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The Aussie Adoration of Blackface
When Australian e-zine, Tangent Mag, uncovered their latest issue featuring a model in Blackface, we felt compelled to ask: Should we really expect anything less from our conscious-deficient counterparts from down under? It was plain old tactless when the ‘über sophisticated’ Europeans decided to revisit the Blackface trend, but can the Aussies be measured by the same stick? Hell, it’s only been about 30 years since non-Whites were even allowed to step foot onto their fair land. Besides, can we really blame a nation founded by penal colony residents for being insensitive and narrow-minded?
Yes (the Aborigines and Harry Connick, Jr. can attest to that).
As we’ve stated time and time again, this futile attempt at generating shock value at the expense of others is dense and wretchedly conventional. These “high fashion” spreads may be absent of bright red lipstick, deranged expressions and other grotesque minstrel-style imagery. However, these new images of haute couture clad lily-white models smudged in brown (or black) make up are totally in keeping with the cunning nature of contemporary racism.
Again, we suggest that fashion’s creatively challenged set utilize an innovative means to create the controversy they seek. It’s rather shocking as well that an industry that embraces being on the vanguard of “what’s in” has held on to the Blackface trend for so long. Perhaps for some, racism is always en vogue. Pity.
Everyone has their take on the whole sordid blackface craze but the fact remains that there are many of us on all sides of the synthetic racial divide that have grown intolerant of this widespread covert racist/insensitive imagery. Who knows? Maybe one fine day, people will realize that racism is a disease, not a marketing ploy.
By the way, Neither Tangent Editor-in-Chief, Heather Cairns nor Creative Director, Emmanuel Giraud were available for comment. Figures.
Hats off: Imelda.com
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I agree with anonygrl!
And for all those where saying whats the big deal and black people aere too “sensitive”, this is why you do not let them get their foot in the door with things like this because they wont stop and make a trend of this. You can thank the weak minded blacks who cosigned their BS and gave them the green light.
Lmao CINMike!! U ain’t lying either. All that “who cares” crap got on my last nerve.
Tactless doesn’t equal racist. Its a word we throw around too often. Black is the in thing right now. Some industries have approached the trend tredding very lightly, fearing that if anything goes wrong they would have to deal with the backlash of an angry black community accusing them of being racist. Others dive in without thinking.
What I would love to see is a black model completely covered in white paint on the cover of a magazine. But then the magazine would be accused of encouraging black people to try to make themselves more like whites.
See what Im saying?
@ CInMike – hahahahahahah! Yes. Talk about proving your point. Textbook!
Ok Sexy Jess. U go on ahead and enjoy your trip into delusion-land. Black faces, white faces, fashion, oh my!
We blacks must be so clueless. How dare we suspect total disregard and lack of repect from others. I mean, black is in, right?
Plus, racism is dead, right?
Save the straight jacket talk for another crowd, “sexy”
Don’t put words in my mouth…I never said that racism is dead & I definately didn’t say that black people are clueless. And I resent you suggesting that since I have a different opinion from yours that I need to be put in a straight jacket.
I just believe that we should save our outrage for a more appropriate time. Like when McCain supporters were handing out fake foodstamps redeemable for Kool Aid, fried chicken and watermelon. Or when the Washington Post decpicted the President and The First Lady as terrorists. Or when Rush Limbaugh spits out one of his random thoughts on black hatred. Not when Disney creates a beautiful black princess, or when Tyler Perry makes a funny movie, or when a model is painted black in a photoshoot. (By the way, I didn’t hear any complaints when Tyra Banks painted her models different races in the last season of ANTM!!)
I live in Miami, which you may know is a melting pot of people from, literally, all over the world. And yet I have come into contact with people who were completely ignorant about other cultures. I had people try to convince me that I wasn’t black because of my “high yellow” skin tone. I have had people who picked at me as a child because I didn’t perm my hair. People have critized me for “talking white.” Once in high school, a hispanic girl dressed up like Aunt Jemima for Halloween, complete with black face and a pillow booty (and the school administrators allowed her to do so)- no lie! So its not like I don’t believe prejudice exists. & I am definately not afraid to call it how I see it and demand that I be respected.
But in this case, I just don’t see it like you do.
P.S. Yes, I stand by that “sexy” in my name. Thanks.
Excuse me…I meant to refrence The New Yorker (not the Washington Post) in my earlier comment about the Obama cartoon. My bad.
“Once in high school, a hispanic girl dressed up like Aunt Jemima for Halloween, complete with black face and a pillow booty”
And thats exactly why you dont allow it to happen in the first place on any level because some one will take it too far and there will be someone saying “whats the big deal, doesnt bother me, there more important things to worry about”. Yeah the little things dont count till they pile up and you have a mess all over the place.
A RESOUNDING YES Clnmike! WE SEE WHAT YOU’RE SAYING!!!!! CLEAR AS DAY BABY!!
Sexy Jess can embrace this “tactless” “trend” all she likes, all by her lonesome.
I am so sick and tired of that “who cares” and “overly sensitive” BS to! “tactless” “racist” people, organizations and publications that dare to depict us such a negative way, and when the wave of backlash comes down on their heads they pull that On it’s arts, or it was meant to be satirical, rappers say it or I didn’t know BS it drives me crazy,
1. The New Yorker cover featuring a cartoon sketch of Barack & Michelle Obama as terrorist calling the cover “satire”.
2. The white female commentator using the word lynch and Tiger Woods in the same sentence
3. Racist comments made by fellow golfer Fuzzy Zoeller about Tiger Woods
4. Don Imus’s “nappy headed hoes” Gate. He figured that since rappers sometimes refer to black women as such that it would be ok for him to do the same.
5. Justin Timberlake’s speech honoring 2 African American basket ball players and using the words “shucking and jiving” in said speech to describe them? Really JT?
I am by no means saying the 5 examples I have listed are as overt as the Tangent Magazine cover or as “tactless or less tactless” but what I am attempting to do is show a commonality here, when Clnmike says “this is why you do not let them get their foot in the door with things like this….” I wholeheartedly agree.
Gia,
Clueless is the right word for it, the question is why are they so clueless.
BlaqCurrant,
I agree, when you dont call them out on the subtle insults regardless of their intentions it opens the door for more blatent racism. It’s about controlling our image and not letting anyone define it for us as they have done since they set foot on Africa.
I agree with some of your points. We do have to call out instances where black people are being portrayed in the wrong light, or when blacks are being mistreated. But I think that we aren’t being selective. It seems that anything about black people that wasn’t created by a black person is racist. The truth is that white people don’t understand us as a culture. And until recently they didn’t care to either!
Since Pres. Obama took office being black has somehow become a trend. White people suddenly want to know more about black people. They are fascinated by us. So of course they try to market “ethnic” products to us, and to white people as well. What was wrong with this photo shoot besides the black paint? Were they depicted as being street whores, or drug addicts, or “Aunt Jemimas”? No.
And on the same note it has become a trend to criticize each and every depiction of a black person that comes to light, without really think about it. In my opinion, the white community is really just getting to know us, and there are going to be some hits and misses, but we can’t jump on their heads unless we have just cause.
By the way, this reminds me of Spike Lee’s recent critism of Tyler Perry movies. His movies are inspiring, uplifting, and funny, but Spike Lee found a way to spin that around too.Anyway…peace out! ;P
@ Sexy Jess – “In my opinion, the white community is really just getting to know us, and there are going to be some hits and misses, but we can’t jump on their heads unless we have just cause.”
Are you serious?! The White community is just getting to know us! That sounds very crazy. White people KNOW us – they know what IS and what ISN’T acceptable or ok to do. That is the wildest statement I have heard in a while. You really need to wake up and stop giving people who don’t give a DAMN about you a pass for insensitive and more than often — racist jabs.
@ April. You would be suprized at just how much wihite people don’t know about us. They learn about us by what they hear on the news or on the radio. And of course we are always being shown in a way that reinforces their stereotypes of us. In alot of places white and black people don’t even co-mingle. So when they do come in contact with us, they don’t even know how to act. Or they go by what they saw on TV, or learned from their parents.
But you’re right. For the most part people know when they are crossing the line.
doesn’t bother me not one bit…..
Me neither. As long as they aren’t portraying us as coons.
We as a culture have to make sure that we aren’t too touchy, sensitive, or easily offended and we have to make sure that if we claim that these types of portrayals offend us, that we are consistent with our stance against them (read: we can’t do them ourselves). Case in point: I do wonder why Clutch readers didn’t have this same issue with the article “Tribal by Herring & Herring for D Mode Magazine” (Nov. 25) where you have Asian girls in blackface. No one commented on that article (see below) and the author touted the photo shoot as “creative/beautiful editorial.” In various spots on the internet I’ve seen that same photo shoot being praised as creative and out-of-the-box, or even as a fresh artsy portrayal of oneness. What! They salved Asian girls with brown paint and called the shoot “Tribal” assuming everyone would know they meant black – cause we all know tribal means black. Where is the outrage? Is it because the model portraying black is white? Do we prefer it on minority people? Do Asian (Latino, Indian, etc.) people have more of a right to portray us than white?
Is it because the author didn’t have a problem with it that readers didn’t have a problem with it? I tend to think the tone that the author takes is the tone that many (not all) readers take. I think if they had written this article from a pro standpoint many would have chimed in with agreement. But I digress.
I’m a beautiful black woman. I expect people to want to look like me and have the physical attributes I have. They try and perpetrate them everyday. Why should I be angry? Because they don’t give nod to where the beauty originates? Well that’s a whole other argument.
The other article: http://clutchmagonline.com/newsgossipinfo/tribal-by-herring-herring-for-d-mode-magazine/
Hi Kamika,
This is Dede – the founder of Clutch. I am the one who wrote the blurb for the D Mode editorial. In all honesty, I was not aware that the women were not Black women until a few days ago when one of our readers let me know. Even after I looked at the shoot again – I was still surprised on how I didn’t pick up on it. It was a grave mistake on the part of my eyes. If I would have caught this – I would have NEVER put it up and it would have had an article about it as well. Believe me….
30 years?
…hahahahahahah. Read a book.
Yawn, I’m so over this…..Is anybody but me finding Clutch articles a bit repetitive lately?
Hi Bored,
Please let us know what’s repetitive. We have been covering issues that keep coming up in the news. Each one has a different but still common thread ( I say this cause I am assume you are talking about the BlackFace issue) We also have some series ( Satan Worshipping Celebs).
If you have any suggestions on topics – please let us know.
Dede
dsutton@clutchmagonline.com or info@clutchmagonline.com
Kamika has a point
Bored people are dangerous. They care for nothing and sanction anything.
Amen
Everyone will have an opinion…it is what we are suppose to have. I stand in the position that I think it is insensitive. It is insensitive to a past that African Americans still stand in today (not literally…let me clarify). I am not a victim nor do I view any other African Americans as victims. However, due to our history it is in poor judgment and in poor taste for any company or organization to take a past that has been so detrimental for millions and symbolize as art. It has become the in thing to do and it just merely stands as an easy excuse for intolerable behavior.
It is sad to say that my generation has lost the fight and voice that so many before us embodied. Its easy to turn your back when you didn’t have to fight.
~Shawna
Shawna, girl you took the words right out of my heart and put them on a page! ;)
Shawna Got A Point (Not That I’m African American, However I Am Black)…
However, I Look At These Things And I’m Not Surprised… We Can Complain And Complain But Its Not Gonna Change A Thing Really…
We Can Be Hyper Sensitive About Princess Tiana and The Magazine Cover, But What Is It Really Gonna Do For Us? Not Much.
Do You Think The Magazine Company Gonna Pull Back This Issue? Do U Think Disney Will Suddenly Have A Change Of Heart I Decide To Portray The “Black Princess” Differently? No.
I’m Not Saying This Is Right But…. I Mean, What U Gnna Do About It?
It Time That We Actually Start Investing In Our Communities, Our Businesses…
Man I am glad you sorry blacks were born in this day and time, leave it to yall back in the day we would still be in chains picking cotton, cutting cane and bending over for a piece of ham.
I think that is exactly the issue…. You love to mention what blacks faced decades ago instead of dealing w/ what goes on today! Maybe if u step out of the past and stop holding on to stories of bondage as if you suffered yourself your opinions wouldn’t be so bias. But then again I have met so many people like you that would love for blacks to play victim over and over and over again. No I’m not going to play a victim and no I’m not offended by a white woman dressing up in black paint… I wonder if you find it offensive for black women to dress up “white face”(LOL) w/ long straight lace front wigs hanging past their butt lol probably not! I’m sure your passion for suffering is only extended to yourself… and “your people”…. Plz… Ur bias is showing!
What are you talking about?
Your already the vicitim
Forgetting history means your doom to repeat it.
If you did then you would know that what happened in the past is directly related to what goes on today in and outside of the community regardless if it’s education, health issues, or race.
A simple thing like understanding that a group of people was so dominated by another group of people so completely that the oppressed group was not even allowed to define their own self image let alone how the world sees them leading to a sense of worthlessness that anybody can come in and define who they are with out any consideration to them. Forever keeping you at the bottom of the pecking order, nothing belongs to you not, your mind, body, or soul.
Now you want to be naive enough to believe that when someone is pissing on you it’s raining cause they said so then thats on you partner.
Im not taking that shower.
Ive come across too many who never had to knuckle up for anything in their life because someone else did it for them and then turn around say it “doesnt matter, too sensitive, there are other things to worry about…”
I dont know about you but I can multi-task and handle more then one.
You dont want to deal with it fine move on, leave it to those who dont find it a compliment.
As for the black women painted up white.
Yeah IF I WAS A WHITE WOMAN I would give it the side eye if I wasnt aware of my own white privilege that allows me to dismiss it.
But since I am a black man I will borrow your line and say “doesn’t bother me not one bit…..”
So Rhub B are you suggesting that we as Black men and women or African Americans (whatever your self expression is) forget our history? Now, I am not talking about the selective history you learned in middle or high school. I am talking about the history that is uncomfortable to talk about. No, I may not have suffered. However, I have been discriminated against, prejudged, perceived too-white because I can “speak intelligently” (the quotes are taken from the White man’s mouth)….that would conclude we have not come that far. You compared “black face” to that of Black women wearing weave down their backs….okay, I hate to sound condescending. However, could you not come up with a better comparison? Most of the time, White women do not have hair down to their back….wrong ethnic group sweet heart. Extensions are not taken and made from the White woman. The idea of “black face” is representative of something so negative and demeaning to the our culture. I feel sorry that you stand on the outside of that, yet I can accept your opinion (thankfully that’s all it is).
Honestly I agree with Sexy Jess, Rhue b, Kamika, Nayomi Kirton, and Bored. First I feel like we as a people are really sensitive. I don’t really see us loving who we are. We degrade and hate ourselves most of the time with things like our hair and skin color. Most of the negative comments I’ve received have been from Blacks. A white person never made fun of me for having a darker complexion. We don’t respect our own communities and call everyone who really has their shit together sellouts. All the people we idolize are thugs or drug dealers. The list goes on and on. Sometimes I don’t feel that people are being racist but we are insecure. I am getting bored with this subject as well. I personally don’t see it as offensive. From someone who loves and studies art, photography, and fashion I think it is a cool picture. I can’t say that it was done from a racist perspective. If it was, oh well. We should stop bitching and start working on becoming a better group of people. It’s not that we have stopped the fight but we should redirect the focus to ourselves instead of others. We need to be able to live regardless of what others think..
^Totally Agree Ashley on most things…
I Know Why Someone Would Find People Would Find This Offensive… Blacked Face Aussie + Minstrels, I Get It. What I feel Is That People Spend To Much Time Being Offended And Being The Victim Because Of The Past; Obviously Our Past Has Set Us Back. However, What I’m Sayin That Was The Past And We Were The Victims But We Only Continue To Be Exactly That If We Let OurSelves Be That
“I can’t say that it was done from a racist perspective. If it was, oh well.”
OH WELL WHAT THEN????
I think it’s great that Clutch provides a voice for those who are uncomfortable with these types of issues. For all you SO The F**K WHAT – ERS: Please just don’t comment. It’s painful enough to see that there are black people who can say “Oh well, I don’t care if it was done from a racist perspective.” Keep off the comments if it’s that unimportant and insignificant to you. And keep your rage towards other black folks who dare to express their feelings about racism to yourselves. It’s rather humiliating. I actually don’t mean this in a malicious way, but just let black folks express their own emotions. It really doesn’t harm anyone to discuss the trend of non-black models painted black. But some feel harmed by the images.
Plus, seriously, can anyone tell me why the fashion has a huge decrease in black models, but an increase in painting non-black models in brown, or pitch black like this model? Is there a decrease in black women who are good enough to be models or something. Chanel Iman can’t be the best thing going. IMO she’s sorta plain and not to cute, lol.
For those who can’t read and comprehend, instead of worrying about how other groups feel about us we should be worrying about ourselves. It shouldn’t matter what anyone else thinks. At this point black people aren’t even at a disadvantage anymore. If someone doesn’t like black people fuck them and move on. We have more power and influence than one may think.
As far as there not being as many black models, someone needs to do their research. Compared to past years there is a great increase. There are thousands of black designers so obviously there are black models.
And just like you have your comments, I have mine. I just think we need to move on instead of constantly bitching.
” instead of worrying about how other groups feel about us we should be worrying about ourselves.”
Really? That idea didnt seem to work for the Jews during the Holocaust, the Aborignes’ lost generation, or the Palestines struggleand on and on. Im sure what other people thought of them had no effect on their lives.
” At this point black people aren’t even at a disadvantage anymore.”
Yeah? Try being unemployed and putting a resume in, Clutch has a nice article about whitewashing on that.
“As far as there not being as many black models, someone needs to do their research. Compared to past years there is a great increase. There are thousands of black designers so obviously there are black models.”
Riiiiiiight so all the black models complaining about not getting enough work is just them bitching right? And how many of those thousands of black designers are are on the level of those high end fashion houses? Better yet what does that have to do with them painting up someone black when they can get the original?
“I just think we need to move on instead of constantly bitching.”
Move on if you want no one is stopping you.
@Clnmike….I’m not sure why they insist on debating with you or the topic in itself? However, great points. I wonder what the background and age of these individuals that are so tolerant of this? It has to be a generational attitude…
Shawna,
Lol, I think your right you got to wonder what the background of some of these people are or at least their age.
Thanks CInMike. I don’t even have to clarify things because you addressed all the gaping loopholes by the lost ones;)
I agreed with everything Ashley said up until she said…Oh well if they’re racist. Its not okay to be racist, but I understood what she meant.
And Sandra I agreed with everything you said until you said: “Keep off the comments if it’s that unimportant and insignificant to you. And keep your rage towards other black folks who dare to express their feelings about racism to yourselves.” I didn’t sense any rage in Ashley’s comments, however I do sense some in yours.
These blogs are open to any opinion, and anyone should be able to express it. I’m glad that Clutch brings these issues to light as well, but I have the right to agree or disagree with any statement made here.
News Flash! Black has been in, ever since the ships started sailing toward Africa. Many many many many Moons ago. They’re just still trying to make it thier own, and it’s oxymoronically, “GNR” The truth shall set us free!!! The whole truth and nothing but the truth, SO HELP US GOD!!!!!
First, please take that “victim” BS somewhere else! That ish is tiresome, from all the comments I have read, no one appears to be playing the “VICTIM”. Myself along a couple of other commenter’s are just plain tired and intolerant of this lax attitude of “who cares, overly sensitive, too touchy, easily offended” when it comes to racism or “subtle insults regardless of their intentions” and especially when it pertains to how WE feel about seeing a white model painted in black face, and the same goes for Kamika’s comments about “Do Asian (Latino, Indian, etc.) people have more of a right to portray us than white?” The answer is HELL NO!!!!
Reading some of these comments that take on a certain “bias”, I am referring to the comments that lack a certain understating & empathy for those of us who maybe offended by seeing a white model in white face, as one commenter stated “Not That I’m African American, However I Am Black” In MY personal experience with CERTAIN Blacks e.g. Africans, People form the Caribbean, etc there seems to be this judgment of African Americans about how we see, feel and acknowledge racism here, I would not begin to assume the ethnic make up of “Nayomi Kirton, Rhue b, Ashley” and others who have expressed this permissive attitude of “who cares” in regards to this article but some part of me wonders if the differences in perspective are more on a cultural level, any way I digress.
@ Nayomi Kirton “I’m Not Saying This Is Right But…. I Mean, What U Gnna Do About It?” Me & Mine are going to fight like hell to change things, we may not always come out on top but “we will fight the good fight” as my 104 year old grandfather use to say, you don’t just except it when someone kicks sand in your face, not matter how fashionable or creative or artsy or “outside the box it is” racism isn’t always blatant and in your face, subtle and “insensitive” is what’s hot right not dear. Thank GOD Dr. King, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, Shirley Chisholm, Nelson Mandela, Frederick Douglas did not have the same lax attitude of “I’m Not Saying This Is Right But…. I Mean, What U Gnna Do About It?” or as Clnmike stated “…we would still be in chains picking cotton, cutting cane and bending over for a piece of ham.”
@ Ashley
“We don’t respect our own….”
“All the people we idolize are thugs or drug dealers.”
“I can’t say that it was done from a racist perspective. If it was, oh well.” WTF???
To Ashley – “We” Ashley?? You only speak for YOU, and please do not generalize all us black folks/ African Americans, we do not all come from the same place, nor do we all have the same like experiences, for all you candor about “us not respecting our own, idolizing thugs and drug dealers the mere fact that some of us are up in arms over this whole white model in black face issue weakens your assumptions, contradicting yourself much?
And don’t give me this BS about “From someone who loves and studies art, photography, and fashion I think it is a cool picture….” Because I am also someone who loves and studies fashion, art and photography and this picture is not “cool”, it is insulting and disheartening and insensitive, stick that in your bag of “regardless of what others think”
@ Clnmike – Thank you for snapping back and the delusional Ms. Rhue b “I dont know about you but I can multi-task and handle more then one.” CLASSIC!!! I love your style brother!
BlaqCurrant, my viewpoint on this is not “intolerant” at all. So please don’t be intolerant yourself, and assume that I am because I don’t agree with you. I don’t know who this, “we” is that you are referring to. My comments were directed at the article and not the commenters. If the images offend you then, so be it. You have that right. I also have the right to say the images don’t offend me. Point taken and touche on both sides.
I also take offense to the implication that because some of us are less if not offended at all that we are implied to be ignorant or blind or even devoid of historic knowledge. That’s a stretch. We just don’t see it, this image, the same way. I’m from the school of thought that every thing doesn’t have to be viewed by the social construct called race.
I noticed that no one, other than DeDe, still has said anything about the article I linked to. If this is so offensive, I’m surprised the attitude about that article is still so, wait for it, “LAX.”
I’ll say something, it’s offensive too now that I know. The point here isnt how good it looks but that it it not us. There are plenty of blatently racist imagery out there that are worthy of being hanged on the wall of a museum yet no one will dismmiss the message and intent behind them because there artisitc. Funny how we find so many people here willing to.
@ Kamika
It was not my intention to imply that you and others who do not take offense to this article are “ignorant or blind or even devoid of historic knowledge”. I do however find it a sad (for lack of a better word) that you and others who feel like do “…..just don’t see it…” How can you not “see it” especially knowing the history of one of the ugliest chapters in American history (an no I am not playing a victim of the past), it kills me to read some of these comments that say so what, it’s art, it’s fashion so that makes it ok, since when did it ever become ok for a white person to be in blackface? No matter what the intention, I guess for some folks anything goes if it’s all in the name of fashion & art, and I say again HELL NO!!! And I agree with you “that every thing doesn’t have to be viewed by the social construct called race.” But there is no denying the association of blackface with racism. But as long as the person in blackface is a fashion model, and on the cover of a fashion magazine who’s it hurting? Right? I mean it’s not like that fashion model is playing the role of the “happy-go-lucky darky on the plantation” or the “dandified coon “. Right?
As for the other article that you keep throwing up all through you comment, I have not read that article, nor have I seen the image, but I’m sure I’ll be just as offended by an Asian in blakface just as I am by a Caucasian in black face.
In case you missed it …I had already answered your question in your previous comment.
“Do Asian (Latino, Indian, etc.) people have more of a right to portray us than white?” The answer is still HELL NO!!!! Was that “LAX”?
I am soooooooooooooooooooooo over the knee jerk “that’s racist” response that Black people give to everything that pertains to us not done by us. 1) Racist is a heavy word and accusation….at least use the term racially insensitive. 2) I think we’re just programmed to see a painted Black face and get pissed off. This photo was cosmetically styled for a high fashion/high art magazine. The contrast of black paint (which reminds me more of the oil bands at Trini Carnival than of Amos and Andy) on the face of the pale, red headed model is eye catching and visually stimulating. I’ve seen many a fashion phot of dark skinned Black people painted with powder pale makeup for contrasts sake – are these images taken as being insensitive to white people or reflective of a magazine that won’t use White models so it paints Black models White instead? I’ve also seen photos of White models done up in traditional garb and Native American/Indigenous fetaherhead….are these publications guilty of the same insensitivity or “racism” that people are accusing this Austrailian Magazine of? No. Would these it illicit the same response if a magazine photographed a light skin Black person in blackface?
“I’ve seen many a fashion phot of dark skinned Black people painted with powder pale makeup for contrasts sake – are these images taken as being insensitive to white people or reflective of a magazine that won’t use White models so it paints Black models White instead?”
Maybe the images of a black person in a powdered pale made up face would be offensive to a white person if their history was one of slavery and oppression. But it doesn’t bother me. As for as “white models done up in traditional garb” why don’t you ask a Native American, Middle Easterner, or an Indian what they think, I am sure their responses would run the gamut just like the responses here.
I agree that there is a major difference in being racially insensitive and in being racist, the lines can and do get blurred sometimes, especially on the subject of Art.
“I’ve also seen photos of White models done up in traditional garb and Native American/Indigenous fetaherhead….are these publications guilty of the same insensitivity or “racism” that people are accusing this Austrailian Magazine of?” – Yes these publications are guilty of the same “insensitivity” as far as I am concerned.
“would these it illicit the same response if a magazine photographed a light skin Black person in blackface?” They would illicit the same response from me if that publication was an Australian, European, Asian, Latin, etc publication.
There is nothing “knee jerk” about a white person in blackface no matter how “in fashion” black is or how artistic and out side the box the image is.
“eye catching and visually stimulating” …Yeah ok, a dark skinned black beauty would have been just as or even more so “eye catching and visually stimulating”.
Nothing can ever replace true melanin.
I find these pictures of White people painted Black offensive and I think they do it to wind us up and make fun of us and to make trouble. Check out Youtube for the Australian Jackson Jive video and see for yourself.
However, I notice these days that there are many Black people who instead of speaking up for something that is done to degrade Black people, will openly embrace it. I suppose it’s the sign of the times we live in. Most have been brainwashed and are so busy either trying to be White or sucking up to White people (playing Uncle Tom and kissing ass) that they can’t see when we are being blatantly insulted and degraded and don’t care anyway, as long as they can fit in.
In the meantime, I always have to wonder why some White people who don’t like Black people and claim to be racist will sit in the sun toasting themselves trying to look like us, one has to wonder. As, I said already, nothing can replace naturally occurring melanin.
“It’s only been about 30 years since non-Whites were even allowed to step foot onto their fair land.” Uh. What?
I suggest that if you would like to make socio-political comments on the current use of “blackface” in some publications, you might want to leave the xenophobic remarks out of your commentary. Your summation of Australia’s cultural values as ‘conscious-deficient’ highlights your own ignorance of Australian culture. If you do not have the journalistic capabilities to write an article without fuelling the issue with your own bigotry, you should find a new occupation.
I assume you have access to the internet: make use of it and research Australian values thoroughly before you blame an entire country for the idiotic actions of some individuals or publications.
And, as for Australia being a penal colony, you may want to research early American history properly too. America was also a penal colony. You may also want to research what sort of individual was sent to Australia and what type of crimes they committed. As it stand, you are not only a bigot, but a classist as well.
You are an embarrassment to our profession.
So the Cronulla Riots in 2005 didn’t exist? Oh wait…let me guess, Australia’s immigration policy is much more relaxed than the American immigration policy? Are you also saying that your aboriginals have not been enslaved?
As far as I’m concerned, journalism isn’t an occupation or profession anymore…its a damn pass time and for you to hold it on this pedestal is to further yourself in a pit of denial.
The author is allowed to express her opinion and if you don’t like it then leave!
And the objectivity and partiality that you are so fond of in the “journalism” field is a myth that media outlets use to keep themselves “relevant”. We all know you are guided by media corporations who decide what you say and what you do…
But hey…everyone needs to feel important and if that’s your fix than more power to “ye”!
Cosign Dot.