Samantha Lee is currently a media studies undergrad at the University of Illinois. By the end of summer, she will have completed an epic road trip out to the Badlands, Redwoods and Yosemite. She's become a master at making potstickers, macaroni bake and kimbap. She is also currently working on delicious veggie sandwich ideas that she'll sell for 11 dollars a piece. If her sandwiches can't support her, she'll plan on working in media reform and fight the good fight against the man.
A quick Google search of tanning salons in the Champaign-Urbana area comes up with about 17 listed locations. Not to mention, six of these tanning factories are within walking distance from campus. My apartment alone is within three blocks from two different tanning salons. I just can’t understand their popularity. Granted — I’ve never given them any business. It’s something that has perplexed me ever since I arrived on this campus. Little tanned outlines of playboy bunnies peeking out of low-slung pants weren’t new to me, but the sheer numbers of these bunnies — with the occasional heart or star — was astounding. Young women and, even men, flock to places like Solar Tan, Electric Beach or Classic Tan to get their tan on.
Listen. I get it — looking tan can make you appear healthier. It’ll appear like you frequent the Virgin Islands every weekend during the winter. Some even say you look slimmer with a tan. Maybe you can even look like Jessica Biel — buff and bronze. And anyway, what’s so great about being your natural skin color?
Despite the wonderful advantages of fake tanning, I just can’t help being annoyed by the whole industry. It’s an establishment completely devoted to changing your appearance, and not surprisingly it’s an extremely lucrative one. Given the harmful effects of UV rays, I’m continually surprised at how popular tanning beds — concentrated coffins of UV rays — still are. It’s not like people put SPF on when they hop into a bed; that would defeat the purpose of the whole thing. The other option, spray-on is less harmful, but the cost is wearing all-over body make-up.
While some men definitely frequent tanning salons, an overwhelming number of salon patrons are women. Tanning salons specifically target women — many keep magazines like Cosmopolitan in the waiting areas. You can read up on 128 ways to pleasure your man while you wait to get some melanoma. Posters of bikini-clad models line the walls of some salons, reminding young women what they should strive to be. Everyday, girls walk into artificial browning salons so they can all look the same. How can a place like this promote anything but a negative body image?
More than anything, the tanning salon overtly perpetuates an ideal female body that is nearly impossible to achieve. A beautiful woman must be perfectly tanned, thin yet curvy, toned yet not muscular, and obviously — white. Logically, the people who feel the need to get a tan are of lighter complexions. Tanning salons don’t overtly exclude minorities, but they operate within an entirely white sphere. It’s okay, even desirable, to be tan, however it’s important to not be too dark.
Please don’t think I’m simply over-analyzing something trivial and worthless. It’s important to examine all aspects of popular culture, no matter how seemingly banal. Tanning salons don’t exist just "‘cuz". It’s part of a larger dominant ideology. They are there for a reason, and apparently people love that reason. I still don’t really get why people go tanning so often, often to the point of an orange/pumpkin kind of glow. It all seems more harmful than anything, if not for your body, at least for your body image. But maybe I’m not being fair. I’ve never actually laid under the healthy ‘natural’ 600-Watt glow of a tanning bed. Maybe I’ll go get my tan on and report back about how great I feel.
Or, maybe not.
Comments (3)
Monday, July 21, 2008 4:32 PM
Tanning salons are a 21st century manifestation of Survival of the Fittest. Those people not fit enough to realize the idiocy and falsity of modern beauty conventions are doomed to remove themselves from the gene pool. Tanning salons will eventually result in the destruction of modern beauty conventions
because all of its proponents will be dead from skin cancer. Hoorah! Tanning salons are our friends.
Monday, July 21, 2008 4:44 PM
heeeeyyy
there is such a thing called moderation, and a bunch of people do it. the big problem going on are people with no concept of style... orange isn't really that attractive as far as i'm aware, but if they are told that's how to look some folks to it. case in point, the generalization of sorority girls. suck.
one positive of tanning, especially in the winter, is for the folks with the seasonal blues. i think it's called SAD? a little fake sunshine can help improve morale. it's handy throughout the year for folks susceptible to depression thought cycles. another pro for sunlight/fake sunlight is it's also helpful with acne prevention. it isn't a cure-all, but it helps a little bit both with skin issues and depression. i realize these types of people are not the target audience, but it is a section of users.
is using tanning beds super healthy? no. but it is helpful when you don't get much sunlight. all about the moderation.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 6:34 AM
Good post.
To me, tanning ranks up there with massages, manicures/pedicures and $100 hair cuts. I'm a 42-year-old male who's tanned to get ready for a trip to Florida or Mexico (don't wanna be 'that guy' with the bad burn). I've also popped into a tanning salon in the winter and it's quite the pick-me-up. The bright light and warmth really can boost your mood and energy.