The Sexist History Behind Our Obsession With Tanning

Welcome to Sun Blocked, Refinery29’s global call to action to wake up to the serious dangers of tanning. No lectures or shaming, we promise. Instead, our goal is to arm you with the facts you need to protect your skin to the best of your ability, because there’s no such thing as safe sun.  From “sun-kissed skin” to a “healthy glow,” the way we talk about being tanned is proof enough that we romanticize the idea of it. Add in the visuals, like adverts for luxury fashion or influencers posting to Instagram from a poolside in Ibiza, and it becomes ever more apparent that a bronzed body has become synonymous with being attractive and healthy — even when we know a real tan can be deadly.   It’s no wonder, then, that the tanning industry is big business. Despite the well-documented risks of indoor tanning, such as melanoma skin cancer, the global tanning beds market is expected to reach a value of over $7.4 million by 2027. More prosperous still is th