Children's blackface and whiteface costumes spark debate

A debate over blackface and whiteface has erupted in Australia after photos of children with painted faces were published on the internet.

The controversy began when a mother in Perth painted her son brown for a school event in honour of his Aussie Rules football idol Nic Naitanui.

She posted the image on Facebook, describing it as a "parenting win".

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

She wrote: "I NEED to share my absolute QUEENING moment. My son had book week parade today. He wanted to go as his idol Nic Naitanui from the west coast Eagles. I was a little worried about painting him. (So many politically correct extremists these days) he is pastey White and if I just sent him in a wig and footy gear, no one would tell who he was. So I grew a set of balls and painted my boy brown and he looked fanf***ingtastic."

She finished: "Parenting win! I’m celebrating by having a wine before 12pm..."

The message was later removed, reports The Guardian

Naitanui commented on the post after it had been shared by writer and blogger Constance Hall, saying: "It's a shame racism coexists in an environment where our children should be nurtured not tortured because they are unaware of the painful historical significance of 'blackface' has had previously on the oppressed."

Naitanui, who is of Fijian descent, suggested educating others of the origins of blackface.

The furore has led Australians to share their own views on the practice.

Bec Bee, who is of Aboriginal descent, shared a picture of her daughter dressed as a Dr Seuss character in a red wig and white face paint for a similar school event three years ago, saying there were "double standards" inflaming racial debates in the country.

"I didn't see blackface," she told the BBC. "I saw a young fella who was proud to emulate his idol. There was no intent of racism."

She added: "Not once did anyone say anything when I painted my black daughter white three years ago. We need to stop the double standards, a hero is a hero.

"I showed my daughter the article about the young boy… She said, 'I'm proud that he wants to be the same colour as me.'"

But Bee's Facebook post has also drawn criticism, with one Facebook user, Aliera French, saying: "Just because it doesn't offend you, doesn't mean it's not offensive."