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[Buzzati]

You don't have to try as hard as she did to cosplay as her. I think the person above did an awesome job despite not being the same skin tone.

Of course white people gotta steal black characters and reimagine them as caucasians. Racist.

 

[bobbychalkers]

I don't even feel like getting into semantics of whether its racist or not (I got classes to go to and shit, I don't need the headaches.) But its completely unnecessary to paint yourself as another race for cosplaying (fictional races do not apply, do not equate the two). It never looks good. Characters have many more identifiable characteristics than just their race. She could have easily just dressed like her and play up the other characteristics (clothes, accessories, hair etc.)

For example (quick google search

This looks really good, and she didn't have to paint her skin to get that effect.

 

[Mesoian]

But that's criticizing someone over sloppy cosplaying, not over having a certain skin tone. I don't see how that is relevant.

...what?

 

[Alx]

Because there is a history of discrimination and misrepresentation behind it? Because it's most widely used for incredibly offensive portrayals of other races?

That's still the main issue, you have to realize that your history is not universal. That's why blackface is offensive and racist in America, and it isn't in other parts of the world : we don't share the same history, and that's precisely that history that gives context to random things like "dressing up as a black woman".

 

[……forgetit]

Of course white people gotta steal black characters and reimagine them as caucasians. Racist.

No one is saying that and no one does say that. There is nothing offensive there.

 

[DopeToast]

Maybe racist, and definitely in poor taste. Probably could have pulled off the costume without the blackface makeup.

 

[Nev]

So she wants to make a good cosplay of a character she likes, and she's racist for painting her face with the color that character has. Haha this fucking world, I swear.

Pointing out EVERYTHING as racist only contributes to the problem.

 

[DOWN]

Because there is a history of discrimination and misrepresentation behind it? Because it's most widely used for incredibly offensive portrayals of other races?

After decades of this shit you can't just say "alright black people, we're doing it right this time," and not expect us to get pissed off about it.

It straight up isn't cool, it's like saying "why can't I use the N-word, sure it was hateful in the past, but I'm using it as a term of endearment for my friends, so it's okay," It isn't fucking okay.

That's what I figured, and that's why I worded the last question as I did. I just wanted you to give some clarity into your solid rule being stated, since there's questions here about if there was actually something wrong about the cosplayer's act of tribute or if it is about the connotations alone.

 

[RandyBobandy]

You don't have to try as hard as she did to cosplay as her. I think the person above did an awesome job despite not being the same skin tone.

See, absolute no need for black face

 

[Frog-fu]

Doing something that can be considered offensive by certain ethnicities doesn't make you racist unless there is such an intent. It may be ignorant and/or insensitive, but calling someone a racist won't stick unless they're prejudiced.

I'm black. I have no problem with this. Black people cosplay as non-black characters all the time and I don't see a problem with that either.

 

[Slayven]

That's still the main issue, you have to realize that your history is not universal. That's why blackface is offensive and racist in America, and it isn't in other parts of the world : we don't share the same history, and that's precisely that history that gives context to random things like "dressing up as a black woman".

Seems like Germany must have some history of it

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wor...al-discrimination-world-cup-article-1.1840919

 

[ldcommando]

not racist

 

[Mesoian]

That's still the main issue, you have to realize that your history is not universal. That's why blackface is offensive and racist in America, and it isn't in other parts of the world : we don't share the same history, and that's precisely that history that gives context to random things like "dressing up as a black woman".

So it's okay to be racist against arab people or asian people, "because we didn't know"?

Come on man, don't get crazy here. She may have made an innocent mistake here, but it's still a mistake.

Doing something that can be considered offensive by certain ethnicities doesn't make you racist unless there is such an intent. It may be ignorant and/or insensitive, but calling someone a racist won't stick unless they're prejudiced.

I'm black. I have no problem with this. Black people cosplay as non-black characters all the time and I don't see a problem with that either.

True. But as a black cosplayer, I don't cover myself in Ben Nye every time I decide to cosplay someone who isn't black. You don't need to do that, it's unnecessary as many examples in this thread have shown.

 

[TekGryphon]

Another SJW backfire. As a progressive Generation X, I admire a lot of what Generation Y fights for - but sometimes these children just make themselves look stupid as fuck.

This shit isn't blackface. How the hell did these kids get through school and never see a blackface picture?

This was a fantastic cosplay of an interesting heroine. There is not one single facet of this that could possibly be construed as disrespectful to rational people.

 

[Moff]

Because there is a history of discrimination and misrepresentation behind it? Because it's most widely used for incredibly offensive portrayals of other races?

After decades of this shit you can't just say "alright black people, we're doing it right this time," and not expect us to get pissed off about it.

It straight up isn't cool, it's like saying "why can't I use the N-word, sure it was hateful in the past, but I'm using it as a term of endearment for my friends, so it's okay," It isn't fucking okay.

to be frank, although blackface originated in europe, at least in germany that history is completely forgotten. so if that history is the only problem with her cosplay, you can't really blame her. you can ask 100 people around here and I'd be surprised if more than one knew that blackface is.

I'm from the german speaking part of europe, too. and I consider myself very sensitized to all kinds of racist issues. but I just don't feel it here, either. I only know that issue from GAF.

this is something *completely* else than "black culture" frat parties, where black people are clearly not only made fun of but completely degraded.

 

[kamorra]

http://time.com/2911124/racism-and-nazism-are-haunting-germanys-world-cup-campaign/

He's still not completely wrong. As an Italian living in Germany almost my whole life I had to learn how offensive blackface is to Americans here on GAF. The concept isn't very well known in Germany. Racism itself is different too here where you don't have to be black to be hated you just have to be a foreigner. Preferably Turk or Arab. Oh, or Russian and Gypsies! This also explains her remark about being a foreigner.

 

[jwk94]

Nothing wrong here. She just wanted to look like Michonne.

 

[Slayven]

Doing something that can be considered offensive by certain ethnicities doesn't make you racist unless there is such an intent. It may be ignorant and/or insensitive, but calling someone a racist won't stick unless they're prejudiced.

I'm black. I have no problem with this. Black people cosplay as non-black characters all the time and I don't see a problem with that either.

How many of them put on grease paint?

 

[n00bsauce87]

That isn't blackface. Blackface is something used to display a racial stereotype and has distinct big red lips. This is cosplay and anyone offended by it should be ashamed there is clearly NO INTENT to offend here and Im amazed people are.

I do hope you aren't serious. If all you are looking for are big red lips, then I can understand why you may have missed a few signs, obvious signs of blackface during your life upon this planet

 

[……forgetit]

That's still the main issue, you have to realize that your history is not universal. That's why blackface is offensive and racist in America, and it isn't in other parts of the world : we don't share the same history, and that's precisely that history that gives context to random things like "dressing up as a black woman".

As someone already said, the minstrel shows that were popular in the US toured Europe too. Just because you didn't have any black people to be offended doesn't mean it wasn't offensive then and that it isn't offensive now.

 

[LilWayneSuckz]

You don't have to try as hard as she did to cosplay as her. I think the person above did an awesome job despite not being the same skin tone.

This is well intentioned, not racist and the cosplayer isn't ignorant of the idea that skin tone does not define the character

This is what the other cosplayer in question should have attempted.

 

[Kinvara]

Do people not realize how much crap black cosplayers get because they don't have pale skin?
There are plenty of white characters this woman could have dressed as. Black cosplayers don't have that option and there are only a handful of prominent black characters to begin with.

 

[Forkball]

 

[Metallix87]

I hate that people say they find this offensive or insensitive. So what?

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

Fuck it, this thread is pointless

Let's have one about how often black cosplayers get shit on for "not looking the part" aka being black

I hate that people say they find this offensive or insensitive.

So what?

You're missing the Stephen Frye picture

 

[DOWN]

So it's okay to be racist against arab people or asian people, "because we didn't know"?

Seems like many people here don't know what racist means. There's nothing about the cosplay or cosplayer that is racist besides the connotations others see that she didn't. There's nothing suggesting she feels one race is superior to another, which is what racism is.

 

[Souldriver]

How many of them put on grease paint?

Would it be a problem if they did? Your question seems irrelevant to the issue.

 

[……forgetit]

to be frank, although blackface originated in europe, at least in germany that history is completely forgotten. so if that history is the only problem with her cosplay, you can't really blame her. you can ask 100 people around here and I'd be surprised if more than one knew that blackface is.

I'm from the german speaking part of europe, too. and I consider myself very sensitized to all kinds of racist issues. but I just don't feel it here, either. I only know that issue from GAF.

this is something *completely* else than "black culture" frat parties, where black people are clearly not only made fun of but completely degraded.

So if she came out and said "dressing as my favorite n*gger Michonne," should I not be offended then? There's no history there in germane either but you know it's wrong. There literally isn't a difference between the too.

 

[maxcriden]

I do hope you aren't serious. If all you are looking for are big red lips, then I can understand why you may have missed a few signs, obvious signs of blackface during your life upon this planet

But think of all the women wearing red lipstick who they were offended by.

 

[Jburton]

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.

Reparations?

For what exactly?

 

[n00bsauce87]

Of course white people gotta steal black characters and reimagine them as caucasians. Racist.

When this happens, I might actually watch and see if he can pull it off.

 

[KmA]

People are trying to find equivalence between white face and black face. There's a huge difference, one is critiquing, the other is degrading regardless of intent.

 

[abstract alien]

I really, really hate how acceptable it is for black people to do this sort of thing but white people can't. It's not even "blackface". Some people don't have anything better to do than to think everyone is trying to offend them.

 

[Lothar]

Context offers an explanation for why something is not an excuse for it. Also using "sjw" pejoratively doesn't speak well of you.

What other term would you use for this hypersensitivity? SJW is a perfectly good term.

 

[ersocaster]

Not even a little bit racist. She is trying to portray a very specific character; she is not portraying racial stereotypes. Come on people, seriously?

 

[SliceSabre]

Funny how this thread is full of probably a lot of white people telling blacks they shouldn't be offended by something.

Reminds me of the threads where its men telling women they shouldn't be offended by something.

 

[TekGryphon]

See, absolute no need for black face

1. Learn what blackface is, please.

2. If that picture was given its own thread with a different title every single one of you would be in here bemoaning how white people keep white-washing all the black heroes/heroines and co-opting them as white.

 

[Mesoian]

Fuck it, this thread is pointless

Let's have one about how often black cosplayers get shit on for "not looking the part" aka being black

We can't, because when we make that thread, we're told that we should have thicker skin or should choose other black characters to cosplay as.

Meanwhile, in this thread, apparently racial sensitivities don't exist in Europe, even though multiple articles have been posted stating otherwise.

Whatever, fuck this thread.

 

[SillyEskimo]

It's amazing how much better her costume is compared to the linked examples. Her make up goes the extra mile in making her look so much more like the character, which is the intent of hardcore cosplayers.

She's winning the cosplay contest and leaving the white versions in the dust.

 

[Slayven]

Would it be a problem if they did? Your question seems irrelevant to the issue.

If they can pull of the character without using race a trait, then they must be doing something right? That is what I getting from the this, if you are going to be a character you damn well accurately look their race.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

1. Learn what blackface is, please.

2. If that picture was given its own thread with a different title every single one of you would be in here bemoaning how white people keep white-washing all the black heroes/heroines and co-opting them as white.

Why would being in a different thread reverse people's opinions

 

[Arjen]

Assuming that's true, it's still not an excuse.

Assuming it's true?? Discusion would be a whole lot different if it wasn't true.
Maybe not an excuse, it's a good explanation why people have no clue that they're doing something wrong.

 

[StayDead]

She's not doing it to mock anyone, it's not poorly done so I have no idea why it's being construed as racist. She's just cosplaying as her favourite character. Would it be different if she was wearing a skintight suit of a different colour?

 

[Mesoian]

Funny how this thread is full of probably a lot of white people telling blacks they shouldn't be offended by something.

Reminds me of the threads where its men telling women they shouldn't be offended by something.

Considering time to "SJW", you're probably right.

 

[Slayven]

Funny how this thread is full of probably a lot of white people telling blacks they shouldn't be offended by something.

Reminds me of the threads where its men telling women they shouldn't be offended by something.

Damn i am white? BRB going to flex some privilege.

 

[Drencrom]

What's the consensus on the movie White Chicks? Racist or self-aware?

 

[Alucrid]

i like how it has gone from the concept of blackface not existing in europe to europe forgetting about the concept of blackface

we should play a game where we match replies in this thread to the zwarte piet threads

 

[TekGryphon]

It's amazing how much better her costume is compared to the linked examples. Her make up goes the extra mile in making her look so much more like the character, which is the intent of hardcore cosplayers.

She's winning the cosplay contest and leaving the white versions in the dust.

And well she should, she did a fantastic job.

Haters gonna hate, and no one hates like misguided Generation Y social justice warriors. Kids sleep through their history courses and then want to be experts.

 

[Kinyou]

As far as I can tell she's German. She probably had no concept of Blackface.

Yeah, "Sternsinger" (when kids dress up as the three Kings and go from house to house) also occasionally show up in blackface. For better or worse it's not really considered as racist in Germany

 

[Souldriver]

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.

Or even better. Make sure you're favorite tv show character is one with the same skin color as you. That way you prevent being labeled a racist.



My head is spinning.