To think 'blacking up' isn't necessarily racist?

[Fabuloo]

Apologies in advance for the Daily Mail link....

this article

I think it's more to do with the intention behind it rather than the 'act'. DD is mixed race and sometimes dresses up in a blonde wig and in the past has put my make up on. My DS is blonde and fair and I would have no problem if he wanted to do the same in reverse. I do feel people need to get a grip...

[FreudiansSlipper]

who on here has said the boy is racist

Most have pointed out that his father should have known better. Yes he wanted to dress as his hero he could have but when he wanted to blacken his face his father should have said well because not the long ago this was done In a derogatory manner this is not a good idea as it may upset some people and we do not want to do that do we, simple the son has learnt something and no one is offended but some just do not care if it is for a laugh

[FamilyGuy22]

I had a discussion on the feminist board about intention and that acting in good faith was perfectly acceptable. My view wasn't shared by some posters, which I find hard to level with.

For the record I'm not a white Brit and would in no way find that offensive. If anyone wanted to emulate my foreign features it would be fine - unless it was clear that the person had the intent to offend. In this case it would not in the slightest bit.

Sometimes I think people get over sensitive about all this race crap and it cheeses me right off. Can we not, for one minute, just relax and feel free to act innocently without recourse.

Incidentally when I read the article the first thing that came into my mind was Gene Wilder on Silver Streak where he blacks up to get past the cops LOL.

[sarcastic]

but wait, Gene was clearly racist, despite being very close mates with Richard Pryor [rolleyes]

[/sarcastic]

[PiccadillyCervix]

Not read 5 pages so apologies if this has been said already. But there is really no need to "black up". NO need for it. Maybe the kid wasn't being racist,I am sure he isn't, I am sure he probably didn't know better. But his parents are idiots. His parents must know better.

Saw some friends of friends of friends fb photos where they had done an "out of Africa party". Most people dressed as animals fine, a couple dressed as "natives". Big fro, blacked, up plastic bones hanging round their necks. Vile. This is why we don't do it. This is the connotation it has. No one is going to die because the option to paint yourself brown has been taken off the table. It isn' PC gone mad.

[tittytittyhanghang]

Damn, i was gonna dress us as a scottie for burns night, with a kilt and one of those tartan bonnets wi the tufts of ginger hair! But i guess that would be racist too

[peanutMD]

YANBU.

Pressumably anyone who does think so would apply the same thought process to movies such as 'White Chicks' where two black men impersonate two white females, who happen to be complete blonde-bimbo stereotypes.

[Hobbitation]

Big fro, blacked, up plastic bones hanging round their necks. Vile. This is why we don't do it. This is the connotation it has. No one is going to die because the option to paint yourself brown has been taken off the table. It isn' PC gone mad.

Dressing up as some stereotype of "an African" is vastly different from dressing up as a specific person.

[PiccadillyCervix]

This thread is ridiculous.

First of all, if a white person dresses up as a black person where hundreds of years of history have shown black people to be oppressed by white people this is inherently different to a black person dressing up as a white person.

Obviously.

The fact that the black footballer seems unbothered is irrelevant unless you believe all black people have the exact same opinion as this one man. (or that this one man would not see it as a pr nightmare to tell the parents of this boy how fucking unacceptable it was for his kid to go around dressed like this.

The assumption you can do whatever you want to do because you know better. Because you aren't racist.. that's amazing to me. It's a sense of entitlment that come from being in charge. From being top dog. It's the same way men can make sexist jokes or read page 3.. because they don't consider themselves sexist.

My boss can walk past me and say I have an amazing ass, I may love it. It doesn't stop the fact that most women won't and most women will consider it sexual harassment. I am not the voice of my entire gender and the boss should keep it in mind that one person's compliment is another's idea of gross misconduct.

[Hobbitation]

Straw man whooshing past there.

[PiccadillyCervix]

no, sexism/ racism. Pretty much the same argument.

[Fabuloo]

• PiccadillyCervix
  
  This thread is ridiculous.
  
  First of all, if a white person dresses up as a black person where hundreds of years of history have shown black people to be oppressed by white people this is inherently different to a black person dressing up as a white person.*
  
  
  Just because white people have oppressed black people in the past, in some places, does not mean that all white people should then be judged on those peoples actions, just because they happen to be the same race. That is genralising, judgmental and downright racist.

[PiccadillyCervix]

No racism is what the majority of black people in western countries have dealt with for the 400 years. Not being able to black yourself up is not suffering racism


It is not the end of the world. t really isn't

[Fabuloo]

Being accused of something you are not because of the colour of your skin is though.

[seeker]

God above- why are people so stupid!!!!!!!!!!!

It is not suffering racism to be told you probably shouldn't "black up"!

[Fabuloo]

What about if a Japanese person dressed up as a black person they admired, would that be racist/offensive?

[FreudiansSlipper]

but if you know it can cause offence and lets face it what adult living in the uk does not know this why would you do it

[Fabuloo]

seeker - No one said it was, what a stupid comment. Being accused of being racist because you are white and have dressed up as a football player you like who happens to be black is racist. This argument wouldn't be happening if the boy wasn't white.

[Fabuloo]

FreudiansSlipper- but who did it cause offence to exactly? From what I can gather it seems to have offended white people.

[FreudiansSlipper]

fabuloo do you allow your children to always do as they wish? Who has said the child was racist but his father allowing him to blacken his face knowing that this may upset some had decided that is ok, what lesson is that to teach a child

[sunshine401]

Hmm... As it is a child I would think like this - when my little angel asks to be a pumpkin what do I do? I get them a little pumpkin outfit and paint their face orange.

Its a children's dressing up game. No harm or offence I am sure was meant to anyone.

[FreudiansSlipper]

I suggest you read some more forums then

[Fabuloo]

FreudiansSlipper - yes but who has this upset? Certainly not the player.

[PiccadillyCervix]

sunshine bless. Your little angel :)


Out of curiosity, were pumpkins ever sold in to slavery by white people though? I don't remember that bit of the history lesson.

[Fabuloo]

I am not a slave trader, nor have I ever owned a slave. The only thing in common is my race. I do not wish you to classify me as a potential racist because of my race.

[FreudiansSlipper]

like I said look at other forums there is plenty of discussions going on

many women are not offended by sexist comments I am does that mean I can not be because a colleague/friend/family member of mine isn't

[sunshine401]

That is a pointless statement . Many terrible things have happened to all different cultures.

Because of this our children have to grow up in a world where they cannot dress up or wear face paint in fear of causing offense?