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AIBU?

Yellow face in a children’s play!

93 replies

Hypotenuse · 09/02/2018 20:29

I’ve named changed to an old name, I imagine this is quite identifying as I can’t believe anyone else would be this stupid in this day and age!

My daughter is in a small production company, for children, run by the local community. She’s been it in for years, they’ve put on great productions and she enjoys it.
I’m writing this in the interval of their latest show, which I’d not seen a script for or heard much about as she’s mostly learning backstage things this time and just doing the odd dance number. I am horrified at what I am watching. The play is set in Shanghai and everyone is called ping pong wong, or chow mien, or emperor peaking duck... one adult in the play is there as a comedy idea, in yellow face, and only says stereotypical Chinese words, or items from the menu of a Chinese restaurant and ends everything with a bow and ‘yum yum’.

I am so upset my child is a part of this, I had no idea, they’ve not done anything like this before! It’s all been Cinderella or Snow White, cutesy things!

My question is, WIBU to refuse to allow her to partake in the show again tomorrow night and withdraw her? I’m friends with a lot of the people running it so I will probably lose a lot of friends if I tell the truth as to why, but I could lie and say she’s ill and then that she’s growing out of it so won’t come back. Or should I tell the truth? The right thing is to tell the truth isn’t it?

OP posts:

Report

AppleKatie · 10/02/2018 17:00

Well done OP- it’s scary doing the right thing sometimes but you are definitely doing it.

Your DD is also very perceptive- it absolutely is a breach of trust to lead children into doing something like this in poor taste.

chinam · 10/02/2018 14:50

I'm glad you are pulling your daughter out of the show and explaining exactly why you are doing it. It's important that we all take a stand against Racism.

GerdaLovesLili · 10/02/2018 14:37

How did it get to this point without anybody else noticing? Why have none of the other parents pointed out the issues before now?

MadMags · 10/02/2018 13:36

Your dd’s reaction is a bit silly, is it not? How old is she?

I think the email is a good idea. I perhaps wouldn’t have hastily removed her until I’d spoken to someone.

There again, I can’t imagine who thought this was acceptable in the first place...

Hypotenuse · 10/02/2018 13:31

The daily fail can piss off, I wouldn’t speak to them for any amount of money.

OP posts:

DuggeeHugs · 10/02/2018 13:24

Bucky I read the OP and some of the racist thread to DH. Funny and endearing are two things he definitely doesn't find those terms. A friend was called a 'fcking cink' outside Tesco recently - that wasn't funny or endearing either.

BuckysRoboticArm · 10/02/2018 12:11

Hear hear Duggee.

I have Chinese friends and the amount of people that think it is okay to call them chink and chinky etc is astounding. It’s seen as funny or ‘endearing’....what, nope! It’s racist and they hate it.

Wtaf at the play you describe, op. YADNBU.

Hypotenuse · 10/02/2018 12:02

The daily fail can piss off, I wouldn’t speak to them for any amount of money.

OP posts:

Emmageddon · 10/02/2018 12:01

Who on earth decided this would be a good idea? And are all of the participants of the same mentality? I can't understand how, in 2018, a production of this nature would go ahead, without at least one person saying 'hang on a minute...'

I actually hope this is a thread that is picked up by the papers!

NotAnotherEmma · 10/02/2018 11:22

I do understand humour where people take the piss out with stereotypes and an adult can understand that's not how people actually are but can a young child tell the difference?

NotAnotherEmma · 10/02/2018 11:17

I'm not a very PC person, but WTF were thinking with that play?

Onlyjoinedforthisthread · 10/02/2018 11:12

I agree with you OP I can't believe that anyone would think it is acceptable. I often think people look for a reason to be offended but on this occasion you are doing the right thing.

TheHungryDonkey · 10/02/2018 11:00

I'm glad pantomime has moved away from racist caricatures. It's not acceptable to be laughing at racial stereotypes. It's not about being offended on behalf of everyone else, it's about solidarity and as a society standing together and saying no.

Hypotenuse · 10/02/2018 10:43

The laundry was not the problem. Yellow face, awful stereotypical accents, the names, the references, were the problem. Did you read my OP Fresta?

My daughter and I have had a chat about it, she is really upset and says she feels like she can’t trust them anymore.

OP posts:

Fresta · 10/02/2018 10:19

But any Aladdin pantomime wouldn't be complete without 'Mrs Wishy-Washy's chinese laundry'.

Many comedies are based on the playing of a stereotype, whether that be based on a particular race, a class, a time, or an occupation etc. If we are going to be offended on the behalf of everyone else then the world is going to be a very dull place. The caricatures played in a pantomime are just that: caricatures. We all know they do not reflect reality.

Hypotenuse · 10/02/2018 09:54

We’ve discussed it, she’s not going tomorrow and I’m emailing to explain why.

OP posts:

ManagedTeaCups · 10/02/2018 08:48

Yanbu I would pull dd out and say why

DuggeeHugs · 10/02/2018 08:45

Well done on removing your child OP. It can't be easy for you both as she'll have worked hard preparing, but the principle is so important.

My DC are half Chinese and between this thread and the one on racist language (where some posters are tying themselves in knots trying to pretend they're not racist, whilst simultaneously describing their everyday use of racist terms) make me more afraid than ever of what they'll face growing up.

Clem7 · 10/02/2018 08:33

Absolutely disgusting. How on earth did his make it on to the stage? Well done for removing your child, OP. How many more nights of this are they doing??

TheHungryDonkey · 10/02/2018 08:17

I saw a Qdos Aladdin at Christmas and apart from two jokes that I cringed at it was racially very careful. Nothing like this at all. This is awful. Tell them why.

splatattack · 10/02/2018 07:48

Ahhh, thank you!!

KeepServingTheDrinks · 10/02/2018 01:04

Well done for your actions. I totally agree you've done the right thing.

I fear this might get taken up by the dreaded Fail.

If they respond, will you update us?

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tumpymummy · 10/02/2018 01:02

I am amazed that such blatant racism hasn't been mentioned to the production company already. Do all the adults involved in it not realise how inappropriate this is? Absolutely take your daughter out and tell the production company why. Your daughter may be young and upset now but in years to come she will understand why. Would be interested to know what they say when you tell them she won't be in it again. No one would dare black up someone's face nowadays so why is it okay to use yellow?!

Leiaorganashair · 10/02/2018 00:24

splat the original Aladdin story is set in China. Disney has a lot to answer for.

splatattack · 10/02/2018 00:19

Aladdin wasn't Chinese...I'm confused...

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