Is it me or is this article actually offensive

[pinkhighlight]

www.essexlive.news/news/uk-world-news/mum-looks-like-ross-friends-6174343

Thinking about complaining but is it just me or is this offensive? It's the bit at the end that really got me It’s nice to have a little bit of colour, but not the boot polish look
I can't help thinking wtf?

She's 36?!

Anyway, something tells me this was all staged for her 15 minutes of fame. Perhaps after seeing Friends?

Make it darker! Yes spray it twice! No I won't wash off after eight hours, as I was told. Quick get the camera! Ooh look, I'm too dark now!"

She's a troll.

The bit about the boot polish look

I'm pretty sure no one goes for the 'boot polish' look, it's how some of us black people are born.

I'm not sure what's so hilarious about dark skin? I am still unsure why white people find dark skin so amusing

Sorry, the last emoji was a not a

@Blackisblackisblack that's why I'm offended. Why is being dark so hilarious?!
The boot polish look was also offensive imo.

It's not very funny, but it's not offensive imo. The article simply refers to a silly troll who's had an unfortunate tanning mishap, I feel like you're reaching a bit here OP

I don’t think it’s offensive. Its just an article about a bride who overdid the tanning for her wedding day.

I think she looks ridiculous because it is so patchy and it clearly isn't her natural skin colour. Other than that, its just a stupid article - who gives a flying feck about a spray-tan overdose? She's an attention seeking idiot and the journalist has nothing more interesting to write about.

I agree that the boot polish reference is offensive and unnecessary.

It does look like boot polish though? I dont think they are equating it too having dark skin as though that is a negative thing. It would be same if a darker skinned person was putting on light face make up and ended up looking ghostly rather than the aim to look a bit paler/lighter/even toned

I feel like you're reaching a bit here OP

'Reaching' for what, exactly?

If the OP feels offended, she is within her right. If you, don't, so are you..

As I said, OP, it was the boot polish reference that got me.

Let me guess, those that don’t find it offensive no doubt are white themselves

@BridesmaidHelp that's why I gave up I can't really tell who's posting here, because imaging it's offensive or not isn't the same as dealing with constant negative comments in your life about your skin colour then reading something like this.

I couldn't quite understand what is so funny about being dark and the boot polish comment? I find do find that offensive.

Imagining*

I feel like it’s laughing at a (white) person’s idiotic desire to look tanned when it’s clearly not their natural skin tone.

But, as a white person, it’s not really up to me to decide if it’s offensive!

Who on Earth refers to a tan / skin-tone as a "boot polish look"?! What kind of phrasing is that?

@SnoopsCaliforniaRoll

Who on Earth refers to a tan / skin-tone as a "boot polish look"?! What kind of phrasing is that?

I think it's a nod to "black face". All very tee hee without mentioning that she looks like she has " blacked up".

Boot polish has been used in the past, along with burned cork, to "blacken up". Only the really small of brain used it, as it's hard to remove. .
(Because.... certain people do this sort of shit...iyswim)

That's what's making you uncomfortable about the phrase OP.

The woman's an idiot, as are the non black people who " don't see any harm".

I get you OP. I'm Black but I personally wouldn't dignify her stupidity by getting offended when she's clearly looking for it. Hence, trolling with her non-news and idiotic comment.

@LearningMyLesson thanks yes you're right although I've noticed it's in the Sun now and a few other papers and can't help but think just helps justify people finding dark skin a negative thing. ie look how awful I look now I'm not 'the right colour' I've gone too dark.

@pinkhighlight Yes I see what you're saying now. It seems her agenda, and that of the so-called journalists to whom this is obviously such big news it has to go far and wide, is working.

Seems like stealth blackface for entertainment.

As @BlackAndGreen mentioned also.

As a woman with dark skin, I don’t find it offensive at all. It’s not up to me to comment whether white people want to tan their skin or not as I am not them. I think it’s a stupid article, non news worthy and the lady is looking for her 5 minutes of fame.

[quote LearningMyLesson]@pinkhighlight Yes I see what you're saying now. It seems her agenda, and that of the so-called journalists to whom this is obviously such big news it has to go far and wide, is working.

Seems like stealth blackface for entertainment.

As @BlackAndGreen mentioned also.[/quote]

I agree with this, and OP's initial post. It's a way for them to poke fun at "dark skin" implicitly, without doing it explicitly because that's racist

The story reminds me of when H&M put the Black child in the monkey t-shirt; the hiding in plain sight type stuff.

@MysteriousSoup Are you a black woman? Or just passing through?

And your point is what exactly?