Simply applying paint to your face isn’t racist, but if you’re doing so to impersonate a different racial group it’s definitely a racially insensitive thing. You might have no malice in doing so, but by virtue it is a form of mockery.
I’m not sure how to tell you this, but it is racist and if you think your example is proof to the contrary you really don’t understand.
Black face originates from a racist depiction of black people and while it may not get the criticism it does in the US, it’s still racist.
A big part of why racism against blacks is such a big topic in the US is because there are so many more than in Europe. There is estimated to only be ~10 million Black Europeans of African descent, while the US has ~42 million. Just because you don’t know someone that it offends doesn’t mean it isn’t racist.
This is the exact same argument I heard growing up in the Southern US. I had something like 10 black people at my school and some of them had confederate flags on their cars. The Confederate flag was considered a symbol of Southern heritage to us, with no malice behind it, furthermore it didn’t seem to offend anyone. All the same it is still racist to fly a Confederate flag.
Yeah, the US had a lot of slavery and it’s been an ever-present spectre of our history, but it’s also made us acutely aware of racism. I’ve now given you 5 different links with 2 of them coming from Black sources saying they feel like the practice is racist. One of the sources even includes the Dutch Prime Minister changing his opinion about Black Pete celebrations noting that it was offensive to others.
Even if it were just black people in the US who say it’s offensive, isn’t that enough? Surely you’re not making the argument that it’s only offensive if it’s done in the US, but totally not racist if done outside of the US?
If you want to continue strawman attacking the character of people in the US, or the US’s past, rather than having meaningful debate that’s on you, but as it stands I’ve pointed out multiple sources that say it’s racist or at least offensive to an racial group.
Look man, even if I provide you with 5 opinion pieces about it that say it’s okay would it change your mind?
Do you think black Pete or Belgium are the only ones with traditions like that?
What’s offensive or not is upon the people to decide and blacks in the US do not speak for the rest of the world.
You know there’s also black people nit offended by some or all of these traditions. What now?
Being especially racist also doesn’t make a country experts on racism. If it were the case the US wouldn’t be as racially divided as it still is. I’d argue it’s way, way worse then most first world countries to be honest.
Blackface is a very American thing that lots of people in Europe don’t give a shit about
I’m curious what your point is, are you saying black face is only racist in the US?
Essentially yes. The application of paint to one’s face by itself isn’t a racist act.
For some reason it’s seen as the epitome of racism in the US, but that’s a cultural thing.
Simply applying paint to your face isn’t racist, but if you’re doing so to impersonate a different racial group it’s definitely a racially insensitive thing. You might have no malice in doing so, but by virtue it is a form of mockery.
It’s not a form of mockery, that’s just the US cultural interpretation of it.
If I put on an iron man suit I’m not mocking iron man. If anything I’m giving him credit for being a cool dude.
Context matters.
I’m not sure how to tell you this, but it is racist and if you think your example is proof to the contrary you really don’t understand.
Black face originates from a racist depiction of black people and while it may not get the criticism it does in the US, it’s still racist.
A big part of why racism against blacks is such a big topic in the US is because there are so many more than in Europe. There is estimated to only be ~10 million Black Europeans of African descent, while the US has ~42 million. Just because you don’t know someone that it offends doesn’t mean it isn’t racist.
This is the exact same argument I heard growing up in the Southern US. I had something like 10 black people at my school and some of them had confederate flags on their cars. The Confederate flag was considered a symbol of Southern heritage to us, with no malice behind it, furthermore it didn’t seem to offend anyone. All the same it is still racist to fly a Confederate flag.
To help out here is an article that talks about the subject https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/30/europe/belgium-blackface-colonial-history-intl/index.html
So your evidence is an American written article about why something perceived as racist in America is racist anywhere?
You’ve gone full circle, dude.
You know it might also have something to do with that tiny thing about the southern states and slavery and so on.
Let’s just agree to disagree, you are missing my point entirely and keep doing so.
So your first rebuttal is going to attack my source when you originally referenced Marvel Comics…
Your next rebuttal is a strawman attack which does nothing to refute the rest of my argument
And then finally you just back out of the discussion. You really showed me.
If you want, here is an article by Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/features/2020/12/4/the-netherlands-black-pete)
Here is one from the Netherlands branch of Humanity in Action (https://humanityinaction.org/knowledge_detail/black-pete-analyzing-a-racialized-dutch-tradition-through-the-history-of-western-creations-of-stereotypes-of-black-peoples/)
Here is one that is from the US, but includes quotes and comments from afro-spaniards (https://theblackwallsttimes.com/2023/01/05/european-peoples-obsessions-with-blackface/)
Here is one from Afrofeminas, a Spanish anti-racism group (https://afrofeminas.com/2022/12/21/4-razones-porque-los-pajes-negros-de-alcoy-son-violencia-2/)
Yeah, the US had a lot of slavery and it’s been an ever-present spectre of our history, but it’s also made us acutely aware of racism. I’ve now given you 5 different links with 2 of them coming from Black sources saying they feel like the practice is racist. One of the sources even includes the Dutch Prime Minister changing his opinion about Black Pete celebrations noting that it was offensive to others.
Even if it were just black people in the US who say it’s offensive, isn’t that enough? Surely you’re not making the argument that it’s only offensive if it’s done in the US, but totally not racist if done outside of the US?
If you want to continue strawman attacking the character of people in the US, or the US’s past, rather than having meaningful debate that’s on you, but as it stands I’ve pointed out multiple sources that say it’s racist or at least offensive to an racial group.
Look man, even if I provide you with 5 opinion pieces about it that say it’s okay would it change your mind?
Do you think black Pete or Belgium are the only ones with traditions like that?
What’s offensive or not is upon the people to decide and blacks in the US do not speak for the rest of the world.
You know there’s also black people nit offended by some or all of these traditions. What now?
Being especially racist also doesn’t make a country experts on racism. If it were the case the US wouldn’t be as racially divided as it still is. I’d argue it’s way, way worse then most first world countries to be honest.