Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Nobody would think this is racist would they?

110 replies

Splishsplashsplooshsplosh · 29/09/2023 14:32

DC wants to be an oompa loompa for Halloween. Green hair, white dungarees, orange face. I thought it was a good idea, DH is worried people might come across racist if we change DCs face colour. It won't will it? Since nobody has orange skin? (Other than Donald Trump obviously but I'm not worried about offending him) if it is offensive I guess we could just not do the face paint but I reckon he's worrying about nothing.

OP posts:
Blondebutnotlegally · 29/09/2023 23:38

StarlightGin · 29/09/2023 15:08

Overthinking snowflakes.

Show quote history

Isn't it funny that I can always tell what kind of person someone is just by using the word "snowflake".

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 29/09/2023 23:39

@lilmishap

Would you like to be Prime Minister ( I’ll vote for you).

SkaneTos · 29/09/2023 23:41

WinterDeWinter · 29/09/2023 15:03

I think he will have heard that originally the Roald Dahl characters were 'natives' ie POC. Dahl changed the text of the book in the Seventies because he realised/was forced to accept the fact that it was racist. He was also very anti-semitic.

My daughter has typical Gen Z worldview and she would definitely avoid anything to do with Oompa Loompas. They are definitely constructed as 'Other' and therefore even if they aren't literally black any more, they definitely referred to blackness as it were.

I agree with the daughter of this poster (even though I am not a Gen Z, I am a Millennial).

Highandlows · 29/09/2023 23:53

Poor kids growing up today.

Pinkglobelamp · 29/09/2023 23:59

muckandmerriment · 29/09/2023 16:08

In the original version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Oompa Loompas were described as African Pygmies. Their appearance was changed for the 1971 film and the book was edited to change their appearance after that came out. Maybe that's why your DH thinks it's a bad idea?

Edited

Yes, if you read the book it is pretty obviously racist! I was wondering why on earth people were thinking it could possibly not be, but then I remembered the books have been edited since my 80s copies!

Pinkglobelamp · 30/09/2023 00:00

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 29/09/2023 17:43

That's interesting view

Show quote history

It's very clear indeed, reading the book or watching the original film.

dearanon · 30/09/2023 00:04

Sugarfree23 · 29/09/2023 14:36

Calm nobody has orange skin. Your over thinking it.

Not true, I did in the 2000s era Grin

TomPinch · 30/09/2023 00:31

Green hair, white dungarees, orange face?

You might get a few funny looks in the Shankill Road maybe.

Breakthemould · 30/09/2023 00:43

.

MissTrip82 · 30/09/2023 00:53

Mumsnet is really, really not the place
to ask if something is racist.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page