Racism in Florence + The Machine 'No Light, No Light' video?
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Why This Is Important
This is important, because this video is very racist for multiple reasons. 1) The blackface which considering its history is racist no matter what the intent, 2) Perpetuating the stereotype that black men are savages and will rape and hunt white women and/or white people, 3) The continuing stereotype that African religions (Voodoo, Voudou, Hoodoo, Vodoun, etc.) are some type of evil thing. When these religions are actually practiced in many different places including, but not limited to: islands in the Caribbean (such as Haiti), West African countries, New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana, New York, Houston, Charleston, SC, Los Angeles, etc. 4) The "Hollywood, Voodoo is evil" view of it is a racist, stereotype that has been shown for many, many years now. 5) Piggybacking on the Voodoo is evil stereotype, the video also shows Christianity/Catholicism as being inherently good. When given that history of missionaries in Africa and the Pope's role in sending them to Africa to “save” and enslave African people, the opposite is actually true. Voodoo is a RELIGION. The same as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, etc. because of the history of racism toward African people and people of African descent, it has been given a reputation as evil and/or satanic and there hasn’t been many steps into correcting this view. Besides these facts this video is also an example of cultural appropriation. The fact that Florence, who is a British woman with no history of knowing anything about Voodoo beyond “TV voodoo,” put this, an African religion, a part of African/Afro culture, into her video with absolutely NO knowledge of what it actually entails is in and of itself is racist, disrespectful, and ignorant.
The fact that none of the people working on the video thought that this would be offensive is insulting. Florence + the Machine has a history of making these offending videos so this is not just a one time occurrence or “mistake.” Her videos “Dog Days are over” and “Kiss with a fist” are cultural appropriated and disrespectful toward domestic abuse victims, respectively. Saying something is “art” is no excuse for being racist, insensitive, disrespectful, and ignorant.
Not only this, but America, and other parts of the world, has this habit of taking different culture, Native Americans, African Americans or people of African Descent, Spanish, Asian, etc. cultures telling the people who belong to this culture that their culture is satanic, evil, and other derogatory terms, then turn around and try to "celebrate" it. The recent problem Urban Outfitters "Navajo" line, Dia de los Muertes being seen as the "Mexican Halloween," etc. This comes from the same place of entitlement that made Florence and her camp think it was a good idea to involve blackface, "voodoo," and other stereotypes in her new music video. The video should be pulled, edited, or reshot and she and her label should issue a sincere apology for this strongly offensive video.
Yeah, I'm sure she meant to portray herself as being racist when she has the new album to promote.
People reading way too much into it need to be castrated for our better future.
Not here for this diss!
It could be misconstrued that way. Black people are after her, causing her harm while young white aryan children save her from savages who are trying to kill her. That's a bit unfortunate.
I do think it's a little racist and I hate how it portrays voodoo, but at the same time it obviously wasn't Florence's intention and art shouldn't be so psychoanalyzed.
As I was watching the video I got weird teas. I mean I love her but her and her team had to have know that even though racism clearly wasn't what they were going for, people were going to observe things that "could" be considered racist and call her out for it. They should have made it more evident that the black creatures were devils and demons in some form.
I see their point but I'm on Florences side, art can't be stopped because someone wants to read too deep into every single thing.
Yeah... but those so called artists need to stop portray black people as stereotypes because no one is here for that. I'm sure most of you dont care because you live in the USA and there's a lot black people represent in almost every class of the etablishment. It's not the same case in most European countries and i'm sure Florence is well aware of that being english.
Yeah... but those so called artists need to stop portray black people as stereotypes because no one is here for that. I'm sure most of you dont care because you live in the USA and there's a lot black people represent in almost every class of the etablishment. It's not the same case in most European countries and i'm sure Florence is well aware of that being english.
Black people still get the short end of the stick in the US as well
It could be misconstrued that way. Black people are after her, causing her harm while young white aryan children save her from savages who are trying to kill her. That's a bit unfortunate.
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Originally posted by Rigalo
As I was watching the video I got weird teas. I mean I love her but her and her team had to have know that even though racism clearly wasn't what they were going for, people were going to observe things that "could" be considered racist and call her out for it. They should have made it more evident that the black creatures were devils and demons in some form.
"Saying something is “art” is no excuse for being racist, insensitive, disrespectful, and ignorant."
YES IT IS. If you are trying to express something in art you can incorporate insensitive material BECAUSE ART IS FREE THERE ARE NO RULES AND ANGRY MOMS WILL HAVE TO DEAL.
It could be misconstrued that way. Black people are after her, causing her harm while young white aryan children save her from savages who are trying to kill her. That's a bit unfortunate.
!!!!
I mean, the cases of it being racist aren't completely unwarranted. But I'm sure that wasn't Florence's intentions.
"Saying something is “art” is no excuse for being racist, insensitive, disrespectful, and ignorant."
YES IT IS. If you are trying to express something in art you can incorporate insensitive material BECAUSE ART IS FREE THERE ARE NO RULES AND ANGRY MOMS WILL HAVE TO DEAL.
There's lots of pretty, pretty ones
Who want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low
And blow your mind