Quote:
Originally Posted by amillionlights
I think this is a case where maybe it wasn't technically blackface, but the historical context should have been enough to dissuade them from doing it. Maybe they were dressed like 49ers - but, you are still talking about a song by a Black man and rubbing charcoal on your face and calling it a literal gold digger costume is still a bit iffy in terms of sensitivity. Because blackface IS a thing, and has a history of being used to exploit, appropriate, and harm the black community, I think extra care and caution should be taken to make sure you don't do anything that could be perceived as blackface. And, unfortunately, that didn't happen here. So while I agree with you that it probably wasn't intentional, I don't think anyone can really say that it wasn't insensitive or that others don't have the right to be offended.
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I completely understand that blackface is a thing that has had absolutely destructive effects over many, many generations. When sorority members wear black face to dress up like Lil Wayne, for example, I am all for harsh penalties. I simply disagree that the 49er/gold mining costumes are anywhere near that league, or even remotely the same thing.
Blackface is always offensive. If somebody wears blackface to a high tea or a wedding or a sports game or a "Woodstock" themed party, we know it's offensive. It has nothing to do with the situation, although certainly some situations may prompt it more than others.
The offense to a gold mining costume is purely situational, and in fact it seems like many do not understand the situation. The theme was "Kanye Western"...ie, Kanye West meets country western. From instagram posts, some interpreted that fairly literally (ie, Kanye/Taylor Swift couples) and some took it more figuratively, hence the Gold Digging which is a reference to a Kanye West song AND a country/western trope that people are very familiar with (especially in California, where I am from).
So, by your argument, if it was a strictly western themed party this would not be offensive, or if the song was sung by a white man it would not be offensive. I can see asking people to be extremely sensitive to anything that could be perceived as racist. But clearly the intentions were far, far, far from there, and frankly I think the extreme reaction IS out of proportion. Keep in mind that this may likely have permanent consequences for these girls, none of whom have been proven ever actually wore blackface.
Do you see how wearing something that could
maybe be construed as blackface if, and onlf if, you look at it retroactively (ie, not that you look at the photo and assume blackface, but your argument of "Well if I've been told it is blackface, I can make a leap that the song was sung by a black man and so maybe that is why") is completely and wildly different than wearing blackface, and yet news outlets are reporting on these women as if they wore the real thing? Do you not think that will have tremendous impact on their future?
Their faces were not painted fully. It was charcoal smudged here and there. The costume completely makes sense (and in an inoffensive way) given the Western nature of the party and the Kanye West song title reference. NOBODY would look at that photo and jump to "blackface" if it were not being labeled as such. It is so absurdly not blackface. People can be offended if they want, but these reactions are also hurting real people and I think it is completely over the top.
Now, if and when these alleged blackface photos surface, I will change my tune. Based on the evidence I'm seeing, this is wildly unfair.
ETA: A non-blackface costume that I would, for example, think is worthy of protest is if they interpreted Gold Digging by dressing in a general manner (not a specific celebrity) that negatively disparaged ethnic stereotypes of a gold digging woman of a different race than theirs. Dressing up as a specific celebrity without altering your skin color, or the Gold Digging outfits in question, are not remotely based on race. They are based on specific people and/or high concept. The argument that they
could maybeeeee be based on race (even if that is not the straightforward/simplest/Occam's Razor interpretation) is wildly different than "these are clearly based on race".