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L’Oreal Drops Transgender Model After ‘All White People’ Racism Post

Madame M

Banned
It was never meant to be if that is something L'Oreal can't handle.

Brands are very sensitive to stuff like that. It's why a branded celeb tends to say generalized to the point of meaningless takes like love conquers all and crap.

Gotta be above the brand to really say this stuff without getting dropped. And most models? Aren't.

Generalized to the point of meaningless takes?

Like saying all white people are racist?
 

Dead Man

Member
Complicit means involved in. The argument is that to be white is to be involved in racism by default, no matter what degree of violence.

I'm not saying I agree, I'm offering an explanation for her statement, which is more philosophical than literal.

Nah, I'm still not seeing the chain of logic. Complicit is a lot more than just 'involved in' and even if it wasn't being born white does not mean some infant in complicit in racial violence. It's ludicrous.

Not looking to get into some drawn out semantic argument though, I'll agree to disagree.

Edit: You edited :) Yeah, your edit makes more sense to me, but the logic is still flawed to me. A passive beneficiary is not responsible for the situation that gives those benefits, to me. They may be, but it's not inherent in being a beneficiary.
 

Ponn

Banned
I think "all white people benefit from racism" is closer to the mark than "all white people are racist" or "all white people are racially violent."

I was taking my mom to get some prescriptions today and by average GAF standards most people would not label her a racist. Out of nowhere though we are leaving the parking lot and a black woman and her child walk by and as were leaving the parking spot she says "Oh that black woman was driving that Porsche" I immediately shot her some serious side eye and she realized what she had done and said she was sorry saying that.

What people just don't get is how ingrained this stuff is, and no matter how much people want to protest no one is perfect and everyone has room to grow. For starters we still have a long way to go even defining racism since so many people believe it only pertains to people in hoods carrying torches. And even then the PoTUS calls them very fine people.
 

Speely

Banned
She could have picked her words more wisely. The gist of what she is saying is true: white people benefit from their privilege, and those that don't actively fight against it are complicit in maintaining it.

Problem is, she just went in emotionally and phrased it poorly, which isn't likely to change anyone's mind about anything, which is a shame :(

Off-topic: She is crazy pretty. Hope she lands on her feet because I could stand to see her model a bit more. Edit: And because I think her heart was in the right place.
 

Caelus

Member
Nah, I'm still not seeing the chain of logic. Complicit is a lot more than just 'involved in' and even if it wasn't being born white does not mean some infant in complicit in racial violence. It's ludicrous.

Race is socialized to an extent, I don't think she would argue that a white baby is born racist but that in the status quo it will eventually grow up in an environment and be taught forms of racism, overtly malicious or not. It's the responsibility of society to prevent that.
 

Zolo

Member
When the status quo is oppressive, I think that doing nothing makes one complicit.

Hell, I'm not white and I still think I am to a degree.

On an international level, couldn't this be the case for any first-world society? Is to live one's life with the benefits that a first-world nation while not doing much to help those in impoverished nations also a form of complicity to their troubles?
 
"Honestly I don't have energy to talk about the racial violence of white people any more. Yes ALL white people."

Like, she has good intentions but you don't phrase that all white people are racially violent and don't expect a bit of backlash. This isn't even a "she's not saying all white people" because she actually literally says it.
 
When the status quo is oppressive, I think that doing nothing makes one complicit.

Hell, I'm not white and I still think I am to a degree.

I mean this is definitely true to a large extent, but it ignores that a lot of white people are trying to do something about it. Probably only a relatively small fraction to be honest, but still. I also think that wording is important and she worded her message terribly
 

Dead Man

Member
When the status quo is oppressive, I think that doing nothing makes one complicit.

Hell, I'm not white and I still think I am to a degree.

Sure, doing nothing makes you complicit, but being white or a beneficiary does not automatically mean you are not fighting the status quo.
 

Caelus

Member
On an international level, couldn't this be the case for any first-world society? Is to live one's life with the benefits that a first-world nation while not doing much to help those in impoverished nations also a form of complicity to their troubles?

It is the case, but issues of race tend to be more immediate since you're less likely to interact with citizens of third-world nations on a daily basis or have direct political influence (i.e. voting) on their lives.
 

CSJ

Member
People assuming things; even about places they probably have never been or know exist.
Just comes off incredibly ignorant.
 

Zolo

Member
It is the case, but issues of race tend to be more immediate since you're less likely to interact with citizens of third-world nations on a daily basis or have direct political influence (i.e. voting) on their lives.

Thanks. I've thought and discussed the concept before especially since people tend to ignore or not really discuss the deaths and issues of countries they're not a part of.
 
When the status quo is oppressive, I think that doing nothing makes one complicit.

Hell, I'm not white and I still think I am to a degree.

That's the rub at this point.

The veil of ignorance has been slowly but surely burned away over time as the spread of information has gotten faster and faster.

To the point where it's really tough to play devil's advocate anymore for people.

The true ignorance of the past has become willful ignorance.
 

KingV

Member
Since this thread I'm sure is largely going to be about tut tutting a trans woman of colour for speaking out of turn...

I think her brilliant follow up from the article that was omitted from the OP are necessary

So she said some dumb shit that was obviously going to get her fired, and then walked it back.

I agree the second statement is better. She should have said that instead of the first one and she would probably still have her job.

That said lots of people suddenly "clarify" their statements after they find out those statements are impacting their life negatively.
 

Infinite

Member
So is everyone else. It's just white people benefit from it the most in the West.
Yeah I agree but also whiteness is valued more and white people largely get to ignore race as a result. They get to see themselves as the default and everyone else as the deviant.
 
Not that surprising, it's pretty bad PR even if her expanded post tried to make it more reasonable.

Although something tells me the free speech brigade won't be upset about this one for whatever reason.
 

Wamb0wneD

Member
This was on Yahoo earlier. I made the mistake of reading the comments which made me so sick and just really proved her comments right except she should have added Transphobic and bigoted. .

Some Yahoo comment section makes you feel like she's right? Nice. So according to her and you I'm racist now. Got you.

She ain't wrong, but...

She is though.

I can understand the end result and thinking it's not a good look but the people that actually get personally offended by "all white people" statements are the absolute worst.

May I ask why? I'm included in these "all white people", and I'm white by appearence and I'm far from racist.
 
Sounds about right.

Looking at it from another perspective I think you can describe it as being complicit.
If you're not working to change it and aware of white privilege you are keeping it aloft.

Always wise to delete anything possibly controversial when taking an outward facing job.
 

Wamb0wneD

Member
Sounds about right.

Looking at it from another perspective I think you can describe it as being complicit.
If you're not working to change it and aware of white privilege you are keeping it aloft.

Always wise to delete anything possibly controversial when taking an outward facing job.

And how do you know whether someone is working to change it? She said all white people.
 
After reading that post, good.

That she got fired? Why? It's a pretty benign rant. Sure, the opening is a bit off but the entire thing is sound. Fired? Naw. Maybe allow her to expand upon it before firing?

It's just another incident where a person of color is removed from their job for speaking up. L'Oreal and the likes want to talk the talk but they don't. Diversity to them is hiring a person of color and nothing more because to do more would require effort, time, and a desire to do better.
 

Caelus

Member
Agreed. It was poorly-worded while probably being understandably upset af.

Considering she's a black transgender woman, I'm not at all surprised by her tone. I can understand her frustration. I doubt she would bear any ill will towards white people who genuinely care about ending oppression, but I've seen similar sentiments held by frustrated members of minority groups who want to vent.
 

PixelatedBookake

Junior Member
I understand what she meant by her explanation but lol if thinking saying "all white people are racist" would NOT get her fired then lmaooooo
 

Caelus

Member
And how do you know whether someone is working to change it? She said all white people.

Because most of ya'll don't even realise or refuse to acknowledge that your existence, privilege and success as a race is built on the backs, blood and death of people of colour.

She's drawing a distinction between white people who inherently benefit from privilege and those who acknowledge it.

That's some bullshit. In America maybe. and even there I wouldn't be sure.

It's not.
 

Speely

Banned
And how do you know whether someone is working to change it? She said all white people.

She was upset and prolly meant that way more white folks than just overt racists are responsible. Once again white people are snowflakes about words while PoC are dealing with systemic, life-endangering racist violence.
 
Generalized to the point of meaningless takes?

Like saying all white people are racist?

Nah, like exactly what I said. We are all socialized to be racist, but those who benefit tend not to interogate that. Who benefit? White people, at least in the West. And they have the hardest time even acknowledging it's existence in many forms.

It's even more blatant with men and sexism. And yet, there are plenty of men who will buy, say, and do sexist things but swear up and down they aren't socialized to be sexist.

And while those who benefit freak out about words, like L'Oreal and a bunch of y'all in this thread

Folks are dying because of racism and sexism.

Daily.
 
I think "all white people benefit from racism" is closer to the mark than "all white people are racist" or "all white people are racially violent."
If you say all white then a lot of people go "what's white?", "I'm not white, I'm *insert European ethnicity here*". Happened in a few fragility threads iirc.
 

Wamb0wneD

Member
She's drawing a distinction between white people who inherently benefit from privilege and those who acknowledge it.
And right before that she said "Honestly I don't have energy to talk about the racial violence of white people any more. Yes ALL white people".

So which is it?
She was upset and prolly meant that way more white folks than just overt racists are responsible. Once again white people are snowflakes about words while PoC are dealing with systematic, life-endangering racist violence.

"Hey she was propbably upset. Once again white people..."

Lmao. Maybe don't contradict yourself. I just realized this thread is about her reaction to Charlottesville, it was edited into the OP. I have experienced lifelong racism as well. Thanks for thinking that because I'm not OK with her wording I didn't. And calling me a snowflake because of it. Smh.
 
It's a shame she was fired, but I can't really blame L'Oreal.

When you're being paid to advertise, you basically have to be apolitical.

It's unfortunate.
 
That's some bullshit. In America maybe. and even there I wouldn't be sure.

Not racist as in wear a KKK hood and yell the N word at folks on the street. Simple stuff like how the media portrays black people as thugs (oddly that's what Hollywood does a lot too), so when you think the word "thug" you generally imagine a black person. You're taught a white or race dominant perspective so you don't get a well-rounded view of the world. Every country has this from USA to Japan to Brazil. Folks don't get fearful of a teenager in a hoodie at Subway because they were born with a fear of black Teenagers wearing hoodies, it's fear drip fed over years and generations. This is what they're talking about.
 
"We need to talk about why women of colour were and still are discriminated against within the industry, not just see them as a source of revenue."

Truth. This is very two-face of L'Oreal that when she speaks up about racism and the legacy of white supremacy being systemic, they aren't willing to hear out her grievances and makes them out to just see dollar signs from an untapped market.
 
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