# Is this offensive, or am I too sensitive? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 25, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907 "2012-04-25T14:36:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/41 "2012-04-25T21:17:04Z")
Because I feel like seeing some freakouts, I present to y’all, [Axis Powers Hetalia](http://hetalia.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Hetalia:_Axis_Powers_characters). That’s right, Europe, Asia and North America anthropomorphized as cute anime characters. Russia likes vodka and Japan likes porn! By the way, America sexually dominating Britain is quite popular, I hear. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/42 "2012-04-25T21:18:23Z")
You mean the German kids didn’t dress like [this](http://www.therealstevegray.com/wp-content/uploads/springtime.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![living\_in\_hell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@living\_in\_hell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/living_in_hell)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/43 "2012-04-25T22:08:37Z")
I was in Mexico during a local festival/celebration and thats how the kids in the parade were dressed there, as well. I think white people are too preoccupied with political correctness. At least you didn’t use the word “Latino” ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/44 "2012-04-25T22:32:55Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > Because I feel like seeing some freakouts, I present to y’all, [Axis Powers Hetalia](http://hetalia.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Hetalia:_Axis_Powers_characters). That’s right, Europe, Asia and North America anthropomorphized as cute anime characters. Russia likes vodka and Japan likes porn! > > By the way, America sexually dominating Britain is quite popular, I hear. Well I had a look at your link and apart from the fact it was nothing to do with stereotypes, but a rather bizarre persons fantasys, I couldn’t find any evidence of the sexual fantasy, or was it wishful thinking ? that you expressed . Or haven’t you sent that to them yet ? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/45 "2012-04-25T22:48:19Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > Well I had a look at your link and apart from the fact it was nothing to do with stereotypes, but a rather bizarre persons fantasys, I couldn’t find any evidence of the sexual fantasy, or was it wishful thinking ? that you expressed . > > Or haven’t you sent that to them yet ? You have to hunt up the fan fiction. It is disturbing on many levels. (My daughter first started following this when she came across them doing a joke about The War of Austrian Succession. She cosplayed as Ukraine at a con a year or so back. She has distanced herself from the fandom since then.) ---
**Author:** ![living\_in\_hell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@living\_in\_hell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/living_in_hell)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/46 "2012-04-25T23:05:37Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > If everyone around the world wears the same clothes, then clearly playing “dress up” is not a good way to spread cultural awareness. That’s what I’m getting at. > > The point of these exercises is to expose kids to other cultures, right? But we’re not. We’re exposing kids to costumes that other cultures may have dressed in at one time. How is that useful to them? > > I think it’s the lazy way out. Rather than trying to identify things about Mexican culture that are unique, interesting, and worth celebrating, the school has fixated on the most obvious and least useful stereotype they could possibly have come up with. Actually, research shows that any type of “cultural awareness” add on is actually more marginalizing. Any special celebration or decor or whatever is never the preferred way to teach about difference…infusion is. Should be part of everything, every day. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/47 "2012-04-25T23:29:32Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I think if you went to another country and asked the kids to dress up in a culturally significant way to represent Americans, some of them would show up as cowboys… Those who don’t choose pin-stripe suits and violin cases. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![living\_in\_hell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@living\_in\_hell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/living_in_hell)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/48 "2012-04-26T00:07:21Z")
…or Baywatch. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/49 "2012-04-26T00:24:08Z")
I don’t understand: what _are_ the representations of the other countries like then? By the measure of the OP, any way of representing a country would be offensive, because it could never be representative of the entire population, for all of time. It’s just the way countries are represented. If you represent Holland with windmills and tulips and the UK with bowler hats and tea cups I’m not offended. I don’t think it being offensive is anything to do with whether it’s realistic. If you asked kids here to represent the US they would dress up as cowboys. If you sent them back to the costume shop saying “no, it needs to be realistic and contemporary”, they would come back in fat suits. That would be realistic, but offensive. So what do you want them to do for Mexico: guns & drugs? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/50 "2012-04-26T01:20:02Z")
Overly sensitive. I lived in a small indigenous Mexican village once, one in a region that has a centuries-old reputation of not putting up with any crap from outsiders (including stereotyping), and for some holiday festival, the schoolchildren dressed up EXACTLY as you described – little boys with painted mustaches, the whole deal. It was their way of celebrating the Mexican Revolution of the early 20th century. Now, if your kids’ presentation included, say, a scene of falling asleep under a cactus, okay, that would be a no-no. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/51 "2012-04-26T04:16:31Z")
Google Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata and check out their images. There are plenty of Mexicans still alive today who wouldn’t mind you using those images to represent Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/52 "2012-04-26T12:36:13Z")
> [@living\_in\_hell](#): > > Actually, research shows that any type of “cultural awareness” add on is actually more marginalizing. Any special celebration or decor or whatever is never the preferred way to teach about difference…infusion is. Should be part of everything, every day. Got a link to that research? “Infusion”? [QUOTE=flores] This is my take, as a Mexican, many of our historical heroic figures come with mustache, and bandito style dress. [/QUOTE] [Vaquero](http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjsala/2072953772/), by the late Luis Jimenez, is on display in Houston’s Moody Park. (He produced more than one Vaquero.) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/53 "2012-04-26T12:46:36Z")
> [@living\_in\_hell](#): > > Actually, research shows that any type of “cultural awareness” add on is actually more marginalizing. Any special celebration or decor or whatever is never the preferred way to teach about difference…infusion is. Should be part of everything, every day. So infusion of all cultures should be part of everything everyday? How long do you think these kids are in school for? ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/54 "2012-04-26T13:24:16Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > People getting offended by proxy for other ethnicities is going way over the top. > > If you’re offended by somebody dressing up as a stereotype of your ethnicity then by all means complain about it if your skins that thin, but keep your nose out of it when its something that you probably don’t understand in the first place. > > When I’ve been at gatherings of international co workers where much beer is consumed, you’ll see people walking around with bowler hats and rolled umberellas talking about tea drinking in affected upper class English accents, along with the boomerang carriers, wearing hats with corks, cowboys, clog wearers, vikings, you name it . > > And guess what ? > > NOBODY gets offended, not even a little bit, not even once. > > Good job that theres no do gooders there to get offended on our behalf. Sure, but it’s possible to take that attitude too far. I’m not Arab, but even I could see that a (hypothetical) school program that portrayed Arabs as suicide-vest-wearing Jihadists is sending the wrong message. And perhaps the actual Arabs might not want to stick their necks out to object. Uninvolved people ignoring [this sort of ethnic portrayal](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=870&q=nazi+propaganda+posters+against+jews&gbv=2&oq=nazi+propaganda+poster&aq=1&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_nf=1&gs_l=img.1.1.0l10.917.5155.0.7021.22.22.0.11.11.0.87.759.11.11.0.bVHdN_0CplA) didn’t lead to anything good. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/55 "2012-04-26T18:43:48Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Sure, but it’s possible to take that attitude too far. I’m not Arab, but even I could see that a (hypothetical) school program that portrayed Arabs as suicide-vest-wearing Jihadists is sending the wrong message. And perhaps the actual Arabs might not want to stick their necks out to object. > > Uninvolved people ignoring [this sort of ethnic portrayal](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=870&q=nazi+propaganda+posters+against+jews&gbv=2&oq=nazi+propaganda+poster&aq=1&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_nf=1&gs_l=img.1.1.0l10.917.5155.0.7021.22.22.0.11.11.0.87.759.11.11.0.bVHdN_0CplA) didn’t lead to anything good. Yes, but I think there’s an important distinction to be made between dehumanizing or vilifying a group of people, and saying they often have mustaches or wear a certain type of hat. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/56 "2012-04-26T19:07:58Z")
So if we agree that this is not a particularly offensive way of educating children, then how would we have German children representing Americans? I hear cowboys suggested upthread, and that sounds good, and certainly better than Mafiosos or fat people. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/57 "2012-04-26T19:26:57Z")
Cowboys, Revolutionary War fashions (The Geo Washington look, tri-corn hat etc.), southern belles are also popular. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/58 "2012-04-29T18:12:41Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Overly sensitive. > > I lived in a small indigenous Mexican village once, one in a region that has a centuries-old reputation of not putting up with any crap from outsiders (including stereotyping), and for some holiday festival, the schoolchildren dressed up EXACTLY as you described – little boys with painted mustaches, the whole deal. It was their way of celebrating the Mexican Revolution of the early 20th century. > > Now, if your kids’ presentation included, say, a scene of falling asleep under a cactus, okay, that would be a no-no. As a Mexican I would say that if the class was looking for traditional dress as apparently they did with the girls, they should have dressed the boys in charro (our cowboys, the ones that taught American cowboys how to rope and herd cattle) outfits. The moustache and serape thing is quite dated and belongs to another era and more representive of the poor campesino segment of our culture. Kind of like dressing American men in bib oberalls, bare feet and a floppy straw hat with a piece of straw in his mouth. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/59 "2012-04-29T22:34:22Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > As a Mexican I would say that if the class was looking for traditional dress as apparently they did with the girls, they should have dressed the boys in charro (our cowboys, the ones that taught American cowboys how to rope and herd cattle) outfits. The moustache and serape thing is quite dated and belongs to another era and more representive of the poor campesino segment of our culture. > > Kind of like dressing American men in bib oberalls, bare feet and a floppy straw hat with a piece of straw in his mouth. More like dressing a “Canadian” in a Mountie outfit or a Parka. Representing a dated era is really more eye-roll worthy than offense worthy. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907/60 "2012-04-30T02:56:39Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > More like dressing a “Canadian” in a Mountie outfit or a Parka. Representing a dated era is really more eye-roll worthy than offense worthy. Dressing as a _charro_ is more appropriate than as a poor, uneducated, serape wearing campesino. Of course to many Americans we are a nation of gardeners and maids so they obviously hold a different view of how to represent us. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-offensive-or-am-i-too-sensitive/619907.md?page=4)