Black face - why is it racist? | Bub Hub
23-02-2016 10:30 #1
So I'm sure you've all heard about the Australian basketball player, Alice Kunek, dressing up as Kanye West and painting her face black. Here's an article and pics if you haven't: http://www.kiis1065.com.au/entertain...kanye-trouble/
Now I'm just wondering, why is it racist to paint your face black? A lot of Asian people whiten their skin, why is it any different? Your changing your appearance to look like a different race.
I'm happy to be educated if there is something historical about this which makes it a no-go zone.
23-02-2016 10:34 #2
I would google the question if you want to know more. Black Americans find it deeply offensive. Like when Chris Hemsworth recently dressed in the stereo type of a native Indian.
These things are deeply offensive and just shouldn't be done.
23-02-2016 10:35 #3
it is offensive because it's reinforcing or playing on racial stereotypes and it's essentially a caricature of someone based on race.
it's never been a thing here, moreso in the states.
but imagine if someone dressed up as an indigenous person here and started cavorting with a spear or didgeridoo with brown face make up and a loin cloth. we'd be horrified. and rightly so. it's incredibly offensive.
23-02-2016 10:39 #4
I agree with you op I don't see how it's offensive.. It's dressing up as something.. If you paint your face brown but with dog whiskers and nose I see the same thing. Dressing up as a dog. I see it how Asians try and whiten skin too.. Why is that not racist when it's done around the other way.. Would we feel offended if a black person painted their face white and dressed like a cheer leader or something? I wouldn't..
Has anyone see the movie "white chicks" ? It's 2 black men painted as white girls dressing up.. There was no uproar when that came out that I recall..
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23-02-2016 10:41 #5
Lot of Asian people whiten their skin because they believe black skin is ugly. If you have darker skin, you would never consider beautiful in some countries. People with white skin are better, superior to people with darker skin. I think it would be really difficult to understand if you do not grow up in that sort of environment.
23-02-2016 10:42 #6
Because dressing up as a "white chick" is dressing as someone who pretty much gets a free pass in life.
Honestly google it and educate yourselves. Likening to dressing as a dog is just, well, I honestly don't know where to begin.
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23-02-2016 10:44 #7
It also stems from the days when black people weren't allowed to work in entertainment, however white people would paint their face black to act a black person.
BettyW (23-02-2016),Kitkats (23-02-2016)
23-02-2016 10:51 #8
I honestly think it's a storm in a tea cup. When you dress up you adapt your body and clothes to most closely represent the character you are dressing up as. In her case the guy she is trying to dress up is black. It's not racist to say that. He is. It's fact. So she painted her face to more closely resemble the character she was trying to portray.
I find all the controversy over absolutely nothing tiring to be honest.
Alicia111 (24-02-2016),amyd (23-02-2016),bluehawaii (23-02-2016),Gracie's Mum (23-02-2016),kim85 (23-02-2016),Lovemysons (23-02-2016),Meld85 (23-02-2016),Mezmerised (23-02-2016),Sethysmum (23-02-2016)
23-02-2016 10:52 #9
Yeah, it's essentially mocking a race that is already mocked by society and always has been (looking into the history SHOULD make most people understand it better). And saying "but I LOVE black people/asians/indians, etc" or calling it a joke doesn't make it any less racist. Ignorant people just think it gives them a free pass.
Also, white people are not affected by racism. And if an Asian person or black person tries to bleach their skin it's so they look more white and westernized. It's internalized racism, not racism towards white people.
BettyW (23-02-2016),WorkingClassMum (05-03-2016)
23-02-2016 10:54 #10
it's offensive because it's reminiscent of the days when blacks were basically inferior to white people. black people had a "pass" into the lives of white people as either domestic workers/slaves or as some kind of caricatured entertainment.
given the inequality between whites and blacks in those days, it's incredibly offensive for a white person (privileged, basically had a free pass in society) to dress up as a subjugated race and carry on for the entertainment of other white people.
I'm baffled as to how you could see it as anything BUT offensive!?
babyla (23-02-2016),BettyW (23-02-2016),cheeeeesecake (23-02-2016),Mama Mirabelle (23-02-2016),Mod-Degrassi (23-02-2016),MrsA2B (23-02-2016),PomPoms (23-02-2016),sajimum (23-02-2016),smallpotatoes (23-02-2016),WorkingClassMum (05-03-2016)
Black face - why is it racist? | Bub Hub
23-02-2016 10:30 #1
So I'm sure you've all heard about the Australian basketball player, Alice Kunek, dressing up as Kanye West and painting her face black. Here's an article and pics if you haven't: http://www.kiis1065.com.au/entertain...kanye-trouble/
Now I'm just wondering, why is it racist to paint your face black? A lot of Asian people whiten their skin, why is it any different? Your changing your appearance to look like a different race.
I'm happy to be educated if there is something historical about this which makes it a no-go zone.
23-02-2016 10:34 #2
I would google the question if you want to know more. Black Americans find it deeply offensive. Like when Chris Hemsworth recently dressed in the stereo type of a native Indian.
These things are deeply offensive and just shouldn't be done.
23-02-2016 10:35 #3
it is offensive because it's reinforcing or playing on racial stereotypes and it's essentially a caricature of someone based on race.
it's never been a thing here, moreso in the states.
but imagine if someone dressed up as an indigenous person here and started cavorting with a spear or didgeridoo with brown face make up and a loin cloth. we'd be horrified. and rightly so. it's incredibly offensive.
23-02-2016 10:39 #4
I agree with you op I don't see how it's offensive.. It's dressing up as something.. If you paint your face brown but with dog whiskers and nose I see the same thing. Dressing up as a dog. I see it how Asians try and whiten skin too.. Why is that not racist when it's done around the other way.. Would we feel offended if a black person painted their face white and dressed like a cheer leader or something? I wouldn't..
Has anyone see the movie "white chicks" ? It's 2 black men painted as white girls dressing up.. There was no uproar when that came out that I recall..
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23-02-2016 10:41 #5
Lot of Asian people whiten their skin because they believe black skin is ugly. If you have darker skin, you would never consider beautiful in some countries. People with white skin are better, superior to people with darker skin. I think it would be really difficult to understand if you do not grow up in that sort of environment.
23-02-2016 10:42 #6
Because dressing up as a "white chick" is dressing as someone who pretty much gets a free pass in life.
Honestly google it and educate yourselves. Likening to dressing as a dog is just, well, I honestly don't know where to begin.
Ashram (23-02-2016),babyla (23-02-2016),Barnaby (23-02-2016),BettyW (23-02-2016),cheeeeesecake (23-02-2016),Elijahs Mum
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23-02-2016 10:44 #7
It also stems from the days when black people weren't allowed to work in entertainment, however white people would paint their face black to act a black person.
BettyW (23-02-2016),Kitkats (23-02-2016)
23-02-2016 10:51 #8
I honestly think it's a storm in a tea cup. When you dress up you adapt your body and clothes to most closely represent the character you are dressing up as. In her case the guy she is trying to dress up is black. It's not racist to say that. He is. It's fact. So she painted her face to more closely resemble the character she was trying to portray.
I find all the controversy over absolutely nothing tiring to be honest.
Alicia111 (24-02-2016),amyd (23-02-2016),bluehawaii (23-02-2016),Gracie's Mum (23-02-2016),kim85 (23-02-2016),Lovemysons (23-02-2016),Meld85 (23-02-2016),Mezmerised (23-02-2016),Sethysmum (23-02-2016)
23-02-2016 10:52 #9
Yeah, it's essentially mocking a race that is already mocked by society and always has been (looking into the history SHOULD make most people understand it better). And saying "but I LOVE black people/asians/indians, etc" or calling it a joke doesn't make it any less racist. Ignorant people just think it gives them a free pass.
Also, white people are not affected by racism. And if an Asian person or black person tries to bleach their skin it's so they look more white and westernized. It's internalized racism, not racism towards white people.
BettyW (23-02-2016),WorkingClassMum (05-03-2016)
23-02-2016 10:54 #10
it's offensive because it's reminiscent of the days when blacks were basically inferior to white people. black people had a "pass" into the lives of white people as either domestic workers/slaves or as some kind of caricatured entertainment.
given the inequality between whites and blacks in those days, it's incredibly offensive for a white person (privileged, basically had a free pass in society) to dress up as a subjugated race and carry on for the entertainment of other white people.
I'm baffled as to how you could see it as anything BUT offensive!?
babyla (23-02-2016),BettyW (23-02-2016),cheeeeesecake (23-02-2016),Mama Mirabelle (23-02-2016),Mod-Degrassi (23-02-2016),MrsA2B (23-02-2016),PomPoms (23-02-2016),sajimum (23-02-2016),smallpotatoes (23-02-2016),WorkingClassMum (05-03-2016)