Is it me or is this article actually offensive

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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?

Are you trying to make some kind of point?
This is a board set up for a specific reason by MN.
You seem to be here posting for a different reason.

This popped up on my active. I'm white but for me it obviously isn't the idiotic behaviour of someone, it's the boot polish comment. Yes, that is offensive. Generally speaking I imagine my 10 year old reading it, if it is something that makes me feel horrible to explain the etymology behind it then yes it shouldn't be bloody said!

I don’t think the people writing it have given any thought to the fact some people have naturally dark skin. If it is racism it is the type that happens because thought hasn’t been given iyswim. That doesn’t mean it isn’t offensive but I don’t think there is any tee hee ing about ‘blacking up’.
If a black person had made a similar mistake with make up and tried to lighten their skin which then looked daft with their dark hair et would that be offensive to naturally white people?

Glad that you see it too @OrlandointheWilderness.

Helpful of you to post, it was the boot polish comment that was the issue.

That's quite a useful yardstick to use, re the ten year old test. I'd not feel comfortable explaining the term to a young person for the same reason.

Thanks

I'm white and it does seem rather racist to me (or, being as kind as possible, like the woman involved is just not that bright).

no worries @BlackandGreen - yes it is! Amazing what you wouldn't feel comfortable explaining to an innocent child. The world is full of things I hate her having to learn about, that prove the viciousness of humans. I try to balance it out with the kindness and wonderful acts people are capable of too.

I think it plays up to a certain stereotype about Essex women too, as well as the dig about "blackface".
Crappy article overall.

@OrlandointheWilderness

no worries *@BlackandGreen* - yes it is! Amazing what you wouldn't feel comfortable explaining to an innocent child. The world is full of things I hate her having to learn about, that prove the viciousness of humans. I try to balance it out with the kindness and wonderful acts people are capable of too.

You know, that's so important isn't it? So much awful stuff around women too in the news, We keep trying to shield the young ones here from it, but they pick it up. Trying to balance it out is such and effort and yet vital to do.

Some awful, awful things out there. It seeps through, no matter how you try to shield them from it, and of course you cannot protect them forever. My DD is looking at the Holocaust at school at the moment and explaining what people are capable of is a humbling experience.
But it isn't all bad. We must hold on to the light to fight off the dark.

Indeed Orlando.
I think you called on here at about the right time for me to be reminded of that.

Ah OP, you can be offended if you want. doesn't mean that its actually racist. `I live near Liverpool where tanning injections are BIG. The 'boot polished look' ( I feel) isn't a racist remark but more a nod to the extreme lengths white women will go to achieve darker skin. My niece went a shade of dark green in her quest...

Ah @BlackandGreen sometimes we cross the lives of other for no other reason than that!

@GreenLunchBox,
@OrlandointheWilderness, and other friends.
Thanks for looking in here as BMN friends, I appreciate it.
It does remind me that there are those who support BMN, and why it's here.
I'm away for a break for now, before I froth at the mouth.
Blessings to you

It feels as if it is in two stages. Maybe 3.

1. Woman overdoes fake tan and instead of looking like a white person with a tan looks like someone (white)daubed in boot polish.
2. But this initially potentially innocent reference feels uncomfortable because white people ‘blacking up’ were deemed to be daubed with boot polish. I.e boot polish in order to supposedly look like a black person. Wildly offensive .
3. However the skin of black people bears no resemblance to white skin covered in boot polish or any polish at all, or any skin covered in boot polish. So… tanning woman is not referencing looking like a black person, but referencing a look of a white person daubed in polish…which she does not think is a good look. Not because bring black isn’t a good look but because being a white person covered in polish isn’t a good look.

But the boot polish reference throws a bomb into the whole idea.

Yep racist. Also a non event news story.

Genuinely find that quite concerning @GreenLunchBox

Crap article, in poor taste. I am not sure why they published it TBH.

I wondered in because this was in active, so apologies if my opinion isn’t relevant because I’m white, but I read the boot polish comment as a reference to black face and I think it’s offensive and racist.

Not offensive at all,, but she should have just bought a tin of boot polish instead, as it would have washed off quickly.

Where does it say that white people are not allowed to post their views in this forum?