# How many people find the BIGGRIN icon to be racist? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 8, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943 "2002-05-08T18:50:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/1 "2002-05-08T18:50:16Z")
Technicalities of whether “race” can even be applied to humans aside, how many people here find the 😃 icon to be racist? I was staggered today to be informed by someone that they found it offensive, and that I was insensitive to be using it. Given the right frame of mind, I can see how someone might want to see the eyes as reinforcing the old stereotypes from less enlightened times. However, I’m still flabbergasted that someone would take it seriously enough to request that I never use the icon again. And while we’re on the topic, where did the smilies here come from? The copy I have is from a larger collection left at my company by a former graphic artist. I wonder if he lifted them from Jelsoft, or if they have a common source. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/2 "2002-05-08T18:57:21Z")
I find it to be horribly offensive to Martians. I have a lot of Martian friends, and not only are they a much prettier shade of green, but they do not have big ol’ Osmond teeth like that. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/3 "2002-05-08T19:01:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cerowyn \* > \*\*Technicalities of whether “race” can even be applied to humans aside, how many people here find the 😃 icon to be racist? I was staggered today to be informed by someone that they found it offensive, and that I was insensitive to be using it. > > Given the right frame of mind, I can see how someone might want to see the eyes as reinforcing the old stereotypes from less enlightened times.\*\* Stereotypes about… uhh, little green ping pong balls? Pac-Man? I wasn’t aware there was a race of green ping pong ball people we could be racist towards. I think someone is pulling your leg, or maybe you’re pulling mine. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/4 "2002-05-08T19:05:53Z")
Um… HUH? Well, you might be able to throw the argument back into the lap of your accuser, **Cerowyn** … An anecdote: A (Black) friend of mine was watching a basketball game on TV with her (White) hubby and Mother in Law. Apparently the mascot for one of the teams was a monkey. The MIL kept going on and on about how RACIST it was to have a MONKEY as the mascot for a (mostly-Black) basketball team! My friend and her husband pointed out to the MIL that her _noticing_ this “discrepancy” and _making the association_ between monkeys and (stereotypes of) Black people could arguably be MORE racist than the monkey mascot. Could this argument work for you? ---
**Author:** ![Newton\_meter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/57b2e6/32.png) [@Newton\_meter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newton_meter)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/5 "2002-05-08T19:08:05Z")
I find the asian smilies offensive 🙂 😉 ;j :wally But the Martians don’t bother me, probably because they’ve enjoyed so much privelege in our solar system’s history. ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/6 "2002-05-08T19:10:00Z")
to a hammer, every problem is a nail or there are those who **will** find whatever they’re looking for wherever they look. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/7 "2002-05-08T19:13:13Z")
Watermelon growers are hideously insensitive, offensive, and racist. The fact that they grow a food that I associate with little black Sambo is such a violation of my piece of mind that I find it hard to sleep at night. If these people can’t find a way to make an effort to grow something that every person in the world is comfortable with, than I have to believe that those farmers curse their mothers, beat their children, and generally spit on all that is vanilla and watered down for the more caring and sensitive side of the population. And don’t even get me started on the NBA. Nothing but a simile for cotton farms in the 1800’s. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/8 "2002-05-08T19:15:11Z")
Yes, **auntie em** – classic projection. Your take makes A LOT of sense to me. Sometimes, racism is where you find it. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/9 "2002-05-08T19:30:24Z")
> [@](#): > > such a violation of my piece of mind Which piece? ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/10 "2002-05-08T19:36:25Z")
The clarification of what was found offensive: > [@](#): > > it was the typical representation of Asians. Kind of like the cartoons of african american people with the big white lips (which are also not so PC these days and which consequently appear almost no where anymore). Similar cartoon like representations as have historically been used in a mocking manner and so is taken currently in somewhat of a mocking manner. If you grew up as an Asian in small-town [deleted to protect his/her identity], I think you would have more of an appreciation for where I’m coming from. It’s hard to refute the ‘no shared experience’ argument, but I can’t believe that someone would be so over-sensitive as that. To make it worse, this person reports to me, so I’ve got to tread **very** carefully. ---
**Author:** ![Arken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Arken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arken)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/11 "2002-05-08T19:36:45Z")
I think they deserve it. Martian bastards. ---
**Author:** ![Yondan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/278dde/32.png) [@Yondan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yondan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/12 "2002-05-08T20:07:00Z")
As an Asian American, multicultural educator, and published author and editor of multicultural educational materials, I hereby declare the idea that the 😃 is racist to be one of the goofiest pieces of business to come down the pike this week. In closing: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! 😃 😃 😃 😃 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/13 "2002-05-08T20:08:36Z")
No, I don’t find it offensive. I didn’t even think about it that way, until you brought it up. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/14 "2002-05-08T20:17:24Z")
Um… the eyes aren’t supposed to be “slant-eyed” like an Asian stereotype. Look at somebody who’s making a big-ass goofy grin and see? The cheeks scrunch up - and the eyes squinch shut - and _that’s why it looks like that_. Some people are too quick to cry “racism.” ---
**Author:** ![Clever\_Hans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Clever\_Hans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clever_Hans)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/15 "2002-05-08T20:22:34Z")
I wish I had a martian that reports to me ☹ oops I didn’t mean that smilie and I apologize to any who took offense to it, or I don’t so nahhhh. By the by the big smilie is a Vbulletin standard except for the color. So are the rest with HOJM and The Walley being the exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![Sterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/16 "2002-05-08T20:23:18Z")
The ;j is secretly racist. Highlight it and watch it turn slant eyed. ^^ ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/17 "2002-05-08T20:32:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bordelond \* > \*\*Yes, **auntie em** – classic projection. Your take makes A LOT of sense to me. Sometimes, racism is where you find it. \*\* Oh, no! I didn’t meant to give you the impression that the little story I shared represented my “take”. I agree with you that on many occasions, people need to unclench their asses a little! However, the original argument about the smiley seemed so… so… ODD (and a little over-sensitive) that I thought such a counter-point might be a good way to make the person ( **Cerowyn’s** friend) hush up. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/18 "2002-05-08T20:43:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by auntie em \* > \*\*Oh, no! I didn’t meant to give you the impression that the little story I shared represented my “take”. \*\* Don’t worry – I got it that it was the mother-in-law’s opinion. What I called “your take” was this: > [@](#): > > \*\*My friend and her husband pointed out to the MIL that her noticing this “discrepancy” and making the association between monkeys and (stereotypes of) Black people could arguably be MORE racist than the monkey mascot. \*\* Still, it was technically your friend’s take, not yours. Since you offered it up, though, it seemed reasonable to me that you agreed with your friend’s opinion in this instance. ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/19 "2002-05-08T20:45:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sterra \* > \*\*The ;j is secretly racist. Highlight it and watch it turn slant eyed. ^^ \*\* Whoa. That’s cool. I’m gonna go home and highlight the yamulke smilie while listening to Stairway to Heaven backwards… :eek: Shit. Didn’t mean to use that smilie. No offense to any of you with hyperthyroidism, or for that matter, surprise real easy! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943/20 "2002-05-08T20:53:19Z")
**Cerowyn,** I think your friend is envious of the Jewish smiley, and wants an Asian smiley for himself. He looks at what’s available, and realizes, with its lines for eyes, the big-grin smiley is the closest match, but only interpreted offensively. Still, it’s worse not to have a smiley than to have a racist one, so he adopts it as his own, and then complains about it. In other words, he’s gleen with jearousy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-find-the-biggrin-icon-to-be-racist/107943.md?page=2)