Sorry, this is random, but I have a couple of questions for you fellow Asians! I've been watching perhaps too many Korean music videos and makeup tutorials, and I'm getting more caught up in this whole eyelid controversy. First of all...how many of you have double eyelids? (Here's an example of a double: [link] and here's an example of a monolid: [link] I'm not in either of those pictures, by the way.) If you have them, did you come by them naturally? Finally, if you have monolids, have you ever considered double eyelid surgery or cosmetics?

I don't know what to think about this. I am against the surgery, but I have monolids, and I do think I would be prettier if I didn't. Then again, creating double eyelids has been widely cited as a "westernization," and I find that offensive and ethnocentric. This is not a matter of race, or even of beauty as attributed to race--these regimens are personal and cultural; just because larger eyes are associated with non-Asian countries does not mean we’re trying to be more “American.” Still, most of my favorite Korean stars have double eyelids (some notable exceptions being Jun Ki, Min Woo, Rain, Xiah Junsu, and at least three of the guys from Super Junior). More and more, it is becoming the beauty standard. On YouTube, there are so many tutorials about how to “fake” double eyelids, or how to use glue to create them. If I weren’t against cosmetic operations, it might be the first thing that I’d get done.

I actually don’t know how many Asian friends I have here, so, please, everyone should feel free to weigh in! I’d love to hear responses from non-Asians, if anyone has an opinion. I can provide more links if necessary. Do eyelids really make Asians more beautiful? I’m not sure.

♥