Alex Hale apologies for dressing up as Tupac

[Alzi]

I personally think there is a massive difference between:

Dressing up as 2pac which included full costume attire and face paint to replicate the person
to
Simply "blacking up" or "black face" to impersonate a generic "black" person

I wonder what would happen to 99% of us if we painted our face black for a work's Christmas do to replicate a well known black person.

It really isn't ok.

 

[dan_ashcroft]

I wonder what would happen to 99% of us if we painted our face black for a work's Christmas do to replicate a well known black person.

It really isn't ok.

People used to dress up as Emerson in the stands. I think the ‘blackface’ always had an edge to it, even back them. We perhaps knew that there was something not particularly right about it, and as a result it became humorous to us at the time.

I guess that without the ‘blackface’, people would wonder why someone was coming to a Boro match as Brian May.

 

[Cuthbert]

I wonder what would happen to 99% of us if we painted our face black for a work's Christmas do to replicate a well known black person.

It really isn't ok.

A work Christmas do is a bit different from a fancy dress party.

I actually agree with Andy.W (and his point about context). If you are trying to depict a black character who you happen to admire (as per the thread title), I actually don't see why that HAS to be racist or offensive. However, in this day and age its clearly very ill advised, and I doubt [m]any would do it.

Edit: Thinking about it further... There are obviously plenty of icons of your own colour (whatever that is). I guess there simply isn't any need to choose a character that isn't the same colour as you are, thereby not causing an issue.

 

[Stocko]

People will be moaning about dressing up as Jimmy Savile next.

 

[BoroinBuxton]

Although I'm 'Of an age' but under 60, the thing that really struck a chord with me on this thread is that I had to google both of them......

 

[HiredGun123]

I just don't get it.

Alex dresses up, at fancy dress party, as his favourite singer.

Why does he have to apologise?

Surely its not racist to dress as your hero at a fancy dress party.
He wasn't mocking Tupac.

The problem with painting your face black is it has a lot of historical meaning to it too. It’s a more sensitive issue due to how it was used in the past.

Do I think it makes someone inherently racist because they did it? No probably not, just bad judgement. As you say, he was probably wasn’t mocking him.

See, The whole appropriating
culture thing, I have different views on because I don’t think there’s much wrong with embracing peoples culture as long as you’re not mocking it, and a lot of the case is people being offended on behalf of other people that aren’t even offended, For instance I know a lot of Japanese people and spent a lot of time there and they love seeing people wearing traditional Japanese things and taking it interest, but people in other countries would have you believe that you are disrespecting the Japanese culture. So things like that I don’t really think there’s much of a problem if you are being respectful.

But painting your face black has a bigger historical meaning because of how that used to be done and the reasons why.

I don’t think someone should be maligned as being blatantly racist because they did it. I think most of the time it’s just bad judgement and probably done without malice.

 

[Laughing]

Contrary to the recent popular belief, the world has not gone mad.

It is not now, nor has it ever been, acceptable to "black face". Period.

Just because you arent offended doesnt make it ok.

Now, I do think its possible for a non-racist person to inadvertently do something racist, without the intention of doing so, but does the lack of intention make it not racist? of course not.

Ask yourself the question, why would people find blacking up so hilarious as part of a fancy dress costume? and if your answer is related to making sure the fancy dress is as authentic as possible, you aint kidding anyone apart from yourself.

Talking to my daughter tonight who is 10 and gets offended on everyone's behalf. She said, and take this as you like, "its like cosplay, is it racist to black up or blue up or green up for cosplay"?

 

[MolteniArcore]

Talking to my daughter tonight who is 10 and gets offended on everyone's behalf. She said, and take this as you like, "its like cosplay, is it racist to black up or blue up or green up for cosplay"?

That is quite sweet but she will be in the wrong when the green aliens land and we green face...

Joking aside - that innocence is delightful

 

[futureboy]

Alex Hales has made some questionable decisions over the years.

Rafiq's claim about Hales' dog seems too specific to be made up. And we all know about some other stuff too.

 

[ForssAwakens]

few people need to do a history lesson

as for the white chicks comment, have black people White’s up to demonise a race?

if people hadn’t blacked up in the past it wouldn’t be racist today, but in a world where oppression still exists it still extremely hurtful

 

[Laughing]

That is quite sweet but she will be in the wrong when the green aliens land and we green face...

Joking aside - that innocence is delightful

She was dancing round the kitchen with her pants round her ankles with a happy frog painted on one cheek and a sad frog on the other, just 5 minutes later.

I raise it because her opinion isn't coloured by shows like the black and white minstrels. She is unencumbered by historical racism.

For me I find I am unbothered by someone using make up to change the hue of their skin to portray someone of a different ethnic background. It really does depend on context and intent.

 

[ForssAwakens]

She was dancing round the kitchen with her pants round her ankles with a happy frog painted on one cheek and a sad frog on the other, just 5 minutes later.

I raise it because her opinion isn't coloured by shows like the black and white minstrels. She is unencumbered by historical racism.

For me I find I am unbothered by someone using make up to change the hue of their skin to portray someone of a different ethnic background. It really does depend on context and intent.

What you say is true, I’d hope and believe that in time as your daughter gets older you will be in a position to educate why it might not be okay to do that

you are unbothered, but other people would be. It’s about understanding why it might cause offence. Like Raziq case, I’d you didn’t know they history behind the term p***, then you wouldn’t think it offensive, if you know the history you know why it is

 

[Laughing]

What you say is true, I’d hope and believe that in time as your daughter gets older you will be in a position to educate why it might not be okay to do that

you are unbothered, but other people would be. It’s about understanding why it might cause offence. Like Raziq case, I’d you didn’t know they history behind the term p***, then you wouldn’t think it offensive, if you know the history you know why it is

I agree with most of that. The bit I would question is whether anyone effected by racism would find it offensive. I don't know and if, in reasoned conversation, those effected are offended then an apology is the right outcome irrespective of context or intent.