Thread by @soychicka

So, this is the difficulty I'm having here: I hear blackface and recall what I see below - someone painting themselves black, except the eyes and an exaggerated mouth, in a caricature of 'black.'

Note use of the word 'caricature,' typically attendant with stereotypes 1/

https://twitter.com/HeidiLiFeldman/status/1092486457489526786

aimed to cast the concept of 'black' as 'other.'

Clearly, traditional blackface is dehumanizing and unacceptable, under any circumstance.

Similarly "Black Katrina victim", "Black Singer", "Black whatever stereotype you want to add here" - I find those equally abhorrent 2/

And please, don't take what follows to construe support for everyone who darkens their face to depict 'blackness' - it's not meant as such.

And I don't mean to proclaim that something is right or wrong independently - it's not up to me - if something causes pain to anyone 3/

it's those experiencing the pain that should have the final say about what outcomes they find a satisfactorily resolve to any situation. 4/

I am less certain about my own personal thoughts on whether it's always wrong to make one's own appearance more closely resemble another specific individual, though - and in some cases, it seems as if it would be wrong to NOT do so as it would leave out impt part of the narrative

Imagine you're from an all-white small town.

How do you teach about diversity and racial equality?

From my experience growing up, you don't.

6/

So a lack of exposure breeds fear and intolerance, because without the right tools, those uncomfortable issues are not addressed in a tangible and relatable way, instead simply sterilized to one page of 14pt text and 3 photos in a social studies book.

7/

I COULD see benefit in putting on plays where children use make-up as a way to get inside someone else's skin, as part of honoring the lives of those whose 'blackness' was core to their struggle - like Rosa Parks or Dr. King.

Empathy through personal connection and experience.
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But personally, I might find it far more absurd-to-offensive if a white kid got up on stage and started acting as a civil rights icon, because it takes away a key part of the ability to empathize and visual impact of the real role the color of one's skin has in society - 9/

Not because it is right or just, but because it does exist...

and because ignoring that only serves to perpetuate the divide.

So, while it's clear that no one ever should ever engages in perpetuating the stereotypes typically attendant to traditional blackface and caricaturing anonymous stereotypes...

I really hope that we can address when it's appropriate and acceptable for someone to depict
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the color of one's skin when in costume, because I don't want to see a blanket proclamation inhibiting us from using tools that could actually help to decrease tensions through promoting empathy -
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And I could also envision a parallel to the linguistic appropriation of those terms used to attack a persecuted group - if there were some way for those promoting civil rights to 'take back' darkening of skin to promote equality, etc... ie if there was a day where everyone
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supporting equality and racial justice darkened their skin to reveal their numbers, and to show who is the minority opinion.

Not promoting it, just an idea that could be very powerful if done correctly and with care and caution.
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But, again, I'm not someone who is personally hurt by the history behind racial impersonation, which means it's easier for me to abstract away the pain - so I absolutely defer to the opinions of anyone who has been/is.

But I'd love to understand -
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should there be an absolute ban on any white person impersonating any specific individuals from history?

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Or are there shades of grey that can be applied to those portraying someone of color for legit reasons - when the color of their skin is central to the understanding of the surrounding narrative, but not as a signifier of persona or personality?

/fin