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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Bought a print I love, DH is worried it's racist

999 replies

NC4T · 31/05/2018 21:12

Saw it on IG and loved it. Purchased it for the laundry room corridor, but it's arrived and DH is a little worried it might be racist. I can't see how. To me, it's a mum finding a few minutes of calm in the chaos and I love her babies little sleeping face.

We are white Jewish, for cultural context.

What do you think?

OP posts:

Thread gallery

BertrandRussell · 03/06/2018 12:07

So women doing housework is "just how it is"?

Stripybeachbag · 03/06/2018 12:11

I am shocked that a postcard cost 149 Danish kroner - £17.48 according to Google!

Uyulala · 03/06/2018 12:13

So women doing housework is "just how it is"?

So all art depicting household chores must feature men doing them or be deemed sexist?

As for race, the woman in the picture is a Danish woman. Are we suggesting that when you depict a Danish woman she must be white?

BertrandRussell · 03/06/2018 12:16

Danish isn't a race-it's a nationality.

Bluntness100 · 03/06/2018 12:17

people are still insisting shes a poor impoverished African maid

Who has posted this since the artist posted.

And women doing rhe work isn't how it is. My husband took equal share. Plenty do. It's playing to the stereotype and ptoving my point to suggest it's women's work. Some women do it, some men do it. It's 2018. Not 1950.

Uyulala · 03/06/2018 12:18

It was commissioned by a real woman... A black Danish woman who supposedly baby wears on her back and does housework. This isn't something the artist just plucked out of her racist imagination.

Uyulala · 03/06/2018 12:19

Some women do it, some men do it. It's 2018. Not 1950.

And this real woman in the picture is one of the some women who do it. Why is that a problem?

hmcAsWas · 03/06/2018 12:19

Inclined to agree with Miggeldy

BertrandRussell · 03/06/2018 12:19

I fully expect to be shot down in flames for this- but I have to ask.

Are people missing the point on purpose? And if so, why?

Uyulala · 03/06/2018 12:20

Danish isn't a race-it's a nationality.

That's my point. That Danish people can be black so I don't understand why the race is an issue...

MiggeldyHiggins · 03/06/2018 12:20

And women doing rhe work isn't how it is. My husband took equal share

He took equal share, meaning you also did it. So as I said, women do household chores and raise babies. Nothing in the picture suggests she is the only one doing it

Uyulala · 03/06/2018 12:22

@BertrandRussell

I was responding to this really:
The picture shows a black woman naked but for her baby, plus a book, plus a washing machine, plus a basket containing clothes. Not just 'a woman' and her baby. If the Danes are so free and easy about nakedness, why not portray a stereotypically white Danish woman leaning over her washing machine while her baby snoozes in a typically Danish cradle (maybe visible sleeping outside in the snow in a pram)?

Why would a Dane need to be portrayed as white when it's not a race?

MiggeldyHiggins · 03/06/2018 12:22

So women doing housework is "just how it is"?

yes, women doing housework is just how it is, same as men doing housework is just how it is. In my house children doing housework is just how it is,

We all live in houses, we all have to do housework. Can you explain why picturing reality is offensive.

MiggeldyHiggins · 03/06/2018 12:23

If the Danes are so free and easy about nakedness, why not portray a stereotypically white Danish woman leaning over her washing machine while her baby snoozes in a typically Danish cradle (maybe visible sleeping outside in the snow in a pram)

Wow, that's appalling. Don't picture black women as Danish women, they aren't white and danish enough? Disgusting. Talk about erasing difference.

Uyulala · 03/06/2018 12:25

@MiggeldyHiggins

That was how it read to me too

Bluntness100 · 03/06/2018 12:28

Are people missing the point on purpose? And if so, why?

It seems so yes. I guess so they can argue

QuackPorridgeBacon · 03/06/2018 12:31

So even if something isn’t racist, it actually is? We can’t picture women doing housework because that is sexist? So when I’m cleaning my home am I being oppressed? When my partner cleans the home am I free? So, should I tell my partner he has to do all the housework and all the child rearing because it would be deemed sexist otherwise? Why can’t a woman do the laundry while carrying her baby? The picture doesn’t say she is the only one to do so. And I’m pissed at the comment about her not being danish enough because she isn’t white. Also, why should the baby be in a cradle? If the woman chooses to carry her baby on her back why shouldn’t that be portrayed in the drawing? I’m seriously confused at some people on this thread.

MiggeldyHiggins · 03/06/2018 12:36

Are people missing the point on purpose? And if so, why?

which point do you think people are missing? There are so many epically stupid ones on this thread, mixed in with the terribly racist ones.

Have you actually read the thread? I've been here about 12 years and I've hardly ever been this disgusted, to be honest. The comments are appalling.

WallisWindsor · 03/06/2018 12:37

Uyulala

It was commissioned by a real woman... A black Danish woman who supposedly baby wears on her back and does housework

The black Danish lady should come on here and have her say as the artist just did. My question is, who is benefiting financially? etc.

MiggeldyHiggins · 03/06/2018 12:40

Why the fuck would she come on here to read all the posts calling her an african maid in poverty who has never seen a washing machine before etc?

WallisWindsor · 03/06/2018 12:45

Why not? So she can tell us if the artist is telling the truth, don't you see? Do we know if the artist is telling us the truth?

Do you not understand that the so called black Danish individual might not be benefiting for this 'art' @£17.50 at all? Just like it's happened to other ethnic people?

BertrandRussell · 03/06/2018 12:48

"Have you actually read the thread? I've been here about 12 years and I've hardly ever been this disgusted, to be honest. The comments are appalling."
That's because you don't understand racial, sexual and cultural stereotyping.

Carycach100 · 03/06/2018 13:00

Well, the artist is hardly going to read this thread and come back and say the work has racist/sexist overtones is she?? She has trotted out a nice little cover story which might, or might not be true.HOWEVER i would have to say if I had paid a lot of money to comission a not-very-flattering- picture of me in the buff, I would not be best pleased hundreds of prints were being flogged on SM for a few quid!!

To me the picture is ' you can take a woman out of Africa, but not Africa out of a woman' because of nudity, baby sling and woven round twashing basket live those African women carry on their heads.Who on here puts their wet washing in one of those?a

MiggeldyHiggins · 03/06/2018 13:04

That's because you don't understand racial, sexual and cultural stereotyping

Are you for real? I'm the one saying its not ok to stereotype someone as a poor African just because she's black and babywearing, and you I'M the one who doesn't get it?

Are you fucking drunk? Or just as racist as half the fools on this thread?

MiggeldyHiggins · 03/06/2018 13:05

Do you not understand that the so called black Danish individual might not be benefiting for this 'art' @£17.50 at all? Just like it's happened to other ethnic people?

Wow, you mean the subjects of art generally don't benefit from the sale of art? Who fucking knew? (Hint: literally everyone)

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