Glad we agree on that, but that will not fix all our problems with regards to race. As Dr. King noted in his letter to from a Birmingham Jail, a major stumbling block to the advancment of civil rights was the white moderate, who felt things were going to fast. That is still a problem today, with far too many whites not willing to look at how their actions or inactions help to perpetuate racism in the daily lives of their fellow citizens. Being willing to ignore these issues is a privilege that African Americans (and other people of color) do not have available to them. As white people who hope to be good allies, I’d say it’s our job to listen and do what we can to further the cause of racial justice, as well as to talk to other whites about these issues as best we can. I don’t know if I always do a good job, but these issues matter, because I’d very much like to fix these problems and improve the lives of all of us in the process. None of that happens without real racial awareness on the part of whites.
That is a great questions and I wish that knew why it’s so critical to do so. It adds no value to our world, so why defend it at all?
Just like wearing nazi gear or the rebel flag ironically won’t “own” racists!
Thanks! There are far more eloquent speakers whose lives are directly impacted by these issues that I’m relying on. I’m merely interpreting others historical insights.
We have a misunderstanding. I’m not arguing that it’s ok to wear dark makeup, but I think it should be ok for kids (or anyone) to lighten/darken their skin to dress like their heroes (Billie Eilish, or Harry Belfonte).
I’m full of rage because we’ve let groups like the KKK take things that should be innocent and superficial and caused us to view things through a twisted lens.
It is not, though. That’s the point. Given the history, it’s still part of blackface.You can dress up as either without having to darken and lighten your face. Period. There is no need to do so.
The KKK did not invent minstrelsy, nor did they invent blackface, nor did they invent the white supremacist system. The KKK did not do this, American society as a whole did this. The KKK was a violent outcropping of white supremacy, but they did not make it or the cultural aspects of this. If you want to “blame” someone for white supremacy in America, then you have to go back to the entire history of the slave trade in the new world, the colonies, and the founding of the country. The KKK twisted nothing, they merely were the visible manifestation of it that makes it easy for other whites to dismiss the concerns of their fellow Americans (“well, I’m not participating in racism, cause I’m not a member of the KKK”).
And here’s where it’s clear you don’t get it. I’m so very glad you found the one example out of tens of thousands where someone lightened their skin to cosplay as someone else, but it is not OK, as has been pointed out, to darken your skin to portray Harry Belafonte. It’s literally minstrel blackface.
If your hero is Harry Belafonte, first learn to spell his name correctly. Second, learn to sing like him. At that point, you don’t need makeup as a costume because his defining characteristics are his talents, not his skin color.
it’s ok for a fan to lighten her skin to look like Billy Eilish, but not ok for someone with light skin to darken theirs look like Harry Belafonte. We need to keep that racial tension in tact for the next generation.
“Racial tension” is not caused by people not liking blackface. “Racial tension” is not caused by letting black people people have rare influence over what white people do to portray them.
“Racial tension” is caused by a system that devalues or erases the opinions, preferences, and options of one dominant race over other.
That’s the cause.
Stomping your feet and saying this “demand” is something a white person should never have to entertain is enacting the same “Your opinion is of less value” thinking that makes the system racist in the first place.
Exactly. If you go back to the 1800s when they were literally blackface minstrels, you’d probably find plenty of performers who said they did it because they liked black culture and wanted to emulate it. It obviously wasn’t ok then, or now. (Although now I’m afraid I’m gonna resurrect people defending 1800s minstrel shows now. Lol)
Yes! That’s entirely true. Many saw it as a loving homage!
But of course, blackface went well into the 20th century too (someone noted the example of the British show the Black and White Minstrel show, which ended in… 1978). And of course, offensive stereotypes of African Americans continued in other ways.
[ETA] The various Norman Leer shows were considered groundbreaking for a reason with regards to race, as the black characters were treated differently than previously depictions of African Americans… same with the Cosby Show in the 1980s, because it was a depiction of a black upper middle class family. And there was literally nothing else like Lt. Uhuru on Star Trek at the time. Nichelle Nichols was pretty much the ONLY positive depiction of a black woman on American TVs as the time. When she wanted to quit because of the racism she received on the set, Dr. King himself told her not to do it, because of her character being a positive role model for young black girls… And she indeed influenced the first black woman in space!
Indeed, Minstrel predates the KKK by a full generation. “I’m not on board with the KKK, therefore the things I do aren’t really racist” is some grade-A bullshit.
This racial controversy led to the programme’s eventual cancellation from television in 1978, although a stage version ran for ten years after the show’s cancellation at Victoria Palace Theatre, London. This was followed by tours of Australia and New Zealand.
I am wondering that the information has clearly existed for years, so it is not impossible that somebody has been sitting on it (or unaware, to be fair) and has been withholding it until there is political capital to be made.
I heard on the radio this morning that Trudeau’s main opponent is an unrepentant homophobe.
I don’t know why I’d be surprised about the activities of politicians, Christ knows we have got a slimy bunch in Britain at the moment. Maybe that is what is ramping up my scepticism.
Because I forgot how all this contention began, I decided to go back into the thread, hoping to find something that could allow for a teachable moment that would help you see from the other side of this conflict. This is what I found:
(Emphasis mine)
You are right to say that “some people” decided it was racist. Those people decided it was racist because they felt hurt by an action involving race, and they felt that it was perpetuating their oppression. But can you see how calling their judgment “irrational” can be interpreted as a dismissal of the feelings and opinions of the offended people?
People experiencing pain shouldn’t have their pain questioned—that just compounds the pain. What you wrote reads like you were questioning their pain. Maybe that wasn’t your intent, but it caused people, who were already hurt, to hurt even more. If your intentions are good, and you want to help, then I suggest trying to comfort those in pain, rather than trying to defend a statement that sounds like it is claiming some people’s pain is invalid. I hope you can learn from this, relax, and move on. Thank you.
Since the comment got eaten as collateral damage, I’ll reiterate once more;
If you don't want to ever be accused of being racist, then maybe don't do flagrantly racist-ass shit (like putting on blackface) and you won't have to worry about it.
Paying attention to Trump doesn’t drive any votes to Trudeau.
It’s a parliamentary system. People being angry with Trudeau enough to not vote for him are more likely to vote NDP. Canada’s most progressive accomplishments (universal federal healthcare, for one) were under Liberal minority governments where they needed the support of progressive smaller parties.
People dealing openly with a scandal is 100% better than whistling past it or making it look like it’s being buried or suppressed.
When your example Trump gets attacked for his own behaviour, or whatever, he keeps politicking; Trudeau has the opportunity any politician has, which is to use any present situation to forcefully show he shares values with voters.
I love it that she didn’t even go the usual cliched route of wearing the requisite blonde-pigtail wig; her interpretation of the character while incorporating her own natural hair is EVERYTHING.
Long story short; cosplay only “equals” blackface if someone decides to be intentionally focused on mere skin tone as the most important defining aspect of the character.
