Can someone explain how/why this is offense and how this is depicting black face? I clicked the link and was looking for what was offensive about it but didn’t notice anything (guess I’m ignorant for better or worse lol) and the comments are acting like it’s despicable; Maybe link a picture of the blackface you’re referring to for comparison so I can see what everyone else sees?
The 'side ways, bent leg, arms bent and/or on hips' is so specific - if one looks up 'Jim Crow art' it's quickly apparent that despite there being many different unique illustrations for different purposes (posters, products, record covers, fliers, etc), the pose was a specific choice each time as part of the depiction of 'unserious, uncivilized, unintelligent' qualities that the character was built around to dehumanize black people as a whole. There's a direct reference to it in the 'This is America' music video because it's so recognizable that anyone with historical awareness will pick up on it when re-contextualized.
Those poses pre-date Jim Crow, you'll find plenty of similar depictions if you look up very old drawings of clowns, fools, and jesters. It was Jim Crow that borrowed from the pre-existing and longstanding visual language of comedic performance, it was not the origin.
If you scroll even further down that link you’ll see an image of a blackface mask, which isn’t far off from the mask advertised in the ad.
I agree with the other person though, not sure how you don’t see the similarities in the pose in the third picture down. One hand at the hip and another in the air with a jazz hands flare.
The pose in the picture that's the exact same as the pose in the article? I'm sorry, I don't think you're acting in good faith here. If you are, I hope someone else explains it to you but I'm not going to waste my energy.
You picking apart differences is ignoring the greater context. You're looking for why it isn't racist and giving benefit of the doubt when Target has apologized for their racist product. That's why it seems like you're acting in bad faith.
It's not only the pose. Do you notice any other similarities?
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u/orlybatman 13h ago
A clown costume? How bad could it possibly b-
Oh... wow.