African American
Related: About this forumPoll: Over 4/10 Americans still think blackface is acceptable
Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/31/blackface-poll_n_4182928.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
According to the new poll, 43 percent of Americans think it's acceptable for a white person to wear blackface in order to appear as a black person on Halloween, while only 37 percent think it's unacceptable. And respondents were almost equally divided on whether it's acceptable to dress specifically as an ethnic stereotype on Halloween. Forty percent said it's acceptable and 41 percent said it's unacceptable.
Blackface was frequently used in stage and later film productions in the 19th and well into the 20th century for heavily stereotyped portrayals of black characters by both white and black actors.
Among white respondents to the new poll, 46 percent said it's acceptable to wear blackface on Halloween, while 44 percent said it was acceptable to dress as an ethnic stereotype.
Black respondents disagreed. By a 68 percent to 21 percent margin, most said it was unacceptable for a white person to wear blackface to dress up as a black person on Halloween, while by a 76 percent to 17 percent most said it's unacceptable to dress up as a racial or ethnic stereotype.
The poll also found a political divide in Americans' views on blackface. By a 59 percent to 27 percent margin, most Republicans said that they thought wearing black face is acceptable, while by a 53 percent to 30 percent margin, most Democrats said it is unacceptable. A 43 percent to 33 percent plurality of independents said they believed wearing blackface on Halloween is acceptable.
The results come on the heels of several instances of blackface that have attracted media attention, including actress Julianne Hough, who dressed as Crazy Eyes from "Orange Is The New Black," an Italian fashion designer who donned blackface at an African-themed party, and a pair who chose to dress as Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman for a Halloween party.
Still, the poll showed signs of progress on the issue. Younger respondents were less likely than older respondents to say that wearing blackface or dressing as a racial or ethnic stereotype is acceptable, with a 41 percent to 31 percent plurality of Americans under 30 saying that blackface is unacceptable.
dchill
(38,546 posts)are basically irretrievably, incorrigibly corrupted Doocys.
AAO
(3,300 posts)bravenak
(34,648 posts)Still stupid.
daybranch
(1,309 posts)Is blackface the painting of the lips white and rthe rest of the face black? That is ridculous stereotyping and I have no sympathy for it. Is blackface the darkening of the skin to appear more like an African America, if so, I am a little conflicted.
As a young boy I took part in a pantomime show in a very poor county school. Four of us boys decided to be a rock and roll group of the era, This was in 1958 or so and many of us did not have television or money to buy movie star type magazines, One of the group, more knowledgeable than I suggested we darken our faces with soot because the music we would be pantomiming was usually from black groups and we wanted to appear more authentic. Maybe somewhere in our small boy minds we meant to cast aspersions on African Americans or as we called them at the time blacks. I do not think so, we only wanted to look like the very popular groups playing the music.
As a proud father of Eurasian children who are usually recognized as hispanic in my daughters case or Asian Indian in my son's case, and can easily pass for American indians by the color of their skin, Should I tell them they must lighten their skin so as not to insult American Indians? Should they also have to change their facial features?
The point is not to create or continue a negative stereotype as was done in the past with Al Jolson movies etc. If my kids play blacks, they do not need to darken their skin much but what if they play snow white? Are they allowed to whiten their skins?
Are we making our children more aware of differences rather than encouraging free rein of their imagination? If my daughter wants to dress as John Kennedy, a President she admires, should I tell her we cannot apply makeup or cut her hair to do so because she is perpetuating a racial stereotype. Personally I find that when my children find things to connect with an other cultures, races, countries etc. I am proud they embrace diversity.
My son in law with shaven head and his own muscles saw fit to darken his face to dress as Mr. T last Halloween. I know no disrespect was meant to Mr. T's African American heritage and he portrayed a TV character. The point is we need to have ongoing conversations, about reality. When an African American plays Freddie Krueger on Halloween, is it wrong to wear a mask demonstrating Krueger is a white guy.
This is getting very confusing for this old white guy but I believe more honest communication should take place about what this means and what the respondents to the question believed it meant. Did they ask whether it was okay to use blackface to demean African Americans?
It reminds me of those polls about Governor Walker which showed he was very unpopular and assumed he would be recalled. They forgot to specifically ask voters how they planned to vote. Is this the same? While I do believe Blackface to demean others is wrong and many in our society unfortunately have no desire to avoid demeaning African Americans, I am leery of polls which may actually be destroying communication and just assuming what they want. If you want a correct answer, you must usually ask a complete and direct question.
M0rpheus
(885 posts)I'll assume you are honest in your conflict. Benefit of the doubt, and all that.
Blackface has been used to promote stereotypes and demean us since before there was film to record it.
The recent backlash is for exactly the same reason. There is no stigma attached to being white in this country.
Just... NO.
If you are encouraging your children to connect to other cultures/races, then you should go all the way. Embracing diversity includes compassion and understanding of differences and sensitivities. Connection without understanding as you state it, generally ends up exploitative in my view.
As a middle-aged black man, I think the conversation should be about whether WE feel it's demeaning, regardless of intent.
This ^^^ is not harmless fun...
Just say NO to Blackface.
JustAnotherGen
(31,907 posts)For all of it . . . just - thank you.
Because it truly is about how we feel about it - not the white man, not the Eurasian. I would not dare to tell a person of Eurasian descent to not feel so bad or take things personally when they are being made into a caricature. That would be arrogant.
M0rpheus
(885 posts)They do not have to THINK about these things until it becomes a "problem".
I don't give a damn about intent because blackface, even in supposed homage, almost always takes a shot at us. Mr. T, Lil Wayne, Travon, Crazy Eyes, "African" parties, the Jamaican bobsled team, etc... those are all punchlines that exaggerate the stereotype. I never see Charles Drew or "black Doctor guy" as a Blackface halloween costume, I wonder why that is?
JustAnotherGen
(31,907 posts)I might be throwing gas on the fire because the book/movie were so popular - even here at DU . . . But I wondered WHYYYY - when we had our first black First Lady - WHYYYY was The Help so popular? It's a bit of a different scenario - but the same generl idea.
The same assholes who looked down their nose at Michelle were holding up maids in Jim Crow Mississippi as examples of "good" black women. The maids' defiance aside - they are no longer examples of shattering America's perception of black women - Michelle is.
This is and was an observation of my Italian immigrant husband who sees things for black Americans as they are - because he has the outsider living inside advantage.
M0rpheus
(885 posts)I refused to read/watch it due to the regular "white savior" trope.
In the movies, black agency cannot exist on it's own. It has to be enabled, otherwise it could not possibly exist.
Your husband is a smart man.
Number23
(24,544 posts)Though I completely understand where she is coming from and feel EXACTLY the same way. Have not read the book, have no interest whatsoever in the movie.
And after reading all of the plagiarism from the white author of the life and story of a black woman who worked as a nanny (of course, that black woman did not receive a dime of the millions made from the book or movie), my interest in the book and movie shriveled even further.
M0rpheus
(885 posts)AAO
(3,300 posts)Because they are dim-witted and a roadblock to civil society. Shame on them!
Number23
(24,544 posts)So much ugly, inside and out.
Number23
(24,544 posts)And tragically, the black face was just the beginning of these girl's ignorance
http://blackamericaweb.com/179619/white-teen-in-blackface-responds-to-black-critics-worry-about-finding-your-dad/
M0rpheus
(885 posts)I stumbled on to that story while falling down a hole on Tumblr.
By the time I got there I was fresh out of outrage. The Halloween blackface-palooza just wore me the fug out, this year.
gopiscrap
(23,765 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)I never understood the blackface thing anyway; and it's so far in the past one wonders just which white kids would want to dress up that way - like the kid who supposedly wanted to dress up as a klan member.
Maybe their will come a day when kids of any race can dress up as a character of any other race and it not be hurting somebody.
I think a white kid could dress up as Mr. T. without blackening their skin - there are many unique characteristics of that individual. Reminds me of the white guy playing Obama on SNL. Or black actors playing MacBeth or what have you. We could have imagination and be less limited.