20 infamous cases of whitewashing
When history books, schoolteachers, movies, and pop culture omit—or even casually gloss over—the contributions, lived experiences, and excellence of our marginalized communities in favour of the accounts of colonial, white populations, this is called “whitewashing.” According to the dictionary, one definition of whitewashing is “to alter (something) in a way that favors, features, or caters to white people.” Whether it’s the controversial casting of a white actress like Scarlett Johansson to play the role of an Asian character in 2017’s Ghost in the Shell, or the fact that the tragic 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre was never taught in schools, whitewashing shows up in many different ways. Examples of whitewashing, which you will read more about in this piece, can cause non-white communities to assimilate. In individuals and communities, assimilation can lead to a loss of identity and belonging, feelings of inferiority, deep-rooted shame, and a lack of self-worth. In our systems and society, whitewashing can fuel racism, prejudice, bias, xenophobia, and violence against non-white communities. A form of gaslighting, whitewashing not only impacts our global communities today, but also casts a shadow on the progress we are all striving to make toward more equitable, just societies for the future. To take action against whitewashing, we must explore the myriad ways that it manifests itself in our culture, history, systems, and society. Learning about past and present examples of whitewashing can help us recognize these toxic cycles and take action to reduce them, and eventually prevent them from happening. Let’s start by exploring 20 infamous cases of whitewashing over the years.
2023-03-21T09:13:54Z
Taylor Swift The Eras Tour: photos of the Alberta Ferretti outfits.
Alberta Ferretti, the founder and creative director of the eponymous brand, has created a series of special dresses that Taylor Swift will wear on stage during her new US tour."The Eras Tour represents a very important moment in Taylor's career as she has designed and constructed it as a journey through the different moments, or as the title suggests, musical eras of her career. So I'm honoured that she asked me to design clothes for this special occasion. I've always been fascinated by women who know how to constantly put themselves out there, and Taylor with her work has shown that she has great versatility and such a multifaceted creativity that she constantly transforms and renews herself," explains Alberta Ferretti, who has already dressed the American artist in important moments, such as the Grammy Awards in 2014. "Thinking about these stage dresses for her also prompted me to reflect on the milestones of my career and I think what we have created reflects this journey in which the key elements of my style come alive: lightness, femininity, romanticism, attention to detail and a delicate, gentle seduction."In line with Alberta Ferretti's iconic style, chiffon is the star material of the creations, which flaunt soft, fluid volumes that enhance the artist's stage presence, giving her freedom of movement. To embellish the dresses, embroideries of beads and crystals reflect the glow of the stage.
2023-03-22T03:19:21Z
