# What exactly qualifies as blackface? What forms are offensive and why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 2, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848 "2019-02-02T18:34:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/421 "2019-10-16T05:45:42Z")
> [@BeagleJesus](#): > > If the goal is for your character to come off as racist as hell then blackface is a good way to make that happen. If you’ve ever watched the [show](https://www.itsalways.com/), racism is the least of their sins.\* (You should watch it, it’s hilarious) Did the author of “Black Like Me”'s experience count as blackface, or was that different, since he used drugs to change the color of his skin? \*[One of the actors](https://www.itsalways.com/hospital-in-full-blackface/) unfortunately had to rush his wife to the hospital in the middle of filming a scene, and didn’t have time to change out of costume. He got some nasty looks while there. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/422 "2019-10-16T13:49:51Z")
The guy in Black Like Me was not performing. He did not darken his skin for amusement or to poke fun. And he chose a means of darkening his skin that kept him from easily retreating back to his white privilege the moment the novelty of blackness wore off. All of these things make what he did very different from someone who slaps heavy make-up on their face and puts on a crazy afro wig to make everyone laugh at the “black” in their midst. Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![BeagleJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5daacb/32.png) [@BeagleJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeagleJesus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/423 "2019-10-16T14:47:15Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > If you’ve ever watched the [show](https://www.itsalways.com/), racism is the least of their sins.\* (You should watch it, it’s hilarious) I’ve tried to watch it a few times but for me it’s just one of those shows where I hate every character thus have hard time finding it funny > [@Guinastasia](#): > > Did the author of “Black Like Me”'s experience count as blackface, or was that different, since he used drugs to change the color of his skin? I consider Black Like Me to be a social experiment done by a white guy who was interested in learning what the black experience was\* really \*like. If white folks want to repeat that experiment today I would be highly supportive of their efforts and encourage them to invite their friends for what I suspect would be an enlightening experience. It should be noted that when Griffin had finally had enough (far, far sooner than he had originally planned) he couldn’t get the black off his skin fast enough. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/424 "2019-10-16T15:03:40Z")
> [@BeagleJesus](#): > > I truly do not understand what’s so damn complicated about this. And I think that concidering a _full body and suit and mask_ to be “blackface” crosses the line from a cause to be sympathetic with to something to be brutally mocked. ---
**Author:** ![BeagleJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5daacb/32.png) [@BeagleJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeagleJesus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/425 "2019-10-16T15:26:38Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > And I think that concidering a _full body and suit and mask_ to be “blackface” crosses the line from a cause to be sympathetic with to something to be brutally mocked. And I think white folks who are looking for loopholes that allow them to do racist shit while avoiding being labeled a racist deserve to be brutally mocked. So should we start insulting each other now or should we maybe try respect the fact that we don’t get to choose other people’s boundaries? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/426 "2019-10-16T17:58:29Z")
Does playing a black character in a video game count? Are certain games, such as GTA:San Andreas (where you have no choice about the race of your character) off-limits to white people? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/427 "2019-10-16T17:59:13Z")
The incident that prompted the bump is straightforward. A costume contest had rules against blackface, one contestant chose to violate that rule, and because of that rule violation, she was disqualified. Now, maybe we can argue whether that rule is a good idea or not, but she knew the rules going in, and chose to violate it. The fact that her makeup was thicker than usual in no way changes anything. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/428 "2019-10-16T18:48:46Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > Does playing a black character in a video game count? Are certain games, such as GTA:San Andreas (where you have no choice about the race of your character) off-limits to white people? If a male gamer plays a female character in a video game, is he dressing in drag? Is he transgendered? Or is he merely pushing electrons across the screen? I can’t tell if you’re being serious. Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/429 "2020-12-11T23:36:55Z")
Bumped. > **[Why does Bollywood use the offensive practice of brownface in movies?](https://www.cnn.com/style/article/india-bollywood-brownface-hnk-intl/?hpt=ob_blogfooterold)** > > Bollywood may be best known for its glamorous casts, glitzy costumes and energetic dance routines. But it also has a far less flattering reputation -- for promoting the offensive practice of brownface. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/430 "2020-12-12T11:31:50Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > If a white kid wants to be Michael Jordan for Hallowe’en, he can dress up in Bulls #23 kit and a bald wig and carry a basketball–done. Not offensive, nobody’d have a problem. But as soon as you try to paint him black, it’s offensive and you’re over the line. Yeah, but that only works with some costumes. A few Halloweens back, my white, Canadian coworker learned the hard way that without pigmentation, there is a very fine line between dressing up as singer Pharrell Williams: [https://images.app.goo.gl/MCGMJYubEiMV5dks8](https://images.app.goo.gl/MCGMJYubEiMV5dks8) …and dressing as a Mountie: [https://images.app.goo.gl/cjD3KF7PfqtLuoJ39](https://images.app.goo.gl/cjD3KF7PfqtLuoJ39) ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/431 "2020-12-12T18:58:33Z")
Well, y’know, Canadian–works either way, right? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/432 "2020-12-12T23:00:37Z")
Today I learned about _verbal_ blackface, such as borrowing the speech patterns of black people. The example used was “I’ma,” as in, “I’ma go to the store.” Apparently it’s wrong for white people to say “I’ma.” I don’t even know where most phrases I use come from. This feels like the bottom of a slippery slope. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2020, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/433 "2020-12-13T03:40:55Z")
Obligatory Mike Birbiglia link: [Cracka - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeAL5lva4eg) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2020, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/434 "2020-12-13T14:00:47Z")
I love him. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/435 "2020-12-13T14:44:09Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Today I learned about _verbal_ blackface, such as borrowing the speech patterns of black people. The example used was “I’ma,” as in, “I’ma go to the store.” Apparently it’s wrong for white people to say “I’ma.” Cool. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2020, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848/436 "2020-12-13T16:48:54Z")
Word. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-qualifies-as-blackface-what-forms-are-offensive-and-why/828848.md?page=21)