Is this dress offensive?

[freezingpompoms]

This dress was bought in America 20 years ago. It's a Disney Small World dress that depicts differing nationalities. It's age 2-3.

Someone said they didn't think it's very PC so I just want to check. I'm happy to be told either way.

Why?

What race do you think Jesus was?

Ha ha - I'm also early 70s, but unlike you understand that Jesus was very, very unlikely to have been anything other than a shade of brown. Fucking hell, some people are just beyond help 😂

@ReneBumsWombats The poster in question was offended at “woke” descriptions of Jesus as brown. Obviously Jesus was brown, hence my incredulity. I wasn’t suggesting that Jesus being brown was hilarious (but can see how it might read that way out of context)

Jewish and Middle Eastern. What's hilarious about the idea of him being brown?

Oh I see. Sorry, I missed the context.

Yes, I thought it was pretty well known that he was most likely to be brown and maybe black.

@StillWeRise Do you think the mouth in that picture is an accurate portrayal of a human mouth? Or did Japanese art at that time represent a particular beauty standard that possibly didn’t apply to the entire population?

I think the PP meant that someone thinking a brown Jesus is a woke invention is hilarious, not the other way around.

Ah, sorry. I think you missed the post where the poster implied it was all PC now with "black Santa" and "brown Jesus"

Full quote from MLK on the racist entity that is america:

“We are perhaps the only nation which tried as a matter of national policy to wipe out its indigenous population. Moreover, we elevated that tragic experience into a noble crusade. Indeed, even today we have not permitted ourselves to reject or to feel remorse for this shameful episode. Our literature, our films, our drama, our folklore all exalt it.”

Avoid buying anything there associated with depictions of humans (that includes clothes, films from scum like john wayne and the massacre of Natives, etc.)

Probably because you’re not in the groups offended by such outfits and symbols.

White privilege in action on this thread

That's the work of Utamaro who was huge in the WEST.

Your suggestion is one of the simplistic arguments saying black rap stars say the N word , so it musn't be really racist for white people to use it.....Or Feminists say bitch to each other, so how can be it sexist for men to say it...

Who said I'm white 🤔

I believe Japanese art of the time was heavily influenced by theatre, where actors wore very dramatic, stylised make-up. Those pictures weren't intended to depict the 'person on the street' with natural features.

Maybe? The Asian person looks very exaggerated. I'd ask an Asian person. There no point asking people if they think it's offensive if they aren't depicted here. It's like asking a man if he thinks something female related is offensive.
If someone had told you that then they think it is, so why would wear it if you might offend someone.

How did I know that would be your reply.

Dear me, if you find this dress offensive, don’t whatever you do google Pucca the Korean cartoon character, you’ll be utterly outraged at the depictions on all the DVDs and associated merch currently available to purchase all over the inter.

This.
Some people really need to have a good, hard look at themselves

Wow, are you saying other racist images exist?
Well in that case I completely change my mind about this dress

Obviously it's my response you made an assumption about me, that assumption was wrong and now your embarrassed

No I completely disagree. The reason I knew she was East Asian was her kimono.

Also I think you need to broaden your experience of Japanese girls/women. I can 100% assure you that they do not all have narrow eyes. In fact, my friends refer to my eyes being “Disney princess” eyes as they are rather large.

Therefore “narrow eyes” is NOT an “immutable” characteristic of East Asians. In my opinion, it’s just as ridiculous as suggesting that all Scottish people are pale with blue eyes and wild red hair!

I think you need to educate yourself.

I would LOVE to put my DD in this, it’s lovely. It’s just a cute, adorable dress with little people on. That’s all it is imo.

People are offended by the smallest of things these days t& if you’re that way inclined, you can find something to be upset about many times a day.

Not 1 person I know would look at this skirt & think anything other than cute skirt.

To be fair to Mumsnet, I see this kind of justification and excusing across lots of social media and media. All part of the culture wars and divisive setting people against each other, by drip feeding the message that anyone spotting and calling out racism is "woke" or "race-baiting". or "this nonsense again" when the prejudice and stereotyping is as plain as the nose on your face.

All that tells us is the attitudes and awareness of the people you know.

Isn't the point about the way these eyes are depicted is that it references an offensive way to talk about East Asian people? This is why it's problematic; ok, one reason why (the other being that it's false) and also why many East Asian people on here find it offensive. It would be like giving them yellow skin, or an indigenous American red skin. I think in issues of racism, everyone has to accept the opinions of the people who are being depicted/described and not what we think they should think. We white people have been the source of so much horrific racism for so many years, some humility is now needed.