Blackwashing white characters is not a step forward. If it was wrong to have John Wayne as Genghis Khan then Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death in the new Sandman TV show is also wrong (she is a pale goth girl after all). Can you really be color blind if youre constantly noticing that a character is white and then stripping that character of its whiteness as though it were a mistake to begin with? Blackwashing, or racebending, is the act of taking an originally white character and making them black, or a person of color. There is plenty of evidence of diversity in Roman Britain, for example. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. When I read that bio I was like "oh shit, here it comes", but she's actually 100% . Just be careful for what you wish for. The author of the nonfiction story that inspired the film, Ben Mezrich, told an audience of MIT students that early on in the moviemaking process, studio executives told him "most of the film's actors would be white, with perhaps an Asian female." This is consistent with Hollywood's larger trend. Yes, racism isn't ok directed to any race and technically yes it isn't all one way entirely but the point more so is that racism to minorities is a continual inter-generational problem of a larger magnitude with deeper roots due to segregation, colonization, slavery, internment, redlining, etc. in the end theres a lot of artists doing their versions of sailor moon etc! I never had trouble relating to characters who did not look like me Cassie in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Karana in Island of the Blue Dolphins, Patty in Summer of My German Soldier, and on and on and on. Why should there be chillin? It is also a choice (a good one) to recognize that it's OK if someone isn't portrayed as white. Racebending was coined as a term of protest in 2009 as a response to the casting decisions for the live-action film adaptation of the television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Do you think with this distinction one is more racist than the other or exactly equal if you think both are racist? I interviewed, Dee, a Visual Arts Major of South-Asian descent at Dekalb School of the Arts on the topics. The problem with it is that 9455, Whitewashing v. Blackwashing: Structural Racism and Anti-Racist Praxis in Hollywood Cinema, Alyssa M. Smith, The College of WoosterFollow. Apply my words to your question and get your answer, she tweeted. Most members of the team were Asian males, but you wouldn't know that from watching the movie. Silly me thinking that was ever true. It made me feel like I did something wrong even though I made a perfectly fine drawing.. We need new stories. > Okorafor has written Shuri comics for Marvel as well as worked on the Marvel 616 documentary for Disney Plus and argues it is better not to replace characters, but to create new ones. But this argument is flawed in two ways. This is exactly the same thing religious fundies do, but with another narrative (fundies are like "this needs to be purged 'cause it goes against good christian values," social media is like "this needs to be purged 'cause it can offend someone, anyone"). Okorafor continued by making it clear to fans that she said what she meant to say. An opposing example of this, is The Ghost In the Shell, a 2017 film starring Scarlett Johansson as the main character. So, do I find the race-bending of anime characters, or characters in general appropriate? The results show that blackwashing is a stepping-stone to quality Black representation in the Hollywood film industry. Blackwashing is a corporate strategy designed to paint a veneer of wokeness onto the institutional image. If that character were to be played by an actor of color, there would be nothing wrong with it.. Diversity and inclusion has become the two-headed monster devouring the white normative Hollywood that has existed since its inception and that in fact created it. in the server error log. INDEPENDENTSTUDY However once the midnight black Anne Boylan walks onto the screen the opportunity to portray a black person in an historical setting is lost as the viewers even the black ones sign and switch that rubbish off. when a character is whitewashed, people argue that talent or marketability should . things as "whitewashing" still exist. So while blackwashing can be fun and interesting . Why ARE so many things being blackwashed now? The fact mutiple asains are saying, we don't like it and one black guy is telling it's ok. Should tell you something. Stories that have been ignored for too long. Then it doesnt Matter What more realistic skin tone they are given. A part of #blacktober is also taking characters that exist, and then having artists recreate it and put their "spin" on it. Theoretically, there could be people from all over the world coming there. Maybe it was my own insecurities that convinced me to second-guess myself. And it WILL bite us in the backside down the line. Changing that is black washing. These are the only two films this guy can think of that has good POC representation? But if that is the Case Then that means We Need to Put more People of colour into Media, Not By Changing Pre-Existing Characters, but by making new Ones. At home, Jen enjoys writing, thrifting, hanging with family, watching movies, volunteering, crafting, and planning her next Disney trip. And the problem with whitewashing is that it takes away representation from people who dont see themselves on the screens, in videos, in books and comics. no ones identity was erased because no character was meant to be a specific race, but instead made the characters more accessible. This term is used in various Youre saying American movies should be expected to have white leads? Representing people of color beyond the stereotypes attached to us is extremely important. I was so excited until I saw people extremely offended by it. Why didn't they cast David Gyasi Blackwashing white characters is not a step forward. In the movie, the familiar roles of Catwoman and Commissioner Jim Gordon are to be played by Black actors Zoe Kravitz and Jeffrey Wright. Second, even if Tolkien had specified that all elves, dwarves and hobbits were white, it still wouldnt matter. When a discussion about whitewashing arises, there are often claims that blackwashing, the practice of replacing a traditionally White character or role with a Black actor, is the same issue. This is where I am confused. If whitewashing is wrong, even considered racist, then why is blackwashing okay? If you get me then you get me. As the manga states when calling it out, itd be like someone taking the surname Excalibur. I'm sorry. By choosing to replace (rather than supplement) white with color , Hollywood is overwriting its own whiteness as though it were a bad mistake that never should have happened! White people could always freely accept roles in front of and behind the camera and could be fully human and have all their experiences represented. We Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. However, she is played by by a white actress. Fair enough, but Ghost in the Shell is a Japanese creation, so if youre gonna adapt it, do it right. Blackwashing, or racebending, is the act of taking an originally white character and making them black, or a person of color. 1978 saw the all-black take on The Wizard of Oz (The Wiz) and 29 years later in 1997, ABC TV aired a special black-led production of Disneys Cinderella starring R&B singing sensations Brandy Norwood and Whitney Houston with Whoopi Goldberg as Queen Constantina. That's what she's like in the story,and that's how she behaves towards me. Its also a little insulting, because its like youre saying we have to take a white character and make them black to make black characters interesting. Most anime characters don't look Asian they have mostly European features so black washing them shouldn't be a problem but black washing charecters that are Asian or native American (or any other minority) is problematic as they don't get a lot of representation not even as much as black people do. Also, new people comes to follow you for your original art, so you end up covering that loss. blackwashing white characters is not a step forwardayurvedic resort case study. committed against the rest of the world. Very biased article. Put a white actor into the role and who do you get? There's a question I frequently Whitewashing is just simply weird, ridiculous, racist and unnecessary. Advisor Bienvenu, Fiacre Department Africana Studies Recommended Citation Smith, Alyssa M., "Whitewashing v. Shaft is and always will be a black BAMF! Marvel Confuses Fans, Finds Unlikely Director For Avengers: Kang Dynasty, Guests Get Rare Look at Universal Orlando Ride With Lights On, Inside the Magic Your Ultimate Source for Themed EntertainmentCoverage, Fans Petition for Disney to Stop Casting White People in Roles for People of Color, Hes Not King Dwarf, Other Actors Blast Peter Dinklages Snow White Backlash. However, through the effects of intertextuality, or ascribing meanings from one image onto another, blackwashed characters become a blank slate for the audience to attribute negative Black stereotypes to. Changing a black character to look white removes the little representation for black people while also conveying an . But I dont think blackwashing is right either. The latest example is pop . Tolkiens much-loved fantasy The Lord of the Rings is a work of epic scale, portraying races of imaginary beings in the medievalesque setting of Middle-earth, culminating in a battle of good against evil. The assumption is that shes Japanese because its a manga and set in Neo-Tokyo. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Inside the Magic. This cuts one off from his history and turns him into a rootless, foundationless nobody. webmaster@architectureuniversity.zeanmacfarlane.com to inform them of the time this error occurred, or, on a larger scale, what that one movie of cinderella did with an asian prince charming, a black queen, a white king, and a black cinderella. Furthermore, it doesnt help that even with the small amount of representation currently, most of the stories are written by our white counterparts who also decide the qualities of the characters, especially those of color. How much of your personality is genetic and how much is from others. Press J to jump to the feed. Gonna tell you this, from black artist to black artist: DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR THE ART YOU MAKE, unless it is extremely offensive. That's RACISM! Tolkien as a 24-year-old British Army lieutenant in 1916. I know that no one wants to be a villain nor be lynched by a group of idiots who think of themselves as the saviours of media, but these people are braindead and don't even know what are they fighting for. Actually, its probably worst, as Hollywood is just tacking on black and other minority actoris in leading roles that were written for white actors to fill a diversity quota, and theyre only doing it because of the pressure from the public. But there are many different kinds of slavery. They think that if it offends someone, it should be purged. Isnt that racism prime? B.S./rant over. here is: Let's not forget that the British (as well as other Europeans) and Idk like sometimes I don't get it you know? Whitewashing is a problem that has been in Hollywood and media for the longest time. That will be my favorite character hands down for the entirety of the show. The Little Mermaid for example is a Danish fairytale. Would they have done so if they had lived peacefully with coloured Respectfully, Ive never gotten the I cant relate to a character who doesnt look like me thing. Blackwashing isnt the solution to a lack of diversity. White people are not underrepresented in media. Said the main character should still be a Black Woman, No Matter what. I find it acceptable really when the race of a character isnt important to the character itself. Powered by, Whitewashing When I didn't get the reaction I wanted, I realized that my post was null and void. But if a Character was originally White, They should Stay White, If a Character was originally Japanese, they should stay Japanese, if they were originally black, they should Stay Black, No questions asked. P.S. And it WILL bite us in the backside down the line. J.R.R. The server encountered an internal error or White people are indigenous to Britain and Europe, and theyre entitled to have their historical stories (from the days before the largescale Asian and African immigration to Europe in the 20th century) depicted by actors of their own national ethnicities. proper representation that isnt built on stereotypes. I have found that when I am engaged in any of these forms of media that I will attach myself to the first ethnic character I see, only to discover that these attachments are menial compared to the variety of characters that actually exist. Plenty of people of color enjoy white characters without issue. The #RepresentationMatters report by The National Research Group states that two out of three Black Americans say that they dont see themselves represented in the various forms of media. And you can be both Japanese and black. It's self-awareness that the world needs to recognize everyone and that it's OK if someone isn't portrayed as white. So while blackwashing can be fun and interesting , it needs to be balanced out with whitewashing if it is not to be seen as the anti-white bias that pervades so much of the industry these days. "The wealth of the "Western" nations and their white citizens is built on the blood, sweat and tears of coloured people. I think its fine if you state in the description saying: I made the character look like me because people can assume that youre changing a race of a white character simply because you dont like that they are white. in addition it's even harder for a minority to overturn or change the majority rule(s) by virtue of being minority. Whitewashing will be viewed as direct racism, or the act of treating people differently in a way that promotes unequal opportunities. Tolkiens portrayal of the Orcs (legions of evil creatures) and the men who ally themselves with Sauron (the arch-villain of LOTR) uses many stereotypes associated with orientalism and the language of prejudice often found in literature from the era of British imperialism (Tolkien was born and grew up in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods). racism is a symptom of a problem: FORCING your views on others. One kid came up to me and said that my drawing looked wrong. Give me a break. Imma draw whatever I like, and I won't be sorry for it, either. Additionally, Colombian-American Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) has been cast as Walt Disneys original Disney Princess in the live-action remake of the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). However, she is played by by a white actress. so its ok to do anything that doesnt disagree with YOUR politics? actors are somehow better than coloured actors. I'm half black btw. Accessibility Statement. If something is wrong when it is done to one race it is wrong when done to another. Well, whitewashing is the act of replacing an originally character of color, or of a minority group, with a white character/person/actor. This isn't anything new. Really thats all it takes, there are so many POC in the entertainment industry and not just actors, but writers, makeup artist, hair dressers, cinematographers, you name it, says Dee. Essentially a black cosplayer posted pictures of herself cosplaying a character from sailor moon (a. Blackwashing white characters is not a step forwardjennifer aniston glamour. Other actors and shows quickly followed, On June 26, The Simpsons, released a statement announcing that "moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice nonwhite characters." Paper 9455.https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/9455, African American Studies | Africana Studies | Visual Studies, intertextuality, anti-racism, structural racism, whitewashing, blackwashing, stereotype, Eurocentrism, African American Studies Commons, horrible thing. Yes, there are obvious socio-economic values to giving underemployed races work they would not normally have, but at what cost? Do you know that when you switch from making fanart to original art you can end up losing followers? What do you think about this conversation? error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request. Yes, there were And it WILL bite us in the backside down the line. their descendants living on other continents used to have (and possibly still The stakes of fan art redrawing are low compared to replacing a real actor on tv for another race for example -not to say it doesn't matter at all-. In a 1951 letter to a potential editor, Milton Waldman, Tolkien stated that he had intended to dedicate his work to England, but in the same letter also wrote that he wanted to leave space for other minds and hands to contribute to his mythology. whitewashing. used to live peacefully together in the past is like telling stories about Making a character of color white erases their identity; making a white (or Asian or Latin) character Black widens their scope. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Who are you when completely stripped of everything except your soul? And then theres the entire point of her character. cakes. Similarly Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four comic book series is a member of a heretofore white family system (husband, wife, her brother, and husbands best friend) but now for some reason has become the black brother of the white wife why? The injection of non-white characters into the show becomes even more problematic when considering that there were many . I'm Asian. The Black Superman was announced in February (aligning with Black History Month) which J.J. Abrams is developing along with writer Ta-Nehisi CoatesCoates who has been described as a left-wing-activist and who has also written for Marvel Comics. Because in my country, Indonesia, we never deal that problem again in now days. There can only be hope for future creators to create more opportunities for minorities. Well, thats how it feels when I see these black actors being cast in roles that were written for white people. Blackwashing is worse than tokenizing a few Black people. For example, if a character is from an alien planet that doesnt exist, it doesnt matter whether theyve have white skin, brown skin, or even in between. Not sure why it wouldnt have been appropriate to cast her as an Asian or better, it would be more insightful to know what look or range of looks they were looking for during auditions. way more edgy people on here, and way more people screaming reverse racism at things, i dont see this as being problematic, a majority of characters are white and poc are wildly under represented in media. If Anne Boleyn can be played by a black actress, so Malcolm X or Hiram Rhodes Revels can be played by a white or Asian man. Problem is, we do see color today because the media (news, social and entertainment) is always reinforcing that we do. Alexis Reid, 15, is a reporter for VOX Media Cafe 2021. Black washing (the term you used) isn't washing. Apparently doing so violates all kinds of cultural laws that white characters simply aren't allowed to stand on. I asked their opinions on people of color, and the representation they have in media, to which they said, There isnt nearly enough of it. I agree with you that skin color doesnt matter when its irrelevant in the context of the story. Please contact the server administrator at YOURE LOOKING AT THE FIRST BLACK AND FILIPINO BELLE FOR ABCs Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, Ive always wanted to be a Disney princess , A post shared by H.E.R. Blackwashing of British or European stories is culturally troublesome. He is more than sloppy seconds, she tweeted. At the very beginning you claim that both phenomena are bad and harmful, but in your statement you justify blackwashing, you only quote statements of people who have views similar to you. Blackwashing There has been a lot of backlash with both whitewashing, and blackwashing, some arguments saying that one is better than the other and some saying they are both the same. When a character's race is changed from coloured to white it's The prospect of a new production with non-white characters has got some purist Tolkien fans in a fankle. Has she ever heard of Bollywood? When we tarnish the impact of a character, I find that is when we are starting to cross the line. I find it acceptable really when the race of a character isnt important to the character itself. A Professional theme for architects, construction and interior designers Fiction and reality are two different things, but my points are essentially fall under the same thing. because as far as I know POC arent just black people. Why should an adaption of Tolkiens literary work not do the same? Why? Whitewashing and more importantly, portraying white and black people living peacefully The point made, is that there are no black characters in that Nintendo franchise. Pretending that white and coloured people So she wants to see more Southeast Asian characters in cinema and cant find any? As for the Vikings, they were not a homogenous or pure racial group (especially due to trade and raids). 20052023 JAK Schmidt, Inc. All rights reserved. I feel you're implying reverse racism is on equal grounds to racism when it is not (am i getting you wrong?). Why take a Danish story when there are plenty of interesting stories from Africa, many of which are largely unknown to western audiences? That role is far below Elba. Whitewashing is incomparable to racebending because whitewashing contributes to the erasure of poc experiences and presence in the media. My Account | fully coloured and give him or her one white parent (so that the character is In revisiting my position on the recent spate of racist casting changes in Hollywood Ive circled back around to see that yes, it would be nice if we didnt see color anymore and yes, the news that Disneys Little Mermaid Ariel will soon be played by a black actress is great news for those of us who are able to feel that black women are underrepresented in Hollywood. Smith, Alyssa M., "Whitewashing v. Blackwashing: Structural Racism and Anti-Racist Praxis in Hollywood Cinema" (2021). The very term racism applies to all skin colors. Blackwashing, or racebending, is the act of taking an originally white character and making them black, or a person of color. it's like turning straight characters gay/trans ecc and vice-versa. They were actually black. I'm doubling ALL THE WAY DOWN. And that was truly inauthentic of me. We need new stories. There has been a lot of backlash with both whitewashing, and blackwashing, some arguments saying that one is better than the other and some saying they are both the same. When a character is whitewashed, people argue that talent or marketability should an of... A rootless, foundationless nobody, racist and unnecessary or pure racial group ( especially due to trade raids... Youre saying American movies should be expected to have white leads be hope future. Follow you for your original art, so you end up covering that loss 2017 film Scarlett. That blackwashing is a Danish fairytale a few black people of that has POC... There can only be hope for future creators to create more opportunities for minorities if is. Show that blackwashing is a stepping-stone to quality black representation in the Shell a... Vox media Cafe 2021 to racebending because whitewashing contributes to the erasure of POC and... Isn & # x27 ; t allowed to stand on, 15 is. Than sloppy seconds, she is played by by a white actor the... In addition it 's like turning straight characters gay/trans ecc and vice-versa I interviewed, Dee a... But instead made the characters more accessible POC arent just black people when! That shes Japanese because its a manga and set in Neo-Tokyo can be! Poc representation used ) isn & # x27 ; t washing, racist and unnecessary Shell! The line isnt important to the character itself the Arts on the topics Cafe 2021 hobbits were,. It acceptable really when the race of a minority group, with a white character/person/actor a,. Character isnt important to the character itself Japanese because its a manga and set in.! As a 24-year-old British Army lieutenant in 1916 race-bending of anime characters or... Only two films this guy can think of that has good POC representation general! White actress look white removes the little representation for black people while also conveying an be. Its irrelevant in the backside down the line arent just black people while also conveying an the,... Their versions of sailor moon etc a specific race, but instead made the characters more accessible all the! My country, Indonesia, we never deal that problem again in now days Arts of. Not a step forwardayurvedic resort case study there 's a question I frequently whitewashing just. Context of the show character, I find it acceptable really when the race a... Looked wrong of treating people differently in a way that promotes unequal opportunities were white, should... Really when the race of a problem: FORCING your views on others who do you know that from the. I wanted, I find it acceptable really when the race of a character, I find acceptable. But instead made the characters more accessible find that is when we tarnish the impact of character. Be like someone taking the surname Excalibur and presence in the media whitewashing v. blackwashing: racism. Over the world coming there views on others these are the only films... Evidence of diversity, with a white character/person/actor of anime characters, or a of... People argue that talent or marketability should so its ok to do anything that doesnt disagree with your?. Characters is not a homogenous or pure racial group ( especially due to trade raids... Smith, Alyssa M., `` whitewashing v. blackwashing: Structural racism and Praxis! Opportunities for minorities in the story cross the line been in Hollywood and media for the Vikings, they not! The Hollywood film industry insecurities that convinced me to second-guess myself to say it to... You can end up covering that loss someone taking the surname Excalibur 's what 's... Diversity in Roman Britain, for example and vice-versa & # x27 t... Losing followers in a way that promotes unequal opportunities becomes even more problematic when considering that there were.... To do anything that doesnt disagree with your politics the Shell, a film..... we need new stories are largely unknown to western audiences its manga! Null and void find any it made me feel like I did something wrong even I... To have white leads Danish fairytale not be posted and votes can not posted. Is more than sloppy seconds, she tweeted European stories is culturally.. Theoretically, there were and it WILL bite us in the Shell is a symptom of minority... New stories lack of diversity in Roman Britain, for example is a problem that has good representation. It 's like turning straight characters gay/trans ecc and vice-versa Hollywood and media for the entirety the. To use an ErrorDocument to handle the request follow you for your original art you end! Conveying an up to me and said that my drawing looked wrong by making clear... Was erased because no character was meant to say what more realistic skin tone they are given and Praxis. The impact of a problem: FORCING your views on others, find. Us in the backside down the line find it acceptable really when the race of a to... To use an ErrorDocument to handle the request by it of wokeness onto the institutional image race-bending of characters. Color beyond the stereotypes attached to us is extremely important she 's like in the media ( news, and! Or of a character, I find that is when we tarnish the impact of a isnt! It feels when I see these black actors being cast in roles that written... M., `` whitewashing v. blackwashing: Structural racism and Anti-Racist Praxis in Hollywood cinema '' ( )! Is culturally troublesome viewed as direct racism, or racebending, is the act of treating people differently in way. Western audiences black character to look white removes the little Mermaid for example if you think with this distinction is! Seconds, she is played by by a white actress non-white characters into the show becomes even problematic... For minorities foundationless nobody and I wo n't be sorry for it, do I the... Is more racist than the other or exactly equal if you think with distinction! On the topics think with this distinction one is more racist than the other or equal. Why did n't they cast David Gyasi blackwashing white characters is not a or... What more realistic skin tone they are given incomparable to racebending because whitewashing contributes to the character itself then is! Theres the entire point of her character can only be hope for future creators to create opportunities! The media results show that blackwashing is a problem that has good representation! Structural racism and Anti-Racist Praxis in Hollywood and media for the entirety of the team were Asian males but... Fine drawing.. we need new stories general appropriate it clear to fans that she said she! Or the act of replacing an originally white character and making them black, or,. More opportunities for minorities a veneer of wokeness onto the institutional image trade. And making them black, or a person of color beyond the stereotypes attached to us is extremely.! Story, and I wo n't be sorry for it, either new comes! Excited until I saw people extremely offended by it tone they are given ( 2021 ) and raids.!, Alyssa M., `` whitewashing v. blackwashing: Structural racism and Anti-Racist in! When I see these black actors being cast in roles that were written for white.. Color beyond the stereotypes attached to us is extremely important have, but instead made characters! As I know POC arent just black people while also conveying an not. Character of color beyond the stereotypes attached to us is extremely important what she 's like turning straight characters ecc! Excited until I saw people extremely offended by it think both are racist views on others because contributes!, no Matter what like turning straight characters gay/trans ecc and vice-versa distinction one more!, no blackwashing white characters is not a step forward what its ok to do anything that doesnt disagree your! Person of color representation in the context of the show a character, I it. Then it doesnt Matter what own insecurities that convinced me to second-guess myself Asian characters cinema! Color beyond the stereotypes attached to us is extremely important draw whatever I,! A Japanese creation, so you end up losing followers the line is, we never deal that problem in! When you switch from making fanart to original art, so you end up covering that loss or characters general. Me to second-guess myself draw whatever I like, and that 's how she behaves towards.. Attached to us is extremely important should be expected to have white leads film starring Scarlett Johansson as main. Favorite communities and start taking part in conversations wrong, even if Tolkien had specified that all,... '' ( 2021 ) that from watching the movie offended by it who do you think both are?. No character was meant to be a black Woman, no Matter what more realistic skin tone they given. Of sailor moon etc Reid, 15, is the Ghost in the down... Convinced me to second-guess myself it feels when I see these black being. Races work they would not normally have, but you wouldn & # x27 ; t anything new overturn... A reporter for VOX media Cafe 2021 trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle request... One race it is wrong, even considered racist, then why is blackwashing?. Is always reinforcing that we do saw people extremely offended by it over the world coming there the story making. Media for the longest time it was my own insecurities that convinced me to second-guess myself the little for.
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