Cosplayer being labeled Racist for her blackface Michonne From The Walking Dead'
- Thread starter clem84
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Implying everyone on GAF has seen that movie. They SHOULD (it's a good flick
), but GAF isn't a movie forum.SliceSabre
Banned
You can be racist and offensive in a way the doesn't have malice on the surface. Screaming the n-word at blacks isn't the only way you know.
Actually racism without the surface malice is the preferred method employed by racists nowadays.
FlashbladeGAF
Member
How many black kids who love Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman put makeup on to be that character for Halloween.
Makeup wasn't needed to portray the character you want to dress up as as a kid, and it isn't needed now as an adult.
I'm not saying she's racist, but she should have known this wasn't going to go over well.
You can appreciate other cultures without trying to caricature their ethnicity and wear it as your own.
The cosplayer and discussion reminds me of this segment I found while watching Key and Peele:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuXALxFOOL8
Edit: The video ID is a little ironic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuXALxFOOL8
Edit: The video ID is a little ironic.
Wiktor
Member
You can also do it by wearing it and most of the time there's nothing wrong about it.
This is about a girl dressing up as a character she admires. This isn't about you or your narrative.
One can be worse than the other. Like all versions of this thread and discussion though, people doubling down make it worse all around.
She's really just actively displaying ignorance. And that's no huge thing - but again, the threat of being called racist is worse than actually being racist. Her not giving a fuck instead of pulling up or AT LEAST trying to not be blatant joke with that nose only serves to ruffle more feathers.
Come on now, so the nose is not dead on. It's not a huge nose.
Massive Duck. C.M.
Banned
Setting aside this young lady for a moment :
Is blackface really that fun?
Is blackface really that fun?
Clutter up the thread from what? People who don't experience historical racism to tell the actual victims of it "No big deal"?
Unfinished or not that nose is unacceptable, and a clear sign of minstrelsy at work.
Corronchilejano
Member
From what I gathered from the thread, it's actually:
"Are you considering changing your skin tone to _________ as part of a costume? Don't do it, it is insensitive."
People who try to replicate the most superficial aspects of a race with make up are always wrong. They will always look fucked up, and they will always look like comical fools. There is no right way about it.
You think if she would have took the time to darken her skin she would have at least put SOME effort in creating the actresses nose. Not some silly puddy round bantu stereotype of a nose.
frankie_baby
Member
Other physical traits (hair, eyes, ect.) Can be influenced by ethnicity it's all in the genes, so why is it ok to wear different hair or eyes but not skin colour
After 20 years of being on the internet, I am not that surprised. Satire goes over peoples heads.
freeofgreed
Member
I never understood why white people do this. Whenever I see black people cosplaying as white characters I've never once seen any of them paint their faces white (I'am sure it's probably happened but I doubt to anywhere near the frequency as the opposite). I do think intent plays a part with racism but this is still extremely ignorant of her and in really poor taste.
Zen_Arcade
Banned
From me reading the same shit over and over even though it's already been answered. That's the definition of cluttering up a thread. All you're doing is asking people the question you've already gotten the answer to over and over.
Tropic Thunder weeps
this
Ninja Scooter
Member
Implying everyone on GAF has seen that movie. They SHOULD (it's a good flick
I don't know I would imagine that people who post pictures of RJD in blackface as a counter point would have seen the movie.
LegendofLex
Member
This is a pretty good assessment.
And it must be understood that subsuming the features of black people is a practice that has centuries of stereotyping, subjugation, and violence behind it. This sets it apart from imitations of whites (although I'd argue that even that can't possibly be healthy for race relations).
blitzcloud
Banned
but she should not do it! She should use her pale white skin like in the "great" example posted before in this thread....
although many would identify her as the college liberal meme instead of michonne.
Setting aside the context is what made this thread such a mess.
So if you decided to slant your eyes and do anything else to copy an asian style face that would not be wrong because you didn't have bad intentions according to you? Reducing other cultures to caricatures seems just unnecessary and insulting.
She was portraying a specific portrayal of a character. It's like somebody going as "Heath Ledger's Joker" instead of "The Joker".
Massive Duck. C.M.
Banned
b
although many would identify her as the college liberal meme instead of michonne.
I'm pretty sure a plastic katana would clarify things.
Population of the two groups are pretty much equal, right?!
Guess I get to erase the videos of white behaving violently considering how many more videos there are of blacks acting in the same fashion.
Are you serious? Skin color belongs to groups of people, and have been used in the past to prejudice and stigmatize these groups of people. Hair and eye color have not .
Parallax
best seen in the classic "Shadow of the Beast"
She hasnt done anything with her lips
Nealand Liquor
Member
Fucking ridiculous.
I see abso-shitting-lutely nothing wrong with her doing this at all.
People need to stop, take a deep and begin to consider context in this (and other) situation/s. Instantly jumping to conclusions using the logic "White person does X = racist!" without first judging the situation & intent only creates noise and helps nothing.
I see abso-shitting-lutely nothing wrong with her doing this at all.
People need to stop, take a deep and begin to consider context in this (and other) situation/s. Instantly jumping to conclusions using the logic "White person does X = racist!" without first judging the situation & intent only creates noise and helps nothing.
Fair enough
Massive Duck. C.M.
Banned
This is not a good path
SliceSabre
Banned
Not even remotely the same thing.
Its honestly creepy how you're trying to compare the two.
That is kinda a "begging the question" fallacy.
You state some genetic variation are socially acceptable to reproduce in the context of disguises, and wonder "why not skin color, if it a genetic variation?".
Corronchilejano
Member
Some people don't see blackface where other people do. Because apparently, the definition of blackface varies from person to person. This is "progressive blackface" apparently, which means time goes on so the insensitiveness apparently morphs to continue being insensitive while attempting to not seem so.
This is an extremely frustrating thread.
To be fair, considering white people are disproportionately represented within all forms of media, the pool of things for black people to mimic in costume is also disproportionately white. And yet...
You don't think the actress on the AMC Walking Dead is a specific portrayal of the character? The Joker?
You don't have to be hateful to be racist.
You can just be ignorant. Honestly, that's a lot easier to deal with.
Until people start trying to defend ignorance by belittling history, telling others to get over it, or any other form of gymnastics.
it doesn't count because we don't do it as much as you is the logic of a fucking dunce
People wear other cultures fashion accessories all the time. Those Israeli scarves, those chunky Peruvian bracelets or bags. Wearing your hair in a turban could be tied into too I guess?
It's not even in the same vein as Japanese person wearing a Nazi uniform. And it's not 'meaningless' or else you're saying only X group can wear this because it's our culture
Gordon Shumway
Banned
Massive Duck. C.M.
Banned
Keep on truckin
Hey asshole. Stop being an asshole. Thanks.
Didn't take him long to show his true colors
I do think, to the people who are offended by people being offended by this, that you should do some deep soul searching.
Gordon Shumway
Banned
Dat Whiteface doe..
I guess in cosplaying 'accuracy' is something they take a lot of pride in, but they don't really need to. I mean, my sister is really big into Star Wars cosplay -- she even goes to places like Comic Con and does fund raisers and stuff. She primarily likes to cosplay as the stormtrooper-style of characters. I would point a few things out that she does:
1) She gives herself space for her chest. This is, afaik, not cannon -- I don't even know if there are female stormtroopers in the movies, but I doubt it. So, this is a change in the costume, it's not 'cannon' or whatever, but nobody *ever* has ever, or will ever point it out to her. In all other things her costume is perfect. So, you know, you can change things, and as long as the intent and spirit of the costume is in the right place, accuracy for the sake of accuracy is not really necessary.
2) She makes other changes to the costume that have to do with practicality, and not lack of resources. Things like having more maneuverability, and that kind of thing.
So to dodge the obvious: aren't there enough white characters that you like in The Walking Dead to cosplay is (I don't know if there even is, I don't watch the show), instead I would point out that nobody, anywhere is really going to care if you don't focus on accuracy in this instance. Quite a few people, on the other hand, are going to care if you do. That fact alone should have informed the decision here. It's just common fucking sense. The costume as it is, may be quite good, but it is both insensitive, and really detracts from the overall quality of it. Instead of being able to focus on everything else, you're focused on her face. That's probably not what people are focused on when they see the character in the show or comic.
So, yeah, there's always a way to make the right choice in these situations. I don't think this girl did, though.
1) She gives herself space for her chest. This is, afaik, not cannon -- I don't even know if there are female stormtroopers in the movies, but I doubt it. So, this is a change in the costume, it's not 'cannon' or whatever, but nobody *ever* has ever, or will ever point it out to her. In all other things her costume is perfect. So, you know, you can change things, and as long as the intent and spirit of the costume is in the right place, accuracy for the sake of accuracy is not really necessary.
2) She makes other changes to the costume that have to do with practicality, and not lack of resources. Things like having more maneuverability, and that kind of thing.
So to dodge the obvious: aren't there enough white characters that you like in The Walking Dead to cosplay is (I don't know if there even is, I don't watch the show), instead I would point out that nobody, anywhere is really going to care if you don't focus on accuracy in this instance. Quite a few people, on the other hand, are going to care if you do. That fact alone should have informed the decision here. It's just common fucking sense. The costume as it is, may be quite good, but it is both insensitive, and really detracts from the overall quality of it. Instead of being able to focus on everything else, you're focused on her face. That's probably not what people are focused on when they see the character in the show or comic.
So, yeah, there's always a way to make the right choice in these situations. I don't think this girl did, though.
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