Fake mustaches on cinco: don't do it.

[heyjude]

I posted in the randoms about the mom in my FB who posted a pic of her baby with a fake stereotypical mustache with the caption "Happy cinco from el general."

This seems super offensive!

Is this a version of "blackface"?

Why do seemingly normal "non racists" think they can get away with this?

What do you think?

[iammalcolmx]

FINE. I will take off my fake mustache!!

In all honestly, I don't get it either. I can only imagine what awful ideas Fraternity's will be coming up with.

[runaways]

I don't know that I would consider it strictly comparable to blackface just in the sense that I don't think this has the long-standing history that blackface does (minstrel shows, etc.). But...definitely not okay in my book. I don't understand why we as a country love so much to make caricatures out of other cultures.

[Deleted]

it is offensive because it should have said el Jeffe? right ;-)

[heyjude]

May 5, 2014 13:38:20 GMT -5 runaways said:

I don't know that I would consider it strictly comparable to blackface just in the sense that I don't think this has the long-standing history that blackface does (minstrel shows, etc.). But...definitely not okay in my book. I don't understand why we as a country love so much to make caricatures out of other cultures.

I don't think it would be difficult to go through the history of American pop culture and find examples of non Mexicans doning a mustache as a way to portray a hilarious Mexican for purposes of entertainment. Which would I think put it somewhere in the "blackface" realm.

[summer]

Never dress up like another race/culture. I say it all the time. It always goes wrong.

[irishbride2]

Its using stereotypes to poke fun.

So no. Its a no go.

I don't think its equivalent to black face, but people should know better than to go all out with stereotypes.

[ttt]

May 5, 2014 13:44:05 GMT -5 summer said:

Never dress up like another race/culture. I say it all the time. It always goes wrong.

That said, the American parties that young people in Europe like to throw are pretty hilarious. 

www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/this-is-what-american-parties-look-like-around-the-world 

I never knew this was a thing, but I asked my Belgian friend if she'd ever been to an American party and she was like "Oh yeah, of course!" 

[lauralala]

I get why it is inappropriate, I do. But the only people I have seen dressed up on FB today actually ARE Mexican (although 2nd or 3rd generation American - in some cases maybe more). Is it not widely seen as offensive within the Mexican community? I am legitimately curious.

[heyjude]

May 5, 2014 13:56:55 GMT -5 lauralala said:

I get why it is inappropriate, I do. But the only people I have seen dressed up on FB today actually ARE Mexican (although 2nd or 3rd generation American - in some cases maybe more). Is it not widely seen as offensive within the Mexican community? I am legitimately curious.

My husband says it's offensive. And he's first gen Mexican American. Actually he wants me to report the pic to Facebook as offensive content.

And Mexicans can do whatever they want with their culture. That's not the point. The point is what non Mexicans do with it.

[runaways]

May 5, 2014 13:43:06 GMT -5 heyjude said:

May 5, 2014 13:38:20 GMT -5 runaways said:

I don't know that I would consider it strictly comparable to blackface just in the sense that I don't think this has the long-standing history that blackface does (minstrel shows, etc.). But...definitely not okay in my book. I don't understand why we as a country love so much to make caricatures out of other cultures.

I don't think it would be difficult to go through the history of American pop culture and find examples of non Mexicans doning a mustache as a way to portray a hilarious Mexican for purposes of entertainment. Which would I think put it somewhere in the "blackface" realm.

Valid point. I admittedly haven't given a lot of study to the subject.

[lauralala]

May 5, 2014 13:59:48 GMT -5 heyjude said:

May 5, 2014 13:56:55 GMT -5 lauralala said:

I get why it is inappropriate, I do. But the only people I have seen dressed up on FB today actually ARE Mexican (although 2nd or 3rd generation American - in some cases maybe more). Is it not widely seen as offensive within the Mexican community? I am legitimately curious.

My husband says it's offensive. And he's first gen Mexican American. Actually he wants me to report the pic to Facebook as offensive content.

And Mexicans can do whatever they want with their culture. That's not the point. The point is what non Mexicans do with it.

I get that.  This is the first year I have seen a big discussion about the offensiveness of cinco de mayo celebrations.  I was kind of expecting to see a lot of stuff on FB that seemed offensive based on these discussions - I do live in Texas, after all - but I thought it was interesting that the only pics I saw were people poking fun at their own culture.

[ttt]

Is wearing a sombrero also offensive?

[meshaliuknits]

May 5, 2014 14:25:10 GMT -5 toledo said:

May 5, 2014 14:05:08 GMT -5 ttt said:

Is wearing a sombrero also offensive?

Only if it's filled with guacamole.

Mmmmmm.... I could totally go for a hat filled with guac.

I should probably go eat.

[heyjude]

May 5, 2014 14:05:08 GMT -5 ttt said:

Is wearing a sombrero also offensive?

My H and I had this convo this weekend. It's debatable.

[ESF]

Damn it people.

H and I went to a Cinco party about 10 years ago, and there were mustaches. The hosts took a picture of us, and framed it as part of our wedding present. It is in my living room.

You can de-friend me now.

One of the hosts and gift-givers is from another Central American country. Does that make me not racist?

[ttt]

May 5, 2014 15:12:06 GMT -5 ESF said:

Damn it people.

H and I went to a Cinco party about 10 years ago, and there were mustaches. The hosts took a picture of us, and framed it as part of our wedding present. It is in my living room.

You can de-friend me now.

One of the hosts and gift-givers is from another Central American country. Does that make me not racist?

Well, it depends on how many racist bones there are in your body. 

[ESF]

May 5, 2014 15:13:55 GMT -5 ttt said:

May 5, 2014 15:12:06 GMT -5 ESF said:

Damn it people.

H and I went to a Cinco party about 10 years ago, and there were mustaches. The hosts took a picture of us, and framed it as part of our wedding present. It is in my living room.

You can de-friend me now.

One of the hosts and gift-givers is from another Central American country. Does that make me not racist?

Well, it depends on how many racist bones there are in your body. 

Clearly my upper lip is racist but there are no bones in there.

[laurenpetro]

my moustache is 100% authentic, TYVM.

#sooooitalianithurts

[meshaliuknits]

May 5, 2014 14:39:38 GMT -5 heyjude said:

May 5, 2014 14:05:08 GMT -5 ttt said:

Is wearing a sombrero also offensive?

My H and I had this convo this weekend. It's debatable.

Did you ask about cats in sombreros? Because I really want to do that. Or should I go lederhosen?



Ah, it's a miracle I haven't been killed by them yet.

[2curlydogs]

YOU GUYS. On my twitter feed there is this:

I win the internets!

[elleblue]

May 5, 2014 16:42:39 GMT -5 2curlydogs said:

YOU GUYS. On my twitter feed there is this:

I win the internets!

What's a Lyft? (I'm sort of afraid to ask)

[2curlydogs]

May 5, 2014 16:45:47 GMT -5 elleblue said:

May 5, 2014 16:42:39 GMT -5 2curlydogs said:

YOU GUYS. On my twitter feed there is this:

I win the internets!

What's a Lyft? (I'm sort of afraid to ask)

I have no idea. Crowd sourced taxi?

[ESF]

May 5, 2014 16:47:48 GMT -5 2curlydogs said:

May 5, 2014 16:45:47 GMT -5 elleblue said:

What's a Lyft? (I'm sort of afraid to ask)

I have no idea. Crowd sourced taxi?

Yes. 

Their logo is a mustache.  If you are Lyft driver, you get a pink mustache for your car.

[elleblue]

May 5, 2014 16:49:24 GMT -5 ESF said:

May 5, 2014 16:47:48 GMT -5 2curlydogs said:

I have no idea. Crowd sourced taxi?

Yes. 

Their logo is a mustache.  If you are Lyft driver, you get a pink mustache for your car.

Oh thank gawd. I was concerned it was some kind of vaginal rejuvenation procedure or something. Obviously my head was still stuck on the image someone posted earlier of a moustache that looked sort of like a merkin. So that pink graphic looked like a merkinstache wearing a sombrero. 

Is it too early for a margarita? 

Eta: Also could that pink moustache logo be any more painfully hipster? 

[2curlydogs]

May 5, 2014 16:54:03 GMT -5 elleblue said:

May 5, 2014 16:49:24 GMT -5 ESF said:

Yes. 

Their logo is a mustache.  If you are Lyft driver, you get a pink mustache for your car.

Oh thank gawd. I was concerned it was some kind of vaginal rejuvenation procedure or something. Obviously my head was still stuck on the image someone posted earlier of a moustache that looked sort of like a merkin. So that pink graphic looked like a merkinstache wearing a sombrero. 

Is it too early for a margarita? 

According to my employer, no.

[AJL]

I don't understand the appeal of Cinco de Mayo in the non-Mexican/Mex-Am world. I don't get why all my non-Mexican/Mex-Am friends are the only ones posting how they are celebrating Cinco de Mayo (it's mostly getting drunk and eating Mexican food, which, let's be honest, is pretty much what any Austinite does any day of the week.)

To all the non-Mexicans, is this kind of like St. Patrick's Day to the non-Irish/Irish-Americans? As in "On Cinco de Mayo, everyone is Mexican?"  

I don't know. I'm Mexican-American and it just kind of rankles. (Especially the dumbasses who have no idea that today is NOT Mexican Independence Day. I've heard "Happy Mexican Independance Day" three times today. That's in September, idiots.)

[heyjude]

May 5, 2014 16:57:10 GMT -5 AJL said:

I don't understand the appeal of Cinco de Mayo in the non-Mexican/Mex-Am world. I don't get why all my non-Mexican/Mex-Am friends are the only ones posting how they are celebrating Cinco de Mayo (it's mostly getting drunk and eating Mexican food, which, let's be honest, is pretty much what any Austinite does any day of the week.)

To all the non-Mexicans, is this kind of like St. Patrick's Day to the non-Irish/Irish-Americans? As in "On Cinco de Mayo, everyone is Mexican?"  

I don't know. I'm Mexican-American and it just kind of rankles. (Especially the dumbasses who have no idea that today is NOT Mexican Independence Day. I've heard "Happy Mexican Independance Day" three times today. That's in September, idiots.)

The appeal is booze and food. Delicious delicious food And booze. Lots and lots of booze..

[AJL]

May 5, 2014 17:05:28 GMT -5 heyjude said:

May 5, 2014 16:57:10 GMT -5 AJL said:

I don't understand the appeal of Cinco de Mayo in the non-Mexican/Mex-Am world. I don't get why all my non-Mexican/Mex-Am friends are the only ones posting how they are celebrating Cinco de Mayo (it's mostly getting drunk and eating Mexican food, which, let's be honest, is pretty much what any Austinite does any day of the week.)

To all the non-Mexicans, is this kind of like St. Patrick's Day to the non-Irish/Irish-Americans? As in "On Cinco de Mayo, everyone is Mexican?"  

I don't know. I'm Mexican-American and it just kind of rankles. (Especially the dumbasses who have no idea that today is NOT Mexican Independence Day. I've heard "Happy Mexican Independance Day" three times today. That's in September, idiots.)

The appeal is booze and food. Delicious delicious food And booze. Lots and lots of booze..

So pretty much every day here in Texas. lol!

[meshaliuknits]

May 5, 2014 16:57:10 GMT -5 AJL said:

I don't understand the appeal of Cinco de Mayo in the non-Mexican/Mex-Am world. I don't get why all my non-Mexican/Mex-Am friends are the only ones posting how they are celebrating Cinco de Mayo (it's mostly getting drunk and eating Mexican food, which, let's be honest, is pretty much what any Austinite does any day of the week.)

To all the non-Mexicans, is this kind of like St. Patrick's Day to the non-Irish/Irish-Americans? As in "On Cinco de Mayo, everyone is Mexican?"  

I don't know. I'm Mexican-American and it just kind of rankles. (Especially the dumbasses who have no idea that today is NOT Mexican Independence Day. I've heard "Happy Mexican Independance Day" three times today. That's in September, idiots.)

Hah, I just told this to a coworker. Well, without the idiot.

I think it's pretty much St Patrick's Day: South of the Border Style in how it's treated. But, I do eat Mexican food on Cinco (sopes and flan for lunch!), I cook and/or bake with Guiness on St Paddys, I make noodles on lunar new year (because god help you if you tell my Mien friend it's Chinese new year) and I like a good brat for Oktoberfest. I like having an "excuse" to eat stuff I don't usually have. I like food.

A lot.