Blackface (and other cultural costumes) -- Insensitive Or Not?

[vizzle]

Blackface has been making a lot of headlines lately, as it always does around Halloween:

http://bossip.com/846938/racist-or-n...-in-tennessee/
http://gawker.com/fashions-elite-got...n-m-1453039552
http://gawker.com/actress-julianne-h...stu-1452660905
http://gawker.com/mere-blackface-was...tie-1452924995

For those of you who live under rocks, blackface is when a non-black person paints his face black to pretend to be a black person, usually as a part of a costume. (Brief explanation so we don't have a bunch of ignorant kids who don't know the background of this issue.) This started in the early 20th century/late 19th century when white Americans would unwittingly make fun of black people by painting themselves black and making black people look like fools. The wikipedia link up there has a lot of good examples showing this, like so:





Now remember, this was riding on the backs of slavery and racial prejudice in America which made it even more insensitive at the time.

But when you look at recent examples of blackface coming out of other countries, such as this Australian African-themed party and this Thai Blackface Dunkin' Donuts commercial, both of which have been heavily accused of racism online, both parties share the same excuse:

The CEO for Dunkin' Donuts in Thailand, which is operated as a franchise, was initially bullish about the marketing. "It's absolutely ridiculous," said Nadim Salhani. "We're not allowed to use black to promote our doughnuts? I don't get it. What's the big fuss? What if the product was white and I painted someone white, would that be racist?"

Salhani said his daughter was the model used in the advert. He dismissed criticism as "paranoid American thinking", saying: "I'm sorry, but this is a marketing campaign and it's working very well for us."

"In fact as you can tell from the photos I dressed up as cleopatra, whilst MAJORITY of my guests came as animals, that can be found in africa or wore traditional african clothes or even dressed up as famous people who come from africa. If anything this was to celebrate the amazing country and people. "

They were not intending to be racist and were simply trying to associate themselves with black culture. "Paranoid American thinking." And I think I agree with them. It's not racist or insensitive if the intention of racism is not there. The racism of blackface is purely an American thing; if orthodox Hindus were the loudest voice on the Internet, would they be shouting and calling everyone else insensitive every time we post a picture of a hamburger? And if they did would we not find them ridiculous? And even in the US, I still believe that if the intent of racism is not there then it should not be considered racist. We are being way too sensitive and PC about this and it's come to the point where we're just accusing everyone who paints their face of racism. We shouldn't be ignorant of our past, but neither should we let the past dictate what we can and cannot do for as long as time goes on. If the intent is not there then neither is the racism.

So the question in the poll is -- is blackface, by itself with no racist intent, racist?

[Karnige]

double standards. im sick of this shit. anything remotely "racist" agasint a black man is outrage yet if someone does anything to resemble a white person its hilarious. white chicks movie anyone? yes I think its funny but its funny if a white person does it as a black person. its not racist its just a joke. christ man. people needs to relax

[Deleted]

Not insensitive or racist. People are oversensitive about anything that has to do with skin color or associating something with skin color.

[General Vezax]

Blackface is the only "ethnic costume" that I have a problem with, but to be honest I'm not sure why. Always got a dirty feeling just looking at it.

[Payday]

I feel pretty comfortable saying blackface is racist in almost all cases.

[Austilias]

I'd have no issue with black people dressing up as white people. I'd say there are much bigger fish to fry in any case.

[stockishgsr]

I don't recall anyone complaining when Robert Downey Jr did that in Tropic Thunder. If they did it really wasn't a major news thing like it is now.

I also wonder if there was somebody out there that did this as an experiment just to see how one sided going blackface or whiteface really is, would make for an interesting moment for sure.

[Deleted]

I find them hilarious.

[Payday]

I don't recall anyone complaining when Robert Downey Jr did that in Tropic Thunder. If they did it really wasn't a major news thing like it is now.

There was plenty of uproar. What a terrible movie too, ugh.

[Deleted]

insensitive, possibly, but i think racist would be stretching it.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't recall anyone complaining when Robert Downey Jr did that in Tropic Thunder. If they did it really wasn't a major news thing like it is now.

he played the part amazingly though.

[Archangel Tyrael]

Being insensitive isn't a crime.

I don't care even the slightest if some moron gets ''offended'' or finds it ''insensitive'' that someone does this.
This garbage about ''racism'' and ''tolerance'' everywhere is starting to get ridiculous.

[icausewipes]

Yes it is.

I'll ask a counter question if you do not mind. Am I being insensitive if I show a celebration of the 9-11 attacks from the terrorist PoV? Intent is a door that can be walk thru in either direction. Someone living under a stone in ebf may not get upset, but I may get a different reaction in NY.

[Frolk]

People these days are WAY to easily butthurt over nothing, also its ALWAYS the vocal minority

[geewhiz80]

Yes it is.

I'll ask a counter question if you do not mind. Am I being insensitive if I show a celebration of the 9-11 attacks from the terrorist PoV? Intent is a door that can be walk thru in either direction. Someone living under a stone in ebf may not get upset, but I may get a different reaction in NY.

Celebrating a terrorist attack and dressing up in face paint aren't remotely comparable. That said, I think it's fine as long as the person in the make up isn't blatantly being racist in their act.

[Austilias]

I also don't remember people complaining when Eddie Murphy played an asian in Norbit. Are only whites forbidden from impersonating other ethnicities?

[vizzle]

Yes it is.

I'll ask a counter question if you do not mind. Am I being insensitive if I show a celebration of the 9-11 attacks from the terrorist PoV? Intent is a door that can be walk thru in either direction. Someone living under a stone in ebf may not get upset, but I may get a different reaction in NY.

I think that 1) Celebrating death and painting faces are incomparable, and 2) 9/11 is a lot more recent than the rampant blackface of the early/mid 20th century, so it's much more relevant than blackface.

[lockedout]

I'd have no issue with black people dressing up as white people.

[icausewipes]

Celebrating a terrorist attack and dressing up in face paint aren't remotely comparable. That said, I think it's fine as long as the person in the make up isn't blatantly being racist in their act.

The CEO for Dunkin' Donuts in Thailand, which is operated as a franchise, was initially bullish about the marketing. "It's absolutely ridiculous," said Nadim Salhani. "We're not allowed to use black to promote our doughnuts? I don't get it. What's the big fuss? What if the product was white and I painted someone white, would that be racist?"

Salhani said his daughter was the model used in the advert. He dismissed criticism as "paranoid American thinking", saying: "I'm sorry, but this is a marketing campaign and it's working very well for us."
"In fact as you can tell from the photos I dressed up as cleopatra, whilst MAJORITY of my guests came as animals, that can be found in africa or wore traditional african clothes or even dressed up as famous people who come from africa. If anything this was to celebrate the amazing country and people. "

The person in question is using a racist act (in USA) to profit. My question was not comparing the 2, but the anger each caused, and how one caused pain, and the other grief.

[Feral Camel]

I'm still offended by the film White Chicks. Not from a racial standpoint though.

[icausewipes]

Eddie murphy did a couple of skits on the same and its all wrong.