin reported greater preferences for ethnic/racial groups with darker skin. However, with gender, generational status, and ethnicity controlled, all significant findings disappeared. We found that these three demographic variables likely explained the previously discovered pattern. For example, regarding generational status, U.S.-born participants had darker skin and more greatly preferred dating Southeast Asians and Mexicans. Regarding ethnicity, Filipinos had darker skin and more greatly preferred dating Mexicans.
Why might colorism be minimal among young Asian Americans? We believe that other features such as the eyes and nose may be more important in the racial categorization of Asian Americans than skin tone. Unlike many other ethnic groups, East and Southeast Asian Americans generally are not “white-passing” when they have light skin. Additionally, due to their association with acculturation, tans may be seen as higher status.
Our findings have a pleasant implication, suggesting that despite what their older relatives may recommend or even insist upon, Asian Americans don’t need to engage in extreme measures like avoiding the sun and using lightening creams to be seen as beautiful by each other.
