Is blackface still racist?

For Halloween, it’s still a costume, but in general, it doesn’t seem right to me. I’m not a big fan of culture, but it still seems naive (if not offenseive) to think you can mock something like that. The first time I saw it, it was a Japanese rap group that painted their faces black and dressed in urban wear. I was appalled and speechless.

In my book, HELL YES!

Because it has so many historic overtones of racism, I would find it unacceptable even in a benign setting.

Yes.

If it’s done by a racist individual then yes. If it’s done by a non racist individual then it’s just offensive, inconsiderate and ignorant.

How are we still talking about this? I don’t think it’s ever become not racist. Just because people don’t get what they’re doing when they’re doing blackface and others around them don’t have a damn clue either doesn’t mean it isn’t.

Unless it’s actually meant to be racist, then, no, I wouldn’t say so. I think it’s only an issue because we haven’t truly resolved the civil rights movement. So I realize there are still issues with racism today, and yeah, if somebody wants to shoot you for your race, then it’s a serious problem. But as far as a Halloween costume is concerned, and if it isn’t a stereotype, then let it go. It’s just a costume, so if your children want to go trick-or-treating as Riggs and Murtaugh, then go ahead, be authentic.

Seems pretty racist, but I guess you won’t know until you try it.

Yes, even if one was dating Whoopi Goldberg. ;-)

A genuine bbc show from the “dark ages”.......no pun intended, unbe-fuckin-lievable

I’m torn with this. For me it depends on how it is used. In theatre all kinds of stage makeup is used to change the way people look, I don’t see any of it it as racist if it is not used to mock. I say this because, I once saw a blond, white girl play Kim in a professional production of Miss Saigon (Kim is meant to be Vietnamese so, of course this girl was made to look more Vietnamese with make up). It is rare to see a European looking girl play this role and there are not a shortage of talented eastern Asian girls in theatre so not sure why she was used in this role but it certainly wasn’t for racial reasons seeing as there were two girls alternating the role and one was of Easten Asian decent. I don’t see how make up being used to make someone look Asian in a serious role is anymore racist than using blackface to make someone appear black in a serious role. The way it has been used in history is most certainly racist but that doesn’t mean that all use of it is racist.

@Leanne1986

The term “blackface” has a very specific meaning beyond just simply someone using stage makeup to portray a black person. For this reason, likening it to an Asian portrayal is not a valid equivalent comparison at all. Apples and oranges.

Blackface specifically references the minstrel era when the makeup was anything but a natural shade of skin found on any real-life black person.

It was a literal midnight black and also featured prominent white thick outlining of the lips. In other words, a cartoonish, over-the-top characterization.

And anyone interested in racist connotations, should take a look at what happened when Ted Danson and Whoopie Goldberg tried it.

She is (obviously) a black person and neither she nor Ted had the least intention of racism. They were in a romantic relationship with each other at the time, for crying out loud But that’s not how it was perceived by others who found it tasteless and offensive. And in that case perception was reality.

This entire issue is similar to any white person’s use of the N word to try to show how cool and accepting they are of black people by imitating the casual usage of it happening constantly among their black friends on an everyday basis.

Just witness the Imus incident for a perfect example of that.

It certainly may not have any racist intention, but it will be perceived that way. Why? Because of all the racist baggage that is associated with that word. Same thing for Blackface.

There is no good reason for anybody using either of these There is no helpful purpose served.

That’s just the way it is. If one does not want to be perceived as racist, steering a clear path of these two items is the clear choice. You may not agree with others perceptions of racism, but it is what it is. Way too many hurtful historical associations connected to both.

@Buttonstc I should have made it clear in my answer that I don’t agree with the whole minstrel show use of blackface and in my mind, when I likened it to the white girl made to look Asian, I was thinking more along the lines of black stage makeup rather than the stereotypical face paint used in the minstrel shows. Sorry.

I understand what you’re saying. And I don’t think anyone would have a problem with regular stage makeup. I forget the title, but there was a movie about a white guy who applied for a scholarship and hhad to be a black guy for the interview since that’s what he stated himself to be in his application.

But Blackface is a very specific term which specifically references the minstrel use. I’ve never heard of it being used in any other context.

The use of regular stage makeup and stage effects like wigs, etc. (whether for Asian or black or anything else) is NOT called blackface. It’s just basic stagecraft.

That’s all I was trying to point out.

@Buttonstc Then we’re probably on the same page I just didn’t word my original response very well.