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Is all blacking up racism?

Grays_1890

Grays_1890

Colin Calderwood
I saw the Trudeau news this week and people losing their utter brick about it and wondered is blacking up as racist as people say it is?

Surely everything is about context?
 
It seems to be a problem in the US because of their specific historical context. They also boycotted the recent British suffragette film because one of the suffragette slogans was 'better to be a rebel than a slave', which they took exception to, but in the rest of the world had no unintended implications

In a British context I don't see it particularly different to drag or Chinese theatre whitening up. If the purpose isn't to mock or belittle, then why not
 
Grays_1890 said:
I think this is where I sit, dressing up as Aladdin I don't see as racism unless you are using it to mock but Aladdin is a fictional person so I am unsure if its offensive to anyone?
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It's probably quite positive that white people identify with non-white characters. I'm sure I remember kids coming to 80s fancy dress parties as Mr T - darkening make-up, jive talk and jewellery. But that's because he was a hero.
 
Gutter Boy said:
It's probably quite positive that white people identify with non-white characters. I'm sure I remember kids coming to 80s fancy dress parties as Mr T - darkening make-up, jive talk and jewellery. But that's because he was a hero.
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It might seem a naive POV but most of this happens at fancy dress parties where white people black up to depict famous black people from history, you could not do it as a white person otherwise and like you I think its probably better acknowledging black heritage and their heroes
 
I think it was fine. But now its a thing, I'd feel like it is not appropriate.

In the US espeically is it associated with taking the tinkle out of black people/ slavery etc? Of course no one wants to belittle such serious things. For better or worse culture is now global so I'm not sure it is okay anymore, although until recently I don't think British or other people dressing up had bad intentions. Recently the EU commission leaders have been 'accused' of it, the Canadian PM etc.
 
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