Cosplayer being labeled Racist for her blackface Michonne From The Walking Dead'
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"So, you're... um.... Courtney Cox from that episode of Friends where they went on holiday? With a sword?".
Zeyphersan
Banned
On the subject; Did people/anyone find this racist in Tropic Thunder? Never heard any controversy or blackface comments regarding it.
You realize that even in the movie everyone was telling him it was racist and that he shouldn't be doing it?
SillyEskimo
Member
Would it be ok if I was black RDJ for Halloween?
Tertullian
Member
I'm sort of amazed at the number of people in here defending blackface. It reminds me of that episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Parallax
best seen in the classic "Shadow of the Beast"
I dont think people really understood the point of his character.
Woody Invincible
Banned
I don't think this is what "blackface" is. . .
John Kowalski
Banned
It's first and foremost to avoid archetypal and racist representations of other races that have plagued media since its earliest incarnations, which are strongly related to racial discrimination.
That said, imo, this is no such case.
Massive Duck. C.M.
Banned
You may have something there
Rocket Scientist
Member
Nothing wrong with it. This isn't like those kids who wear baggy pants and basketball shirts with blackface to Look 'ghetto'. And it's definitely nothing like the truly racist zwarte piet.
That's an interesting way to be wrong
Blackface is always racist. I don't give a fuck what your intentions were.
BumblebeeCody
Member
It's not racist.
The person is most likely isn't racist, but blackface as an act is racist (or at the very least racially insensitive) and really, white people should just avoid doing this shit.
Yeah, I know you really wanted to be that one character from The Walking Dead, but fuck it, consider it the first minor payment on the past due reparations and move on, ideally to a character from a better TV show.
Yeah, I know you really wanted to be that one character from The Walking Dead, but fuck it, consider it the first minor payment on the past due reparations and move on, ideally to a character from a better TV show.
Because it looks like she is taking the piss out of it more than trying to recreate it sincerely. That most looks NOTHING like the character's nose.
Not racist.
I shake my head when ever racism gets mentioned when it shouldn't.
Whether it was cosplay, or a Halloween costume, or a themed party, dressing up to represent a character, irregardless of their skin colour or your own, can't be considered racist, surely? Don't know why I'm asking that when the worlds crazy enough as it is.
I shake my head when ever racism gets mentioned when it shouldn't.
Whether it was cosplay, or a Halloween costume, or a themed party, dressing up to represent a character, irregardless of their skin colour or your own, can't be considered racist, surely? Don't know why I'm asking that when the worlds crazy enough as it is.
……forgetit
Member
I feel like we had this same thread last Halloween and it's hitting the same notes so far.
On the subject; Did people/anyone find this racist in Tropic Thunder? Never heard any controversy or blackface comments regarding it.
They should do a sequel to this called 'Black Guys' where Betty White and Melissa McCarthy go blackfacin' in the hood to solve a murder, with hilarious results!
Yes. When dressing up, you must stick to your race. This is why my daughter will never dress up as Tiana or Pocahontas or Ariel, simply because it might offend black people, native americans and mermaids. She does have the Anna-dress from Frozen, although we're still working out whether or not we're offending Scandinavian people with this (I'm Dutch with Belgian roots, my GF is Dutch with Indonesian, Russian and German heritage).
Messofanego
Banned
Prophet Steve
Member
I don't think it is racist when you are trying to cosplay a specific character. Her "pulling it off" may have been possibly but obviously the skin color makes her look much more similar to the character than not.
I see more problems if you use blackface to portray just a general black character and not a specific character.
I see more problems if you use blackface to portray just a general black character and not a specific character.
Massive Duck. C.M.
Banned
This must be what Canadian Psycho was talking about in the Stacey Dash thread.
Darn loudmouths on Gaf trying to take all the blackface and funny gifs away!
Tell
me
more
Darn loudmouths on Gaf trying to take all the blackface and funny gifs away!
Tell
me
more
problem is, the ratio is pretty fuckin scary :\
CornBurrito
Member
Yeah how weird that people think intent matters. Sorry we aren't all Kantians?
SliceSabre
Banned
I'm black and a friend asked me what I thought of this last night because he's planning on cosplaying someone outside his race.
I'll say here as I told him: I totally get what she was going for here and get she's very true to her craft, however the history of blackface makes this cosplay totally unacceptable and offensive.
I'll say here as I told him: I totally get what she was going for here and get she's very true to her craft, however the history of blackface makes this cosplay totally unacceptable and offensive.
Why?
I agree it was a great performance and I know the intent was to show how dumb it was and laugh at Downey's character. I was just wondering if there was any debate/controversy around it, because without background info it's just some big actor doing blackface.
PhoenixDark
Banned
The problem with a lot of "internet SJW" bullshit is an inability or refusal to understand the idea of context. A white person depicting a black character is not #inherently racist. Blackface isn't just "white people pretending to be black," it was a racist caricature of black people based on stereotypes. That in no way describes what this cosplayer did. The same applies to the celeb who cosplayed as a character from Orange Is The New Black.
Now compare this to something that is actually built around ignorant stereotypes, like fraternities that host "Black Culture" themed parties where they dress as gangsters, welfare dependents, etc. If you can't see the difference between that and dressing up as a character from a shitty TV show you lost. The end.
Now compare this to something that is actually built around ignorant stereotypes, like fraternities that host "Black Culture" themed parties where they dress as gangsters, welfare dependents, etc. If you can't see the difference between that and dressing up as a character from a shitty TV show you lost. The end.
Souldriver
Member
I've always struggled with the idea that dressing up as a person of different descendent/skin color is -by its definition- racist.
I just look at the context of the situation. Girl likes show, girl dresses up as characters of show. Tadaaa. There's a perfect explanation for this, and it's not one of mal-intent. If your skin color doesn't match the color of the person you want to mimick, why not use makeup? It goes every way possible. White to black, black to white, and every skin tone in between.
I know in America "blackface" is controversial because of the historical racist depictions of african americans, but I don't see how it is always dragged into dress up situations today, because the depictions/dressing up today most of the time has completely different reasons/intents/contexts then blackface.
Sometimes I feel that people just learn about notorious examples of discrimination in history, and project it onto contemporary situations, calling them racist, without actually thinking why/how something was/is racist.
I just look at the context of the situation. Girl likes show, girl dresses up as characters of show. Tadaaa. There's a perfect explanation for this, and it's not one of mal-intent. If your skin color doesn't match the color of the person you want to mimick, why not use makeup? It goes every way possible. White to black, black to white, and every skin tone in between.
I know in America "blackface" is controversial because of the historical racist depictions of african americans, but I don't see how it is always dragged into dress up situations today, because the depictions/dressing up today most of the time has completely different reasons/intents/contexts then blackface.
Sometimes I feel that people just learn about notorious examples of discrimination in history, and project it onto contemporary situations, calling them racist, without actually thinking why/how something was/is racist.
Alx
Member
Is it sexist to dress up as the opposite gender ? Is it ageist to dress up as someone older/younger than you are ? Is it xenophobic to dress up as someone from a different country than yours ? Is it even allowed to dress up at all ?
n00bsauce87
Member
On the subject; Did people/anyone find this racist in Tropic Thunder? Never heard any controversy or blackface comments regarding it.
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. WEARS BLACKFACE TO MOCK WHITE ACTORS WHO WEAR BLACKFACE?
Blockbuster blackface
The movie was pre-screened to the NAACP and gave him their endorsement. Gotta do some research bro or we are all just gonna aimlessly toss examples that has nothing to do with OP
Until there are examples of men dressing up women to oppress them, people dressing 40 years their junior/senior to oppress the same they are dressing as, or people dressing up as other people from a different country to oppress them, then you can't compare (possible) racist cosplay to the other -isms for it's not sexist to gender bend, ageist, or xenophobic.
Zeyphersan
Banned
Well now I'm watching Tropic Thunder again
And that was offensive too as well as being a terrible movie.
D
Deleted member 10571
Unconfirmed Member
"Second: i am definitly not a racist, what many people said i hate racists and i have to say that i am not complete german so
"
Fuck you, Lady.
Fuck you, Lady.
Ingueferroque
Banned
Haha
Context offers an explanation for why something is not an excuse for it. Also using "sjw" pejoratively doesn't speak well of you.
Eteric Rice
Member
It's not really racist. It's more insensitive, than anything.
1. Blackface originated in Europe.
2. Black cosplayers get a lot of hate for not looking like the character they're trying to portray. Meanwhile, everyone jumps to this woman's defense for slapping on some brown paint in order to cosplay one of the few prominent black characters we have.
"I'm not a racist, also I'm not really german so don't associate me with those nazis"
Not racist at all.
But hey, we have stuff like this on TV in Europa all the time:
Is that from Little Britain? If so, that's not even the most unsettling example I've seen from that show...
The same organization which was giving Sterling lifetime achievement awards as he racially discriminated against minority tenants....Hardly an Organization to be proud of being endorsed by.
She could have dressed up as Michonne without resorting to painting her skin.
Michonne is a very distinct character, Bandana, Dreads and the only character that carries a sword.
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