you are assuming its based on skin colour — DingoJones
“Pinprick, would you feel the same way about other ethnicities whose clothing you associated with violent/criminal people such as whites wearing biker gang colours or perhaps well dressed japanese men with chest/back tattoos and missing pinky fingers?” — DingoJones
No, I'm not, actually. I'm assuming he's the only one who knows (or could know) what it's based on. And the idea of asking us is a waste of time. And all the not-dressed-like-Obama, bandanna, loud clothes stuff is funny to me. — Baden
I expect the same level of criticism to be directed at those black people who intentionally dress a certain way in order to appear intimidating or thug-like. — Pinprick
But anyway, to expand the topic, I was also wondering about how this could also apply to things like accusations of police profiling. For example, police may very well pull over black people at a higher rate than white people for simple infractions like speeding. Some people, upon seeing this data, will then jump to the conclusion that the police are racially profiling. But, what if a large portion of these people pulled over dress in the way I’ve described? Do police have the right to become literal fashion police? I guess the point I’m getting at is that the issue of racism is much more nuanced than it is portrayed to be. It isn’t as simple as “white person treats black person bad, therefore racism.” — Pinprick
If you don't like certain types of clothes, fine, but you can't infer from the fact that you find something intimidating that it is intended to be intimidating. — Baden
And even if it is, so what? — Baden
In some environments, you need to look intimidating to survive. — Baden
Maybe we should check if George Floyd was wearing a bandanna when he was publically lynched. All these protests for nought... No, this is just stupid. — Baden
Maybe in some circumstances, but I’d consider it to be common knowledge what type of appearance is associated with gang or thug mentality. — Pinprick
You’re misreading me. Lynching someone is bad regardless of color, clothing, or anything else. I’m just wondering if there are situations that are labeled racist, but that the skin color is just circumstantial, and that maybe their appearance in general aside from their skin color is a contributing factor. That type of situation doesn’t seem all that unlikely to me. But that isn’t to excuse any sort of unprovoked aggression. Again, that is wrong regardless of color, clothing, or anything else. — Pinprick
None of what you mentioned would I associate with anything other than being young and wanting to fit in. — Baden
I believe that black people do intentionally dress in a way to intentionally appear intimidating more often than white people. — Pinprick
If you think that "x race" are "lazy people" and that's just an opinion and not an effort on your part to be hateful, I'd still call that racism. — Judaka
Any biases based on race can be called racism but what about biases on culture? — Judaka
You need to use language that doesn't associate the race with the behaviour. — Judaka
I would say your OP is rather unambiguously racist. — Judaka
You can say someone looks like a gangster or a hooligan and treat them with suspicion and it's not racist. Once you associate those characteristics to a race and then prejudice against that race because of that association then that's racist. — Judaka
I don’t have this reaction towards all black people, — Pinprick
You seem to be backpedalling from the position I thought you were taking and saying that it is about black people (and their "look") rather than about particular clothes on anyone. So, I agree with Judaka now on a less charitable interpretation. — Baden
Yeah, but if you only have this reaction to black people then that's racism. You still haven't said you're equally frightened by whites wearing these clothes. Are you? — Baden
yeah I’ve noticed this reaction with white people as well. Have basically no exposure to other ethnicities or races though. Which undoubtedly is also part of the issue, my issue. — Pinprick
I’m interested in the role of fashion in regards to racism. For example, several years ago I noticed that when I encountered black people I would sometimes react with what may be considered racist behaviors. Whether it’s making sure my car doors are locked when I find myself in a predominantly black neighborhood, or refraining from making eye contact with a black person I pass on the street. — Pinprick
I disagree with the idea that there is a "black culture" to begin with and I'd say the term is racist. — Judaka
If you're just going to assume someone's characteristics by their culture and their culture by their race then you're assuming characteristics by race which you agreed was racist. — Judaka
You could save yourself the trouble and be more careful with your language. — Judaka
It seems obvious that certain fashion choices are strongly associated with gangs, or “thug” personality types; facial tattoos, bandannas, loud colored clothing, certain hairstyles, etc. — Pinprick
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