To report friend to FB for photo of her blacked up?

[Greyhound]

I'm really shocked - cousin of mine has pic of herself on Facebook blacked up. She is white. The picture is of her at a fancy dress party - she has covered her face in dark brown stage make up and is wearing an "Afro" wig and Rastafarian style striped hat.

Her husband is also blacked up.

How has Gazza been brought into this?

Greyhound you are being a bit extreme now. Full Geisha make up and costume are beautiful and theatrical.

If I saw someone at a fancy dress party in full Geisha mode I'd put it in the same category as say someone in a Commedia D'ell Arte costume or Venetian Carnivale costume or Noh or Chinese opera costume. Are they not allowed either unless one is Italian or Chinese?

more here on cultural appropriation and dressing as a Geisha

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4337024

Phaedrals - google "I am a culture nit a costume".

MrsTerryPratchett that video makes some very good points.

Aaarrrgggh "NOT"

He is not a well man :(
Why would anyone want to dress as him for a fancy dress party to prove a point about, hmm white men?
I'm

Lorelei your link does not work.

Yeah link fail on phone. Cut and paste it into browser. I'm sure you can work it out.

Excellent link Terry, thanks

I know - so sad for Gazza.

As for dressing up like him - can you imagine?!

I remember, as a child, playing a Native American squaw in a school play - I don't think I had any make up on and that was the 70s. I think I was told to speak in the stereotypical monosyllabic, flat voiced way, though...

I agree that it's not racist. She is not showing prejudice. Just a tad crass really. It baffles me that people would think so

But it's reducing a culture to a costume - dressing up as a stereotype black person complete with Afro wig, black face, rasta hat etc is racist.

I know for a fact this lady is a lovely person - I adore her. That is why I didn't report her and messaged her instead. I believe she is wrong in this instance - as you say, crass is the right word.

How is it reducing a culture to a costume? I've seen geishas at fancy dress parties - is this offensive? Is it reducing a culture to a costume? No it's just representing that culture with clothes

There have been many many posts on this thread about why it is racist, and yet people think dismissing it with "well I don't think it is racist" is a sufficient argument to show their opinion must be the correct one.

When you have gone through the links and articles previously posted, when you have considered the history behind blackface, when you have thought about the level of prejudice black people (or more accurately non whites) face on a day to day basis in all areas of society, then you are able to consider whether or not such an instance is racist.

And I would be extremely interested then to hear your justification for this not being a prejudicial act.

MM definition of racism - 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.

Dressing up as a person does not indicate you believe you are superior to them

Dressing up as a person to mock stereotypical characteristics is being racist.

Would you go around with tape on you eyes speaking in a Chinese accent? Would you accept that is racist Chippy?

Good work on the OED cut and paste for definition of racism, but can you not see that it is multi facetted? Can you not see that believing all are not equal due to colour is racist?

Have you considered any of the history and culture as I mentioned above? Because if you haven't then you do not have the depth of knowledge whereby I believe your opinion is in any way relevant.

If someone I worked with did this I'd ask them to remove it.I'd report them if they didn't, in line with my company's social media policy. I'm glad some of those on here who see nothing wrong with it don't work for my company. On a personal level I couldn't continue to associate with someone with those values.

Dressing up as someone is FINE
Blacking up IS NOT FINE

It's really not that difficult to comprehend

.

So would you find it racist if someone were to dress up for a party as a Rastafarian with no make up? Can't see the problem myself, the slightest thing sets people off when there are much bigger problems to get worked up about.

the slightest thing sets people off

Oh do throw a spot of PC gone mad in while you're at it.

Geisha is so theatrical and Japanese women don't go about their daily lives in full robes and makeup. The video in Mrs TPs links were examples of stupid, lazy, mocking stereotypes. I'm not sure wearing an accurate and beautiful Geisha costume and make up because it is simply beautiful is the same.

This Japanese firm seems happy to supply Geisha make up and accessories world wide

.www.hannari-ya.com/

It's not the slightest thing at all
It's like someone in the street doing an impression of my daughter who has spasticity (it happens all the time btw) it not clever or funny and its not the slightest thing

Maybe if you lived with discrimination day in, day out, you would understand but you obviously don't.

The worst of it is, most of you seem unwilling to understand too and are not even respectful