To find this disturbing for a number of reasons....

[Tinlegs]

Photograph, posted on Facebook (and, therefore, in my eyes, endorsed) by a teacher of a group of people dressed up for Halloween. One person, "blacked up" (face mask, brownish make up on neck etc) one person "whitened up" (face mask, White make up) and a third person, also made up but in a brown colour. "Black man" wearing track suit, trainers and lots and lots of jewellery. "White woman" in curlers, Primark hoodie, track suit bottoms, heels. "Brown person" (an adult) in a child's buggy with a bottle, dummy and carrying what looks like a lunch box.


AIBU to think that this is racist and stereotyping of the worst kind. That they are dressed as a mixed race "chav" (not a word I would use but...) low income family who bottle feeds their baby, dresses badly and pushes a very old child around, who are all overweight etc.

Now I know these people. The area we live in is NOT at all multi cultural so there is unlikely to have been anyone offended at the party. But I am offended.

FWIW at least one of these people works with children on a daily basis.

Mumsnet, over to you.

[Quoteunquote]

African theme party

Totally unacceptable,

so many idiots that should know better

Tory MP, thinks it fine


but it is all about intention, not doing cruel stereotypes,

beforeitsnews.com/religion/2013/11/black-family-undergoes-amazing-transformation-to-become-a-white-family-2458448.html

www.liveleak.com/view?i=788_1384147247

[Lovecat]

Oh my goodness.

I don't want to derail this but as an amdrammer myself I have seen some godawful local productions. The controversy over Showboat being done by all-white (largely elderly) casts was at its height in the mid 90's, where it was agreed that it was extremely offensive to black people for whites to black up. If a largely white amdram company wants to do Showboat, then it needs to be more inclusive in its outreach for auditions or else, if the members want to sing the lovely songs in the show, do it in a concert format where no costumes are needed. I'm a member of a thriving and busy company in East London, we have several black members and I can just imagine their reaction if we were to rock up at dress rehearsal in blackface - I can assure you it would not be seen as a joke. We have done panto (Aladdin, Ali Baba etc) where it is set in the Middle East/China and no-one has darkened their skin or done 'slitty eyes' make up. There's no need (it's Panto for chrissake, suspension of disbelief is pretty much a given) and it's insulting to imply that skin colour and facial characteristics are part of a costume. If you were doing Merchant of Venice would you make Shylock wear a huge nose? No, (at least I hope to God you wouldn't) because it would be massively offensive to the Jewish community. I don't see why blacking up is considered innocent or (and I can't believe someone actually typed this without setting their brain in gear) a 'tribute' to black people.

Back to the matter in hand - I suggest all those saying that they don't "see" skin colour, and that all people are the same to them - whilst I can see the good-natured impulse behind that statement, it is generally white people making it from the position of their privilege.

I suggest that you watch this from 10.05 to 12.14 - it's from Jane Elliot's famous Blue Eye/Brown Eye experiment and it's an important message.

[taffleee]

nooka in no way!! But arnt we more multicultural nowadays??? I'm in no way saying racism doesn't exist, of course it does, on all levels though??

[Heartbrokenmum73]

Hi Cjel!

[nooka]

Taflee you do know that the definition of racism doesn't generally include the word 'hate' don't you?

Definition from the
oxford dictionary: the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.

in that context 'blacking up' most certainly counts as racist. I wonder if you are really thinking of xenophobia, the unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers. Of course many racists are also xenophobic.

You aren't really serious in imagining that racism is 'all in the past' are you?

[taffleee]

Thepink fair enough, why?

[ThePinkOcelot]

Get a grip! Personally I am fed up of all this racist crap!

[Thants]

As I explained early in this thread. Racism is cumulative. Blacking up is one of the things that creates a racist culture where hatred can thrive.

[Tenacity]

Fridgepants that's shocking.

[taffleee]

thants there is no 'ignorance' or there is certainly no undisputed awareness into the total racism experienced in the past by minorities!!

But I really hope the majority would agree that on the whole this is so in the past, and really people just need to concentrate on kicking out the hatred, not the 'but if you, and couldn't we not's, and wouldn't it be better if we just's.....) Just the hate stuff - and that goes for everyone - x

[Ubik1]

Op
It's not for you to police this teacher's social life, however ridiculous they are being.

[usualsuspect]

Cn I just say I love Birds posts on this thread.And agree with everything she has posted.

[Thants]

The thing is you say it's ok if it's not meant in an offensive way. I disagree, if you choose to be ignorant about race and the history of racism because it doesn't affect you then that can be as just toxic as deliberate racism.

[cjel]

HEARTBROKEN - I just noticed this as well. Hello I can't believe they are still at it either

[taffleee]

(sorry, forgot to say unless it was 'racially ill-intended')

[taffleee]

(sorry to go on, but I actually get 'fake tans' on a regular basis, because I want my skin to be darker??)

I believe someone (not wanting to mention any names), believed 'white people' didn't change their skin colour to try and be 'darker'??

Well, my 'salon' is always fully booked with people wanting to be 'less white' - I seriously don't think their being racist either - x

[taffleee]

(just as a total sideline, I wear eyeliner daily on my upper lids to give my eyes a 'slantier look!!, just because I like the look, I hope no one would see me as a 'racist' for doing so!!!!) x

[taffleee]

'Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery' -

Hopefully bringing this thread back down to basics, I just think 'being a racist' is absolutely in no way connected to what others might deem as 'racially offensive'??? Dressing up as a member of another racial background, if meant in a tribute or to depict that person if they happen to be a member of another 'race', if its meant in a totally inoffensive way should just be dealt with as the 'dresser up-er' intended, totally inoffensive!!

However, if a person was dressing up as another race, to cause offence being their whole intention, of course that should be dealt with, and I believe everyone who has posted on this thread would agree with that!!!

But after reading this whole thread I don't believe one person on here is a racist, quite the opposite, I believe both sides of this 'argument (if thats what you want to call it??) have given total views arguing against any form of racism -

I Just thinks the lines need to be defined in regards to what is actually 'hatred' of another race, and just what is NOT!

[Heartbrokenmum73]

Ugh, how is this still going?

[garlicbutter]

Thymeout. Unless you represent black and ethnic minority groups in some convincing manner, you simply aren't qualified to tell black people whether blacking up is to do with power & oppression. Most of us have listened to those who do represent such groups, all of whom have said it's insulting & offensive.

I give more weight to their opinions than to some white person making weak arguments to excuse behaviours which insult & offend others.

[katese11]

Well, women don't get to play it very often because they don't fit the role. Do you think that's unfair?

I'm not barring anyone from doing anything but a white actor playing othello has two options - blacking up or just ignoring the cues in the dialogue. Which option do you think is better?

[Thymeout]

Yes, but Othello is one of the great Shakespearian roles. Should white actors be barred from playing it?

[katese11]

*garhh predictive text fail. ..

[katese11]

To use another Shakespearean example, in midsummer night's dream, hermia needs to be shorter than Helena otherwise their argument doesn't work. Site toycould achieve some illusion with heels and clever positioning but wouldn't most directors just cast hermia as being shorter than Helena?