Millhouse

http://www.theguardian.com/music/201...e-video-racist


Is Lilly's new video racist? I can't even see how it could be...

Scamp

I don't get it.

Isn't it a bit like saying that Chinese restaurants are racist because they prefer to employ Chinese staff? Positive discrimination?

Just because the best people at a specific type of dance are from X skin tone / race / whatever, doesn't make it racist.

I'm neither here nor there on Allen, but if it was an all white dance crew would anyone have ****ing noticed?

Meow

I think Suzanne Moore's piece bears reading http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...ut-here-racism Black female friends don't like it and I get why.

It's far from the worst culprit in the world of music videos, some of which are stunningly sexist and racist, but if irony was intended it doesn't work and for most this will be seen on the same level of all the videos Allen says she is parodying.

Meow

Somebody would have. The accusation is that it looks as if the white woman is in control of the black and asian women. She is fully dressed and they are writhing around in their underwear.

It should be irrelevant, but until the world is rather fairer then such matters will upset people.

Millhouse

But there are white dancers doing twirking too. The bigger issue for me is that it's a shite track.

Millhouse

On the subject of twirking and racism. I do like how the white chick at 2 mins in wins. Of course, I was shocked that such competitions exist

Scamp

I think the biggest problem is that people go looking for issues.

Why is it acceptable for a rapper to release a song where the entire chorus is "my n****r" repeated over and over and over?

I'm not disagreeing with you necessarily, I just think that Morgan Freeman has a point;

Meow

Is such a song acceptable? Really?

Yes, Freeman has a point, but there is still far too much racism in the world and whilst no group is exempt, as 'wealthy' (by global standards) whitish folk (as I think most board memebers probably are) we certainly have it easier. I think that those of us who are fortunate in life ought to pick up on discimination for those who can't always so do themselves.

Life is not fair and never will be, but we can at least try and level the playing field a little so people are not discriminated against simply due to things they can't change such as colour or gender. (Surgery not withstanding, but that's a whole other issue.) Discriminate against people for being willfully ignorant, lazy, bigoted or unpleasant instead.

Millhouse

This is exactly why I was so pleased to see the white trash win the twerking competition.

Meow

Twerking just looks horrible, cheap and nasty. Anyone suggesting that is is 'empowering' on a feminist level is talking bullshit too.

Can't we all go back to doing a nice waltz or foxtrot?

Millhouse

You do not understand.

Meow

Admittedly I am perhaps not as keen as you to see women's backsides waggled around.

Scamp

I agree with all of that, but it's Lily Allen. I mean, she probably had nothing to do with the selection, someone just picked the people who could best shake their arses from the pool they had auditioning on that day.

I haven't heard the song, just watched the video. I can guarantee there are music videos which are more degrading to women than this one, let alone if it can be even considered racist.

Perpetuating racial stereotypes is something that is done everywhere, by comedians, musicians, idiots, smart folk. I think people should spend effort writing / complaining / talking about other more serious issues than if Lily Allen's producer picked too many White/Black/Yellow/Pink/Green/Cream/Orange women to dance a certain dance.

Patsy Stoned

A girl explains about twerking.

Meow

As I said earlier "It's far from the worst culprit in the world of music videos, some of which are stunningly sexist and racist, but if irony was intended it doesn't work and for most this will be seen on the same level of all the videos Allen says she is parodying."