by
Rinny
The WhiteFeministBarbie Instagram account isn’t afraid to call out cultural appropriators with its Barbie-inspired satirical approach. The account went viral after photos made their way onto Tumblr. Take a look at some of the uploads below.
The account even touches on the story of Ashley Davis, a Missouri woman told by her job to cut off her 10-year-old locs due to a recent change in company policy.
And it didn’t hesitate to address the recent trend of Marc Jacobs “mini buns” aka bantu knots
Ouch! The shade is STRONG!
Ladies, what are your thoughts? Is this too harsh? Or is the strong tone necessary?
27 Responses
I thought the satire was clear enough about why this behaviour is deeply problematic to say the least, but try this:
Cultural appropriation is more like theft and mockery than exchange. And there’s clearly something wrong when one and the same thing (hairstyle, clothing, music …) is deemed “unprofessional” or “primitive” on POC and “cool” on whites.
White privilege comes in where white people just fail to understand that there’s a problem at all because they’ve never experienced the sting and helpless rage when others do this to them, because they’re in a position of power where they can’t be hurt the same way since “white culture” is deemed superior by everyone, whites and POC, as a matter of course.
Even though I’m Bavarian, when I see people (whether white or POC) wearing garments based on Bavarian/Austrian traditional costumes (“Tracht”) – such as a dirndl – in the gaudiest and most respectless ways, it just does not have the same sting to it. It’s easy to smirk and to shrug it off. I need not fear harassment for wearing traditional costume. White privilege at work.
I don’t get it. Cultural appropriation makes little sense to me. In the US or in any country that has many cultures living together, don’t people expect cultures to exchange and adapt? why is it a problem when white people do it? By all means I understand racism and white privilege is still alive and well but I don’t see its correlation with Cultural Appropriation. Maybe someone can enlighten me.
She called one Barbie SUNBURNT SALLY – noo I can’t stop laughing at how hypocritical society treats minorities.
I think it’s great. And it’s funny. Whether they fully get it or not, white people need to start understanding, on a large scale, that not only is cultural appropriation not okay, it’s infuriating!
Womp, womp!
‘this account will just worsen the situation’ Please expand, maybe you don’t realise that this ‘situation’ of cultural appropriation was never created by the people actually highlighting issues with cultural appropriation. Any race can mock another culture/ethnicity but when white people do so they cause more damage as they hold the power, think of the roots of stereotypes and what damage they have done to society.
When you mention anyone can have bigger physical features please realise that when they imitate such things it is usually as a result of the influence of African American & Hip Hop culture due to big butts, lips & thickness being praised in such communities. Following this will usually be ‘hashtag whitegirlbooty’ and white girls writing rap lyrics in their bio, plus social media being fascinated with white girls with BLACK girl booties. Yes any race can have such things but unfortunately black people have been sexualised so much and hold the stereotype for big butts so much that those within communities who are less endowed feel ashamed that they do not hold such attributes.
I agree that respect is VITAL but this comes with recognising everyone for what they are whether its appearance, culture, sexuality, gender, age and so forth. Yes people SHOULD be free to live life as they please but don’t ever believe you can mistreat, control, abuse and mock any culture without being told that the items not of your culture you now chose to wear are not to be criticised by that same culture.
When any non-ethnic groups of oppressed people bring awareness to how they’re being mistreated they are more than free to speak on it. Yet the minute BLACK or minority groups especially women attempt they are often silenced. Speaking on things never makes things worse.
Its a long read but had to get it off my chest @malagasygirl:disqus i’m not sure if you’re living in the US but when someone tells you there is a problem, you should listen.
peace
I do agree that there is a problem, but the content in this account is excessively provocative and rude… When someone attacks/insults you, you should DEFEND yourself by shutting down whatever they said or did to offend you. Throwing even more insults back is not defense, it will remove your position as a victim and turn you into an offender as well. That’s why i said THIS account will make things worse; instead of appropriately addressing the TRUE attacker, the account decided to throw {insults} to all white women and girls.
And yes, some communities have objectified black people; and of course that’s wrong. They should be confronted for that, not everyone who ressembles them…just saying. I also agree that we have a stereotype (big butt, ‘thick’, large boobs, very sexual, etc). However, this account is also forming a stereotype towards “white” women by labeling all of them as racist/ignorant/disrespectful/unintelligent. The viewers who support this account will subconsciously develop a perception that will consider all white women like that.
And I’m not bias with the content in this account, i don’t agree with some of it and i agree with some of the posts… Here are two of the many posts that i found hurtful
https://instagram.com/p/7mhAbTiKvN/?taken-by=whitefeministbarbie [whitefeministbarbieso guys I just wanted to share a bit of my personal life with you, I’ll be doing posts on my family members. this right here is my mum isn’t she gorgeous, she’s taught me everything I know and I wouldn’t be the proud white feminist racist pig I am today without her?? love you mum??]
not all white mothers are “racist pigs”.
https://instagram.com/p/8ABa4FCKj4/?taken-by=whitefeministbarbie [whitefeministbarbiesent in by @rihbelmafia
–
Hi I’m toilet seat toms sister Trashy Tracy. Just like my brother I love MOC. That’s right I have jungle fever too.
I don’t think much about his brains or anything just that big black cock and my future mixed children w light skin, curly hair and light eyes w Caucasian features. Of course I don’t care for WOC even though my future daughter will be of color, I love black style and features and my sexy chocolate boyfriend will belittle black women and put me on a higher pedestal than them. Tbh don’t tell Self hater Shawn this but personally I could care less about the stigma he faces just as long as that dick is good.]
this post personally hurts me, because I am bi-racial (mother is from Madagascar, father is French). Therefore this will not just hurt white people ( I guess this is one the owner’s intentions ) it will hurt black people ( biracials, interacial couples, black men ).
And these are some the posts that I’ve accepted https://instagram.com/p/79CGQMCKtF/?taken-by=whitefeministbarbie [whitefeministbarbiehey guys its me, appropriating ally (@thenewclassic) and I just wanted to show you my super cute indian dress thingy (couldn’t be bothered learning the name) isn’t it cute. I love appropriating all different kinds of cultures and when someone calls me out on it in more concerned about being called a racist appropriating pig than actually doing something about it. peace and win na win wenna win na win??]
https://instagram.com/p/8APGkgCKlO/?taken-by=whitefeministbarbie [Hi! I’m culture vulture Venus! (@venus_angelic u lil bitch) I like to fetishize and appropriate Asian culture cos it’s KAWAII >u< lolz. I pretend I'm Asian and make videos on how to look Asian cos it's cute for us white people to have these features but for a REAL Asian person ? Fuck no they eat cats gross lmao. This offends multiple people in the Asian community but do I care ? No lulz •~• too kawaii to hear the haters. I'm going to put on my traditional kimono now, eat sushi nom nom nom and make a new video on how to look Asian ???? Bye-isu or however the fuck u say bye lolol .]
I do listen and analyse before processing my thoughts, especially when there is a problem. We have to remember to not turn problems into rivalries, we should just END them.
Yes I do live in the U.S, for 6 years. I have also lived in Uganda, Ivory Coast, Monaco, and France. Peace.
You sound really lost. You clearly have no idea about the complexities of this topic and you should have kept your mouth completely shut. BTW the person who runs the account is a white girl, so how about you cry to her instead? She might actually help you change your ways; she’s obviously more aware than you.
No, I am not lost. I am aware that there is an issue. But I don’t consider this account’s approach as a sensible and effective approach to the problem. To me, the ultimate goal is to END the problem; its’s not to use the current problem as a root to form even more of them. So what if she’s white?Would you mind explaining why you had to mention the person’s skin colour? It’s not going to change my opinion towards some of the content in this account, it was rude. E.g I’m not going to insult black people and say use my blackness as my passport to have the right to insult them. I don’t want to insult anybody, including you. I was simply stating MY view towards this. I am pacific, I don’t like drama… So I’m not going to shut my mouth ever, no one should. Amen ?
You’re pacific and don’t like drama? Well you know to “End” (as you put) these types of issues there has never been a moment in history where issues have been solved with a “pacific” attitude and without a bit of drama.
By using the current problem this profile has caused AWARENESS ahead of the ‘more problems’ you speak of.
I feel you’re an outsider to these types of racial problems as you stated that you took offence to the comments about the mixed babies post. You’re simply not looking deep enough at the comment. Without stating my own racial makeup (like yourself) I have seen first hand how this of type attitude is damaging within my own family, culture and community. Maybe you haven’t experienced this in many of the places you have been or just don’t see things for what they are. To feel offended at that shows you’ve just missed the point and cannot see anything more than your claimed offence.
Your opinion is yours but never believe that things can and will be ended the way YOU would like it to. It just doesn’t work like that and it has never worked like that Racism is very real and has deep roots. Cultural appropriation is not a new thing!
I challenge you to pick up a book on racism in America specifically, because you need to learn, if you care enough to share your opinions on things you don’t appear to understand or are educated on fully. Even if you end up having the same opinion it will be based off truth and not your opinion or your own life experiences.
Peace
It’s sounding a lot like she finds the fact that the page used insulting words more offensive than the actual act of cultural appropriation.
yes cultural appropriation is a large problem, but SOME of the content in the account was unnecessarily rude. 🙂
Do people seriously just post #culturalappropriation as a response on twitter these days? I mean just the hashtag with no other content in the reply?
I love her so much for this. This is the greatest thing I have ever seen.
this is great!
I LOVE SATIRE PAGES!!!!
My favorites are
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1625160697722810&fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/justhotepthings?fref=ts
Epic.
Powerless
Wow… this account will just worsen the current situation 🙁 I just feel so disappointed because people are being set against each other. This subject developed way too far and it should come to an end…
I do agree, there are some people (not only white, it can be any race) who mock certain cultures or races. And then they proudly wear characteristics of the race/culture whilst still being discriminative towards them..or by not giving credit to them (like the marcjacobs post, referring the bantu knots to them as if they created it) that’s also wrong, and it deserves to be called out.
I didn’t like the plastic surgery topic.. anyone can have full lips/big butt/big boobs etc. It doesn’t uniquely belong to a race/color.
But i am against this account, it should end. It’s going to be the root of severe hatred amongst women. People should be free to live and enjoy their preferences. What’s important is RESPECT. We should all respect each other.. This account was a terrible idea 🙁
Yes, the strong tone is necessary but even still they just won’t get it and will probably see it as the work of another ‘Angry Black Woman.’ For too long they they have had the attitude of entitlement to every aspect of everyone elses culture with no regard of respect or homage. Whatever offence Sally feels after seeing this instagram page holds no comparison to the pain the ‘Keishas, Marias Priyas and Mings’ of today LIVE through just for being Brown in 2015.
who cares if they do? Stop letting that even be a notion in your mind.
the owner is actually a white woman. Obviously it’d be nice for other white people to view this account and “get it” but the conversation alone is worth it. The discussions that take place about what she’s addressing allow for people to have a back and forth about these things instead of being dismissed. Also, many POC thank her for speaking up for them and that’s always a great bonus.
I agree they lack empathy for demographics they have no capacity to be included in most notably POC! As the owner is actually white maybe others seeing that it’s possible to be white and anti-white supremacy without wanting to be black will catch on *Shrugs*
‘many POC thank her for speaking up for them’? always will have the white savior eh?….I see these images white people will dress up for Halloween, these are ideas for them…watch…
Harsh, no. Funny Yes. I don’t think we should take ourselves too seriously. But then again it depends on where you live in the world. Some people would react more negatively to this than others. It’s obvious the person posting these is a troll.
oh my goodness I laugh my but off, and I don’t really have much of one, but white folks wont get it, they have no empathy for situations that are not about them.
omg, you mean to suggest that we don’t all have large assets?! * sigh*