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Awkwafina (Shang-Chi) is being accused of cultural appropriation by some, for previous use of a “blaccent” while she was rising to fame
- Thread starter Cheesebu
- Start date
- Entertainment
So fucking what if it's a forum?
If your intent in a conversation is to "learn," then you listen to the people who know better than you. If your intent is just to disagree and argue with minorities about why they're out of pocket for being upset about something, then admit you're not actually here to "learn." You're here to bother them.
Half of the questions could have been answered, the majority of the bans could have been avoided, and the conversation could be more "productive" (I love that cliche too) if people who this issue ultimately doesn't impact just shut the fuck up and read the conversation. You're not obligated to post any and every reaction that comes to your head just because you're on a forum.
I have learned most of what I know not by interjecting myself into conversations that have nothing to do with me, but by reading and trying to parse knowledge and meaning. I'm also not above Google, because I'm not so presumptuous that I expect people to educate me for free; indeed, more people should treat Era as somewhat of a blessing that they've got this many minorities in a single place willing to put up with you long enough to post the insightful things about their lives and experiences that they do without asking for a single cent. This is an emotional burden that people do deserve to get paid for, but something tells me you don't care that much.
Ultimately, maybe others could humble themselves and trust that Black people know what the fuck they're talking about. Maybe. One day.
I wish people would simply understand that hey, black people find what she did racist, we shouldn't tell them how to feel abt it, and we should listen to what they hav to say. I dont see why it has to be more complicated than that.
She's getting called out for exactly what she's complaining about and monetarily benefited from tremendously, what's the issue?
But I need you to know how it makes MEEEEEEEE FEEEEELLLLLL
There is something offensive to a lot of people about Black people telling them what is and what isn't.
Embarrassing thread. Yeah a lot of Asians have picked up the accents of where they grew up but that's not what's happening with her. Her accent is part of her act and shuts off when she's not performing. All she needs to do is acknowledge and apologize, it's not that complicated.
I'm not educated on this; When looking into this, this was the primary article as the first result. Is the below article a good overview of this issue? (Looking at Lauren Michele Jackson's background it seemed to be a good starting point to understand the issue but I wanted to be sure)
www.vulture.com
Who Really Owns the ‘Blaccent’?
While Awkwafina successfully imitates something in Crazy Rich Asians, it’s not black language.
www.vulture.com
When people are telling me what is and is not offensive, even though they aren't impacted by it, or altering the conversation to fit their own personal narrative (ILike the people that keep saying "I'm asian and I grew up around black people, and that's how I talk"), then we are being talked over.
When you're not listening to the people that this impacts and you continue to ignore and interject and not take in other people's lived experience, yes, people are talking over others.
Y'all don't get bored dusting off alt accounts just to say the same dumb shit to get banned over and over? LOL
Like... how is this fun for you? Go outside, read a book, take a knitting class.
Is there a need to take turns talking when Black people are explaining how they feel about this issue? Especially if a poster is white? There doesn't always need to be a back and forth on some issues nor are all opinions valid. Talking over, as in ignoring or down playing a player's concerns and feelings, is not how one learns.
The key to learning is to listen first.
User Banned (3 Months): Downplaying cultural appropriation, previous severe ban for excusing racism
ppl wont stop criticizing her cause she admits it and apologizes. its gonna get people talking about it more and making it even more of a controversy
She won't apologize because of how this thread has gone. That's just a microcosm of the real world. Black people are the only ones that truly care, and our voices don't matter. She'll have everybody coming to her defense to excuse her minstrel act and make it seem like Black people are trying to "own an accent" or dictate "who gets to say what".
I mean, that's not really what this is about. You could read the thread or something to learn more idk
I'm also taking her to task for her chosen stage name being dumb. It reminds me of a water bottle brand everytime I hear it!
well, guess celebrities shouldnt apologize for anything then...
I swear to god somebody somewhere will claim it's a free speech issue.
Well, when you're indoctrinated from birth with the notion black people don't know any better and that they NEED white/non-black input for saving you tend to get tone deaf takes.
This is the norm though if you're black. None of the shit that has gone down in this thread is at all new or surprising.
I think that's the point. It's absurdist.I'm also taking her to task for her chosen stage name being dumb. It reminds me of a water bottle brand everytime I hear it!
Oh yeah? Well I don't have to like the joke, Mrs. Water Bottle!!!1!1!1
She's exhibiting I think something problematic in the East Asian/Chinese (and others, I'd guess too?) immigrant cultures, where the ideal outcome is still on success and not necessarily building bridges and facing down difficult intersectional issues, nevermind multicultural ones.
She should definitely address/credit/apologize/whatever befits the situation.
Awkwafina's Blaccent – Gatekeeping is important
Hey y'all! Today I'm chatting about non Black people like Awkwafina using a Black aesthetic to get famous, then ditching it to ascend higher. Gatekeeping it ...
www.youtube.com
Watch this, literally took me a minute to find on youtube.
Maybe we should criticise the Hollywood system that asks PoC movies to be the saviours for representation and not allow all variety of quality and commercial success. To gatekeep representation behind box office numbers and to blame the audience on that, especially if some not want to financially support some projects with questionable actors, just sounds wrong.
AAVE has been recognized as a dialect since the '90s. It's not new. Prior to being recognized, it was often referred to as ebonics (a derogatory slang term that combined "ebony" and "phonics").
Blaccent is a newer term, mostly used in reference to refer to non-native speakers of AAVE attempting to appropriate it.
Basically, this isn't a new thing. It's been going on since Awkwafina was a baby and she really should know better.
I'm honestly completely ignorant on the topic, so it is completely new to me that that particular way of talking Awkwafina does (and apparently greatly exaggerated) has been an official dialect since the nineties. I just always thought that was an urban way of speaking, and not something from specifically black culture. (which I think is pretty cool) So the thread is very informative.
And if Awkwafina has been putting that accent on on purpose...yeah, she should definitely know better.
And if Awkwafina has been putting that accent on on purpose...yeah, she should definitely know better.
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"Look, niggers, it's your job to take shit and carry water for everyone else."
come on bro, read the thread. i grew up in brooklyn and we south asians definitely spoke what was then called ebonics (i do not know if that's a bad term to use today) in junior high and high school - to fit in, or because that was the environment. but what she is doing is a caricature, an act. that's not her actual self, that's a persona she made up. the kids i grew up with now in their 30's and 40's still speak like that cause that was our hood that we grew up in, similarly we can curse in polish and use jewish slang as well. that's a different thing.
Can we not ascribe the failings of a single individual to an entire group of people?
Yeah, my bad, I should have phrased myself better, but what you typed was what I was thinking, I went back and read the thread, again my bad.
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I live in Jamaica, Queens. Grew up in Bushwick. Forest Hills is right next to me.
She sounds like she's being an asshole.
Fair, ascribing it to a group is unfair. But I still think it's a bigger potential blind spot amongst members of any given community that are more insulated and aren't socially aware.
Your post is bullshit but this is hilarious. People should support the shang-chi kung fu master movie otherwise hollywood will continue to put asian actors in kung fu master roles?
She's clearly a hypocrite and while I've been mostly reading this thread and trying to learn from it, I empathize with those that feel disappointed by some of the responses here.
I wish I knew more about the subject or knew any encouraging words that could help some of you feel better, but I don't. I'm just trying to learn about them as an ignorant white man. But I have done my part in trying to signal boost the video I saw which explained what Blaccent was, and I'll continue to signal boost such videos in the future.
I'm sorry this is still an ongoing issue and I hope that some time in the near future, enough people are aware of it so that it becomes less tolerated in our media.
I wish I knew more about the subject or knew any encouraging words that could help some of you feel better, but I don't. I'm just trying to learn about them as an ignorant white man. But I have done my part in trying to signal boost the video I saw which explained what Blaccent was, and I'll continue to signal boost such videos in the future.
I'm sorry this is still an ongoing issue and I hope that some time in the near future, enough people are aware of it so that it becomes less tolerated in our media.
Was Akwafina's "My Vag" basically just Dirt Nasty's "My Dick" redone?
Thanks for posting this. I recommend everyone watch it. I knew Wahlberg was arrested for attacking a Vietnamese man, but I did not know about the throwing rocks at black kids and yelling the n-word incident.Awkwafina's Blaccent – Gatekeeping is important
Hey y'all! Today I'm chatting about non Black people like Awkwafina using a Black aesthetic to get famous, then ditching it to ascend higher. Gatekeeping it ...
Watch this, literally took me a minute to find on youtube.
Do we really someone here saying "support this shit or else no more movies with PoC leads"? What the fuck!??
You don't get to tell black people how to respond to someone else's ignorance for 'representation'. A lot of you are so into representation as a concept that you end up looking like ignorant racist fools in the process stepping on other people's toes for whose benefit? anti blackness doesn't compliment anyone, and if black people and whoever else want to boycott her movies for this reason than so be it.
you have to choose, one movement or another. one must be sacrificed, so it has been said.