Congratulations Australia, it’s been one whole day since a blackface incident (see this, this, this, and this).
A young Australian woman who has at least one Mauritian friend and wants to go to Africa to teach people how to speak English one day decided to have an African-themed 21st birthday celebration which resulted in an embarrassing array of casually racist party photos which somewhat legitimised The Daily Show correspondent John Oliver’s observation that Australia is one of the most comfortably racist places he’s ever been.
That’s not true (we hope not), but Australia’s recent history of being tolerant of blackface in a variety of social contexts suggests that Australians in general lack the cultural awareness of what a white person in blackface actually means.
History recap: Blackface was a widely used 19th century American theatre trope in which white actors would paint their faces black with burnt cork, greasepaint and shoe polish to play the stereotyped caricature of a black person and establish, perpetuate and indoctrinate negative racial stereotypes of African-Americans. In most cases an oafish jig-dancing subordinate called a “dandified coon” or the “happy-go-lucky darky on the plantation”.
The reverse position, that people of any race would have no problem at all with a group of black people donning whiteface and pretending to be white people, extricates from this argument of context the historical significance of what blackface represents: slavery, oppression, subordination.
Get it? Though it might seem innocuous, silly and frivolous to Australian people, to others it’s abhorrent, crude and offensive. Recognising and appreciating that fact is known as cultural sensitivity and/or empathy. Let’s exercise some the next time someone suggests you don blackface, we know not what it means and you’re making the rest of us look bad.
Here are some of the photos from the party featuring blackface everything, gorillas and a KKK member.
The girl has since posted a response to her Tumblr, which has since been deleted. Again, the defense that “people wear oktoberfest cotumes to parties and no one cracks it that they are not German,” is kind of like saying that some people dress up as soldiers for Halloween so why can’t I dress up as a Nazi? The two (and what they represent) are incomparable.
“Okay don’t even know how to use tumblr but wanted to clarify this.??It was my ‘African themed’ party and it was honestly made that theme because I have always wanted to go to Africa (to teach english) but haven’t made it there yet. In no way was this party intended to hurt anyones feelings or upset anyone at all. In fact as you can tell from the photos I dressed up as cleopatra, whilst MAJORITY of my guests came as animals, that can be found in africa or wore traditional african clothes or even dressed up as famous people who come from africa. If anything this was to celebrate the amazing country and people. However, some guest did decide to paint themselves, although this was in no way my intention or encouraged in the slightest. I understand that this has offended some people and I have no idea how these photos have even been seen, they were simply put on facebook for my guests to see the photos of themselves. I am 100% sure that parties would be held that would be ‘Australian themed’ or American themed or even countries of the world, and in that instance I don’t believe anyone would be offended. People wear oktoberfest cotumes to parties and no one cracks it that they are not German? So what I am saying is I do understand the people who have painted themselves have offended people, although none of them intended that…. but how can people be annoyed that the majority of the people at the party were celebrating another countries culture. Also one of my friends who is Mauritian painted himself white, but that photos didn’t make it to this page along with the MAJORITY of people who were amazingly detailed costumes that no one could take offense to!! I am sure that not one person at my party felt upset that said guest painted himself white as it was not meant in that way at all. Also, I have NEVER been asked to take these photos down, however if I had of course I would have done so, as I had no idea that anyone other than friends and guests could see these photos, and to be honest I am not a racist person at all so I didn’t think anyone could possibly take it that way. I intend to spend 2 months teaching english in cambodia in January, and cant wait to do the same in Africa. If you will still have me. To reiterate, I was cleopatra and did not encourage my guest to wear anything racist simply to come as something African Inspired, much like if you went to an australia day party (Which I am 100% sure people of all races and cultures do every year!!!) Again I am sorry for those I have offended and the photos have now been removed now that I have eventually been made aware people were upset. For those who know me at all you would know the last thing in the world I would want to do would be to offend people.”
