So yes, it's hard. However. I am getting so frustrated with leaving unfinished blogger drafts on my dashboard that I figure I might as well give it an actual shot. Just to make things interesting, I think I'll write about something that makes me extremely uncomfortable! Killer. With that warning, then, let's talk about blackface.
The particular case I have in mind is that of two Northwestern students photographed in blackface for a Halloween party this past weekend. If student paper headlines are an accurate barometer (not always the case), it has caused quite an uproar on campus.
One of the pictures in question.Awful, sure. But I'm not sure blackface is their biggest problem.
I don't find blackface to be inherently racist. Like pretty much everything, it's all about context. If you paint your face black and put on a minstrel show, yes, that is incredibly racist and awful. But if you're dressing up as Serena Williams, in blackface, that's just... a costume. It wouldn't even make any sense if you weren't in blackface. Lacking any other information about the matter, I don't see how you could call the intent of those actions "racist."
This is better stated by the case of a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader who decided to be Lil' Wayne for Halloween. Blockquote ahoy!
"The term 'blackface' has a connotation stemming from minstrel shows in the 19th century where white people dressed as black people to embellish offensive stereotypes and racial insensitivity for comedic purposes. Was she painted black? Sure. Was she adhering to the racist undertone that "blackface" implies? I believe not..."I find this comment remarkably sane and reasonable, especially for a blog comment post. So if blackface isn't inherently racist, is it inherently racially insensitive? Well, yeah. Yes it is. But making a questionable decision on a Halloween costume isn't exactly on par with a hate crime.
Hm. so far I have heard opinions from those who view these costumes as offensive, and those who think it is no big deal. I have NOT heard from anyone who is actually offended by these costumes. Do I need to be friends with more blacks, assuming they would be offended? I thought we were past this.
ReplyDeleteI'm siding with you on this one.
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Though I can't call this a "hate crime," I still think it's a pretty shitty thing they did. If someone dressed up as, say, Michelle Kwon for Halloween, and did something to slant up their eyes to "get the point across," as an Asian-American, I would feel pissed off about it. I think there could've been a more tasteful way to have his costume "make sense" to people. The way he painted himself is meant to resemble black people, and he looks so hideous! No one, black, white, or any ethnicity, looks that ugly, so to say that by painting himself in that way was meant to represent a black person is pretty insulting.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they meant no harm, but maybe that's even worse; that they didn't think about what their costume could mean to other people.
I agree with Eunice. Blackface isn't just offensive because it was used to accentuate racial stereotypes. It's also a symbol of exclusion in a society dominated by a white majority. Blackface and Yellowface were used regularly to cast white actors in ethnic roles so that people of those actual ethnic groups wouldn't be hired. Working with people of color on TV, stage or any other medium was simply not going to happen in the early half of the 20th century. Think of Charlie Chan and Fu Manchu. Putting aside the grossly racist way these characters were actually written, they were played by white men, which meant Asian Americans weren't allowed to be seen.
ReplyDeleteBlackface and yellowface was a means of excluding entire groups from participating in an entire industry because of nationwide racism. By putting on blackface today, you are ignoring an entire aspect of the struggle of African Americans and acknowledging that you don't care to learn about why dressing up as a black person for shits and giggles is offensive.
There are plenty of ways of identifying oneself as serena williams. Wear a nametage, wear a garment from her line of clothing 'Aneres' or just tell people who you are. Painting yourself black is just an exercise in poor judgement clearly intended to incite anger and offense.