Category: Diversity

Hair Wars: The Politics of Hair ‘YOU CAN TOUCH MY HAIR’ Exhibit

I’m Asian American and I’ve never really given that much thought to my hair … except that one time. I was on the swim team in high school in Southern California and my hair, from being outdoors in a chemically treated pool three hours a day, bleached out from solid black to dark, dark brown with red highlights. I thought the red streaks were kind of pretty until my swim team female friends ridiculed it saying that I had “Mexican” red streaked hair.

Believe me — in Southern California — this was not a compliment.

Hair as politics. Hmm…

I pulled the Top 10 Black Models in Fashion. Anyone who’s ever had a subscription to Vogue will know these lovelies.

Top black fashion models throughout the years prove that beauty has no boundaries. As fashion guru Franca Sozzani, Italian Vogue Editor-in-Chief, says, “the truth is that real beauty doesn’t care for skin color or nationality.”

And yet, let’s check out their hair.

1. Iman

2. Naomi Campbell

She now has bald patches from years of wearing weaves.

3. Tyra Banks

4. Liya Kebede

5. Chanel Iman

6. Kimora Lee Simmons

7. Alek Wek

8. Jessica White

9. Sessilee Lopez

10. Jourdan Dunn

Are there famous African Americans women with natural hair and are they not just as beautiful as the women above?

Model Yasmin Warsame

Singer, songwriter and model Solange Knowles

Model Ajak Deng

Actress Tracey Ellis Ross

Singer Erykah Badu

Singer Janelle Monae

Actress Viola Davis

We called “You Can Touch My Hair” an exhibit for a reason. We could easily have called it a discussion, or just an event. We could’ve held up signs that said, “Ask me about my hair.” But, we called it “You Can Touch My Hair” for a reason. It wasn’t supposed to make anyone comfortable. But, we wanted to draw the parallel between a very literal display and the not-so-literal displays that happen in everyday life. There’s nothing wrong with being curious, but we do have to be aware of how we let our curiosities play out, and how we’re treating people as a result of them.

Transcript of video:

All things black. All things black, here. So we’re here to…

OK, cool. Is that like a big thing? People would wanna touch your hair?

Yeah.

That’s a thing?

Definitely.

Weird. Yeah. Cool.

So, where do you wanna touch?

You wanna touch my hair? I’m losing some, but…

You’re losing hair?

I’ll touch your hair.

Educate me, and then when you say you can touch my hair, people know what it is they’re actually touching. But if you’re just doing it, and you don’t know the concept behind, you don’t know the origin, you don’t know how it happens, or even how hard it is to take it, then you’ve not been educated. You’ve just had your whatever satisfied.

With the fascination, and reach and touch my hair, and something else goes down. So, like I said, we’re trying to save some lives out here. You might not wanna just go up to any random black woman and touch their hair, just because other people want you to touch theirs.

I have — I have happy hair, and I call it happy hair because it is unmolested. I don’t try to make it … I don’t fight it. I have a relationship with my hair. Not always. I’ve grown to this, and I’ve learned, particularly with black American women, most of us are taught, or start off, with the understanding that something is wrong with our hair. Whether it’s our grandmothers wrestling us to the ground to tame it into ponytails, there’s pain and crying and suffering and most people who are, who do our hair, their first lesson is to change it.

So, we kinda — it’s kinda like Adam and Eve — it’s like Eve, you start off wrong. Like, so for a lot of black American women, our hair, historically, has started off as wrong, and anyone who touches it, their first job is to change it. Change the texture. Change its nature. And so, when you start that way, the journey to finding happiness can be long.

Well, see, this is the challenge. Black people look — so many black people don’t even know their own hair grade. I’ve had friends in their 30’s look at me and be like, “Oh my gosh, guess what? I cut my hair, and guess what it does?” Because they were so young, myself included, when their hairs were permed, that they didn’t know what their hair looked like. So, when they actually got exposed to it, they were– we actually had to learn our hair in our 20’s and 30’s. We had to figure out how to tend to our hair.

I was so used to that kind of, you know, media, and what black women’s hair should look like. It should be straight, you know what I mean? So I wasn’t used to that. I had — it took a lot of soul-searching to get used to the texture that I had and be OK with it.

Because society doesn’t cater to kinky hair. It doesn’t cater to me being able to walk around with my own hair grade. It tells me that it’s not beautiful. It tells me that I’m not as beautiful as a woman of another race. It tells me to wear a weave. It tells me to wear braids. And it tells me, when I do those things, I immediately become more socially acceptable.

Now that people are starting to embrace it, everyone’s so curious, and they’re so fascinated, and they’re like, “Wow, you’re wearing your hair natural. That’s so different.”

I was actually at a Helen Hardy, which is similar to like a deli.

There was a moment, most recently, when I had locks, and I was in line at a coffee shop…

And I was waiting for my boss to finish paying, and a man who was staring at me the entire time in line, and I just thought he was just a relatively like nice person …

And I heard two women discussing if they could touch my hair. They didn’t ask me directly, but I overheard them. They were standing directly behind me.

And he made a beeline for me as I was just waiting by the door, and I guess he felt like we had some type of connection, because I went to go say hi to him, and his hand just like immediately just like went straight for my skull.

And they were, you know, saying, “Oh, what do you think, if we touched her hair, do you think she would mind if we touched her hair? What if I just put my hands in her hair?”

That was definitely eye-opening.

And, you know, I was a little … I was appalled. And so, I slightly turned around, to indicate that I could hear their conversation, and also to let them know, no, do not touch my hair.

Uh, I was definitely taken aback.

It felt invasive. It felt as if I was this, you know, curiosity.

I’ve never had somebody just– well, at that time in my life– I’d never had somebody come up to me and just throw their hand in my head, and not to mention, like, get all the way to my root. It kinda made me feel a little bit vulnerable.

It made me feel, you know, like, you know, something about me was so totally odd and strange, you know, that it was, you know, OK for them, one, to just come up and touch it, or OK, or two, just to have this conversation behind my back about it.

But, at the same time, it was … it made me laugh. It’s ballsy, so hats off to him.

Curious, lack of information, entitlement, no home training?

I think– I think he was curious. And, again, I feel that he thought he was… he was comfortable enough to actually, you know, ask me, and really go for the gusto. So, I just really think it comes down to curiosity.

I’m not– I’m not interested in having a conversation where I make people feel better about my hair, or they finally get to learn what my hair texture feels like. Have an intimate relationship with a black person– do you have a black friend? Have an intimate relationship with a black person. You can ask them.

It’s funny because they were saying that we need to …

Yeah, that we need to control, or we can help assuage people’s …

We can control, by saying, no, you cannot. You finally have the voice. We’re not sour. We did not have that option …

One of the biggest criticisms of the “You Can Touch My Hair” exhibit was it reminded people of a woman named Sarah “Saartjie” Baartman. Sarah Baartman was an African woman, who in the early 1800s was encouraged to go to Europe, only to, literally, be put on display. The Europeans of that time hadn’t seen anyone that looked like her, because she was physically different. So, she was a curiosity. Something– something strange.

Fast forward to today, and yet again, we have people curious about a physical difference. Yes, curiosity is the first step to enlightenment, but we have to question the nature of our curiosity. Is it innocent curiosity, and even if it is, was it that same type of curiosity that led to Sarah being put on display?

We called “You Can Touch My Hair” an exhibit for a reason. We could easily have called it a discussion, or just an event. We could’ve held up signs that said, “Ask me about my hair.” But, we called it “You Can Touch My Hair” for a reason. It wasn’t supposed to make anyone comfortable. But, we wanted to draw the parallel between a very literal display and the not-so-literal displays that happen in everyday life. There’s nothing wrong with being curious, but we do have to be aware of how we let our curiosities play out, and how we’re treating people as a result of them.

There may be small errors in this transcript.This awesome exhibit was put on by the lovely ladies at un’ruly. Found on Chic Rebellion TV.

April 12, 2014
White Privilege and Thoroughly Modern Millie at NNHS

White Privilege is having the prevalence and importance of the English language and finding amusement in ridiculing people of colour/immigrants for their accents and their difficulty in speaking a language that is not their native tongue.

I had a long conversation with Pulizer nominated journalist and New York Times best selling author Mitch Zuckoff. Our dogs are very good friends so I see him at the dog park a lot and we chat as our dogs go crazy wrestling and chasing each other. I value his opinion as journalist, particularly on his take of why Thoroughly Modern Millie at Newton North High School turned into a media frenzy (see links below — it was published in the UK’s largest newspaper and on local TV!).

His take was simple. He had never heard of Thoroughly Modern Millie (like me) and was surprised to hear that it might have racist stereotypes but had a journalist’s skepticism. He read the articles and posts and concluded that White Privilege was the root cause of how it came to be performed at Newton North High School. His words were simply that “White Privilege is not having to think about consequences for portraying racist stereotypes.”

And in fact, the committee who selected and approved the musical did seem to be completely devoid of anyone of color. I have to say that this play introduced me to the very term “White Privilege.” And it’s a tricky subject; those who benefit from it are the least likely to admit that it exists. And even defining it … what is White Privilege is challenging to put into words. So when I found this on this on Thought Catalog, I thought it was helpful.

18 Things White People Don’t Seem to Understand (Because, White Privilege)

1. White Privilege is being able to move into a new neighborhood and being fairly sure that your neighbors will be pleasant to you and treat you with respect.

2. White Privilege is being able to watch a movie, read a book and open the front page of a newspaper and see yourself and your race widely represented and spoken for.

3. White Privilege is being able to seek legal, financial and medical help without having your race work against you.

4. White Privilege is living in a world where you are taught that people with your skin tone holds the standard for beauty.

5. White Privilege is never being told to, “get over slavery”.

image from Shutterstock

6. White Privilege is having the prevalence and importance of the English language and finding amusement in ridiculing people of colour/immigrants for their accents and their difficulty in speaking a language that is not their native tongue.

7. White Privilege is arrogantly believing that reverse racism actually exists.

8. White Privilege is being able to stay ignorant to the fact that racial slurs are part of a systematic dehumanization of entire groups of people who are and have historically been subjugated and hated just for being alive.

9. White Privilege is not having your name turned into an easier-to-say Anglo-Saxon name.

10. White Privilege is being able to fight racism one day, then ignore it the next.

11. White privilege is having your words and actions attributed to you as an individual, rather than have them reflect members of your race.

12. White Privilege is being able to talk about racism without appearing self-serving.

13. White Privilege is being able to be articulate and well-spoken without people being surprised.

14. White Privilege is being pulled over or taken aside and knowing that you are not being singled out because of your race/colour.

15. White Privilege is not having to teach your children to be aware of systematic racism for their own protection.

16. White Privilege is not having to acknowledge the fact that we live in a system that treat people of colour unfairly politically, socially and economically and choosing, instead, to believe that people of colour are inherently less capable.

17. White Privilege is not having your people and their culture appropriated, romanticized or eroticized for the gain and pleasure of other white people.

18. White Privilege is being able to ignore the consequences of race.

My Posts:

Thoroughly Modern Millie is Thoroughly Racist

My Take on Thoroughly Modern Millie

Talk Back: Racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie at NNHS

NNHS Responds to Concerns About Thoroughly Modern Millie

MTI Advises How to Squelch Dissent on Thoroughly Modern Millie

Throwndown NNHS: Talk the Talk or Walk the Walk? Regarding Racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie

Rebuttal to ’Millie in Newton: Turn Stereotypes into Lessons

More Than 50% of Asian American Teens are Bullied in School

White Privilege and Thoroughly Modern Millie

Thoroughly Modern Millie End of School Year Takeaway

Thoroughly Modern Millie Talk Back Videos

Other Links:

The Boston Globe: School Play’s Stereotypes Bring Outcry and Apology. “Millie” touches nerve in Newton by Ellen Ishkanian

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ Flag Highlights How Old Plays are Rife with Stereotypes by Don Aucoin

The Telegraph: US high school show triggers race row by David Millward

NECN TV Segment: NECN Broadside with Jim Braude, Historical Musical Sparks Controvery at Massachusetts High School

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ Fight Creates a Chilling Effect by Joan Vennochi

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ in Newton: Turn Stereotypes into Lessons

The Boston Globe: Musical is Little More Than Staged Racism by Jeffrey Melnick (Letter to Editor in response to Joan Vennochi’s article above).

Monitoring, Exposing & Fighting Against Anti-Semitism and Racism: Thoroughly Modern Millie’ play draws controversy in Mass. over racial stereotyping

Company One: In the Intersection, Thoroughly Modern Millie Controvery at Local High School

A case study published by UMass Peter Kiang almost 20 years ago (see pages 9-13), parallels almost exactly what happened at Newton North High School. ScholarWorks at UMass Boston, We Could Shape It: Organizing for Asian American Student Empowerment by Peter Nien-Chu Kiang.

The Notebook: Racism isn’t entertainment: Why “Thoroughly Modern Millie” didn’t belong on CAPA’s stage

Resist Racism: Thoroughly Racist ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’

Genki Speak: Racism in Our Backyard

Angry Asian Man

Village 14: Decision to Stage ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ at North Challenged

AsAm News: Play Filled With Offensive Images Sparks Town Hall Meeting

AsAm News: I Love Newton: High School Production Fails To Address Heavy Dose Of Asian American Stereotypes

Greer Tan Swiston: Kudos to Newton North for a thoroughly modern update of ‘Millie’

The Boston Globe: Oh, by the way, how about a round of applause for the kids? (Letter to the Editor from a grandparent)

The Boston Globe: Choice, execution of musical informed by thoughful education process (Letter to the Editor from the writers who comprise the Theatre Arts Opportunity Committee at Newton North High School.)

The Boston Globe: We miss a vital chance for understanding when we swap out ethnic characters (Letter to the Editor from a great-grandmother, teacher and volunteer)

Arissa Oh ‏@arissaoh 1h

3 white ppl on @GreaterBoston unhelpfully discuss HS prodns of “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” cc: @pragmaticmom

Pawprint: Millard West Student Newspaper: Through with Thoroughly Modern Millie

The Washington Post: Twenty-Three Skiddo: ‘Modern Millie’ Doesn’t Dance

It’s an attempt, sort of, at a parody of the old-style musicals of the ’20s and ’30s, the sort jerry-built out of cheerful songs, convoluted plots, elaborate tap demonstrations and derogatory stereotypes.

IMDb: Thoroughly Embalmed Musical

Project Muse: Thoroughly Modern Millie (review)

Not Like Crazy: An Easily Overlooked Racism?

In the Spring semester at school, the Musical Theater Department put on Thoroughly Modern Millie, which was overflowing with racism in its portrayal of Asians. I must say, I was thoroughly upset about the whole thing. First, the guys playing the Asians, I believe they were supposed to be Chinese immigrants, had white face makeup and slanty eyes. I couldn’t help but think that if they’d dressed in blackface, surely there’d be an uproar (Of course, they are putting on Ragtime this year, so we’ll see how they handle that– they’re already sending out emails about how they want the black students to try out for roles because there aren’t many black people in the musical theater department *eyeroll*). That wasn’t the only bad thing about the musical, however, the villian was a white woman pretending to be Asian who pronounced her L’s as R’s, and said she used soy sauce to clean a stain. Of course, she also treated the two Asian immigrants who worked for her as if they were stupid, and the silently and humbly submit in front of her, though behind closed doors they argue in Chinese (I guess it was real Chinese), with subtitles projected above the stage. And then one of the Asian men falls in love with one of the white women in the musical, blonde hair, blue eyes, you know the deal. At the end of the musical, they get together, as if his reward for working hard and being submissive, for being mistreated, is the gift of white womanhood, the pinnacle of creation. So yeah, I was pretty pissed about that whole thing.

Myvanwy: Review of Thoroughly Modern Millie

Someone sent me video of a local comedian’s youtube video of a character I’ve seen him portray once before. To call it infantile and racially insensitive would be a gross understatement. For the targets of his ridicule, it’s every bit as offensive as a mean-spirited performance in blackface. But because it’s against one of the few groups for whom bigotry, hostility, and ridicule is still acceptable (Chinese Americans and others of Asian and/or Pacific Island descent), it’s seen as okay by most and even encouraged by other local comedians. Kevin Marshall’s America

Zak Keith: Hollywood Asian Stereotypes

Racism against Asians is often “unawares”—a form of racism that flies under the radar due to its widespread acceptance as the norm. Its interactive dynamic resembles that of an unwritten social contract. Asians in the West are expected to accept patronizing remarks and racist taunts so demeaning that perpetrators would think twice before dishing them out with such unwavering consistency to any other minority group, such as Latinos or African Americans. Asians who object to such treatment are typically met with befuddlement and offense at their audacity to make an issue out of it.

April 11, 2014
Meet Grace Lin at Where The Mountain Meets the Moon Show at NNHS

Chinese Historical Society of New England
presents

Grace Lin

Best-Selling Children’s Author & Artist

Presentation & Reception

in honor of

“Where the Mountain Meets the Moon”

premiering at Wheelock Family Theatre

Sunday, April 13 at 1 pm
The Film Lecture Hall at Newton North High School
457 Walnut Street, Newton

Tickets: $5 for members and $10 for non-membersJoin award-winning, best-selling Massachusetts author/illustrator Grace Lin for a special presentation on “Embracing the Multicultural Label” and discussion on adapting Newbery Award honored book “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” for stage performance. A book signing (bring your own books, and books will also be available) and reception will follow the presentation.

Wheelock Family Theatre is presenting “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” April 11-May 11. The play is adapted from the Newbery Honor Award winning book of the same name, by bestselling author/artist and MA resident Grace Lin!

Want to see the show at Wheelock Family Theatre?

Save $5-$10 per ticket by purchasing tickets for the Fri 4/18 and Sat 4/19 shows of “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” from the Chinese Historical Society of New England and proceeds will benefit the Chinese Historical Society of New England educational programs. (Chinese Historical Society of New England Tickets are $15/mezzanine and $25/orchestra!)

Download a flyer here.
Purchase tickets here.

April 9, 2014
More Than Half of Asian American Teens Are Bullied in School

According to survey data released in 2011 by the US Justice Department and Education Department, Asian Americans endure far more bullying in U.S. schools than any other ethnic group, and compared to other teens, Asian American teens are three times as likely to face bullying on the internet.

A report released last year by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and The Sikh Coalition revealed that half of all Asian American students surveyed in New York City have been the target of bias-bullying and harassment, mirroring national statistics.

And according to a report released earlier this month, more than half of Sikh school children are bullied.

Throw in the scores of stories I’ve posted the years about young Asian Americans who have taken their lives after enduring bullying, violence and harassment in school, and it’s all a stark, powerful reminder that we need continued efforts to confront and combat this issue.

Stand up and speak out!

From Angry Asian Man

April 8, 2014
Dr. Paul Watanabe Speaking at Newton Free Library

Please join

Newton Asian Pacific American Network

in celebration of
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

to learn about the
culture, traditions, and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
in the United States in a display and a keynote by

Paul Watanabe, Ph.D.
University of Massachusetts, Boston

on Tuesday, May 6 at 6:30pm

Newton Free Library, Druker Auditorium
330 Homer Street, Newton, MA

Free and all are welcome. Light refreshments provided
For RSVP/information: Betty Chan, bettychanmsw@gmail.com

Newton Asian Pacific American Network is dedicated to the diversity well-being of Newton by celebrating cultural heritage, promoting intercultural dialogue, and improving access to resources for all Asian Americans in Newton.

Paul Watanabe is a member of the Board of Directors of Political Research Associates, the Board of Directors of the Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund, and the National Academic Board of the Asian American Policy Review. His principal research and teaching interests are in the areas of American foreign policy, American political behavior, ethnic group politics, and Asian Americans. He is the author of Ethnic Groups, Congress, and American Foreign Policy and principal author of A Dream Deferred: Changing Demographics, New Opportunities, and Challenges for Boston. His articles have appeared in Asian American Policy Review, Business in the Contemporary World, New England Journal of Public Policy, Political Psychology, PS: Political Science and Politics, Public Perspective, and World Today. He regularly contributes analysis and commentary to national and local television, radio, newspapers, and newsmagazines. He has a PhD in Political Science from Harvard University.

A Japanese American originally from Murray, Utah, Dr. Paul Watanabe knows firsthand of the Japanese internment that took place in the United States following the Pearl Harbor bombing. He recalls that his brother, only five days old at the time, and mother were sent to an assembly center—essentially a former horse stall at the Santa Ana racetrack in California—and later to a concentration camp in the early 1940s. For Milton students, he traced the history of the internment initiative: it was supported numerous times by the Supreme Court, and it spawned multiple and diverse reactions among Japanese Americans. The question of that time is the question of today, he said. “What is the right balance between preserving civil rights and protecting national security?” Dr. Watanabe of the University of Massachusetts Department of Political Science, Milton’s ninth annual speaker in the Hong Kong Distinguished Lecture Series, posed the question.

He compared Americans’ response to Arab Americans following the September 11 tragedy to the response toward Japanese Americans during World War II. The need, he said, for the government to make distinctions between “us and them” internationally is easier to manage than drawing that line domestically. He implored students to understand the impact on Americans among us who end up caught in a web of suspicion and innuendo, whose self-esteem is taken away, whose identity is challenged. He pointed to the young Sikhs living in New York who wear turbans on their heads over their long hair, which is sacred to their beliefs. “Cutting their hair is going entirely against the will of their heritage and their family; cutting their hair is like cutting out their hearts, and yet following the September 11 attacks, many of them did it,” Professor Watanabe explained. “It was the price these individuals paid in these circumstances because it was the price of getting by.”

Dr. Watanabe described the Japanese Americans detained in the 1940s as “resourceful” and “heroic.” Some, despite their government-imposed detainment, answered the military draft from their concentration camps, serving in a much-decorated regiment. Others resisted, often to devastating consequences. Draft resisters served time in federal prison. “My mother refused to disallow her allegiance to the emperor of Japan because she had never vowed allegiance to him in the first place,” Dr. Watanabe recalls. “Although born in the U.S., she was stripped of her citizenship because of her position.” Though no mass removal of populations has occurred in the United States following the September 11 attacks, people of Arab descent have experienced surveillance, interrogations, and detainment. Dr. Watanabe shared recent Gallup poll results revealing that 1/3 of Americans still believe that internment camps are a reasonable practice.

“When someone, because of his race, religion, or ethnicity is held in suspicion,” Dr. Watanabe concluded, “we all potentially become the victims of suspicions ourselves. It is not so easy to draw the line between us and them. Aren’t we all diminished and damaged in some significant way when others people’s sense of self, identity and dignity are compromised? I want this nation to be secure, but I also want it to be worth securing. I want it to be worth dying for. You can’t often have it both ways: all freedoms all the time, or all security all the time. You have to figure out the balance—the reasonable and rational limitations both to preserving freedom and protecting security.”

Dr. Paul Watanabe received his doctorate from Harvard University. At the University of Massachusetts, Boston, his interests are international relations, the foreign policymaking process, strategic and defense policy, American political behavior, and ethnic group politics. He is co-director for Asian-American studies, and is co-author of A Dream Deferred: Changing Demographics, Challenges and New Opportunities in Boston. Dr. Watanabe has authored many publications and his articles have appeared in Political Psychology, World Today, Public Perspective and Business in the Contemporary World. From Milton Academy

April 7, 2014
Celebrate Asia! Festival

‘Think for yourself, but think of others’
School Motto of the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, Sudbury, Massachusetts

CELEBRATE ASIA! SAVE THE DATE! APRIL 12!

1st Annual “CELEBRATE ASIA! FESTIVAL” at The Lincoln-Sudbury Memorial School , Saturday, April 12, 10-3 pm.

Lot’s of fun activities for kids!

Cultural performances! Food!

Gift items!

Henna tattoos!

Martial Arts!

Come join the fun and help support the Lincoln-Sudbury Memorial School in Cambodia!

Only $10 per family!

Donations also accepted here.

April 6, 2014
Wheelock Family Theatre: Where The Mountain Meets the Moon

Wheelock Family Theatre has received rave reviews as a forward-thinking performance arts environment that is bringing a fresh and much needed perspective to musicals.

It was also heartening to see Wheelock Family Theatre’s terrific recent production of “Hairspray’’ and note that the lead role of Tracy Turnblad — which typically goes to a white actress — was played by Jenna Lea Scott, who is Asian-American. The choice was an example of the kind of nontraditional casting that has opened up opportunities for nonwhite actors while presenting a fuller picture of the world to audiences. The Boston Globe

They are doing it again by bringing Grace Lin’s Newbery Honor chapter book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, to life as a play.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

April 11 – May 11, 2014

Friday nights at 7:30; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3:00

School vacation week matinees at 1:00; Tue 4/22 – Fri 4/25

ASL/Audio-description dates: Friday May 9 at 7:30 and Sunday May 11 at 3:00

All public performances offer open captioning

Relaxed performance: Sat 5/3 at 10:00am

For booking your school to attend the Yawkey School Matinee series please contact the box office at 617-879-2300 or tickets@wheelock.edu

Adapted for the stage by Jeannine Coulombe. Directed by Jane Staab.

Inspired by her father’s stories of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon, young Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to change her family’s fortune. She encounters magical creatures along the way, including a dragon that accompanies her on her quest, and finds her questions answered in unexpected ways. WFT proudly presents the East Coast premiere of Grace Lin’s Newbery honored novel.

Recommended for adults, teens and youth 5+.

Buy tickets here.

April 4, 2014
NECN Broadside: Historical musical sparks controversy at Mass. HS

Broadside: the news with Jim Braude

Historical musical sparks controversy at Mass. HS: Thoroughly Modern Millie at Newton North High School

Note that they reversed identifying Susan Chinsen ( a Newton North graduate and CEO of the Asian American Film) and Joy Bautista (a teacher and administrator at Boston Arts Academy and representing Massachusetts Asian American Educators Association).

(NECN) – “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” an American musical, has a history that spans decades. It began as a film in 1967 starring Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore. Then in 2002 it was revived as a Broadway Show. It had a good run and was nominated for several awards.

Since then, it’s been popular as a community theater production and on high school stages.

But “Millie” includes some curious characters. There’s Mrs. Meers who is disguised as a Chinese woman who runs a hotel. Her real profession is luring girls into prostitution.

Meanwhile, she is abetted by two characters named Bun Foo and Ching Ho. The two are Chinese immigrants working to bring family members to the U.S.

Jennifer Price, Principal of Newton North High School and Susan Chinsen, a Newton North graduate and CEO of the Asian American Film Festival joined Jim Braude on Broadside. Joy Bautista of Boston Arts Academy also joined the panel.

The trio, along with Braude, discussed the controversy that erupted after “Thoroughly Modern Millie” was chosen for a production at Newton North High School.

These are all related posts on Thoroughly Modern Millie at Newton North High School:

My Take on Thoroughly Modern Millie

Talk Back: Racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie at NNHS

NNHS Responds to Concerns About Thoroughly Modern Millie

MTI Advises How to Squelch Dissent on Thoroughly Modern Millie

Throwndown NNHS: Talk the Talk or Walk the Walk? Regarding Racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie

Rebuttal to ‘Millie in Newton: Turn Stereotypes into Lessons

More Than 50% of Asian American Teens are Bullied in School

White Privilege and Thoroughly Modern Millie

Thoroughly Modern Millie End of School Year Takeaway

These are other articles and posts related to Thoroughly Modern Millie at Newton North High School:

The Boston Globe: School Play’s Stereotypes Bring Outcry and Apology. “Millie” touches nerve in Newton by Ellen Ishkanian

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ Flag Highlights How Old Plays are Rife with Stereotypes by Don Aucoin

The Telegraph: US high school show triggers race row by David Millward

NECN TV Segment: NECN Broadside with Jim Braude, Historical Musical Sparks Controvery at Massachusetts High School

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ Fight Creates a Chilling Effect by Joan Vennochi

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ in Newton: Turn Stereotypes into Lessons

The Boston Globe: Musical is Little More Than Staged Racism by Jeffrey Melnick (Letter to Editor in response to Joan Vennochi’s article above).

Monitoring, Exposing & Fighting Against Anti-Semitism and Racism: Thoroughly Modern Millie’ play draws controversy in Mass. over racial stereotyping

Company One: In the Intersection, Thoroughly Modern Millie Controvery at Local High School

A case study published by UMass Peter Kiang almost 20 years ago (see pages 9-13), parallels almost exactly what happened at Newton North High School. ScholarWorks at UMass Boston, We Could Shape It: Organizing for Asian American Student Empowerment by Peter Nien-Chu Kiang.

The Notebook: Racism isn’t entertainment: Why “Thoroughly Modern Millie” didn’t belong on CAPA’s stage

Resist Racism: Thoroughly Racist ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’

Genki Speak: Racism in Our Backyard

Angry Asian Man

Village 14: Decision to Stage ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ at North Challenged

AsAm News: Play Filled With Offensive Images Sparks Town Hall Meeting

AsAm News: I Love Newton: High School Production Fails To Address Heavy Dose Of Asian American Stereotypes

Greer Tan Swiston: Kudos to Newton North for a thoroughly modern update of ‘Millie’

The Boston Globe: Oh, by the way, how about a round of applause for the kids? (Letter to the Editor from a grandparent)

The Boston Globe: Choice, execution of musical informed by thoughful education process (Letter to the Editor from the writers who comprise the Theatre Arts Opportunity Committee at Newton North High School.)

The Boston Globe: We miss a vital chance for understanding when we swap out ethnic characters(Letter to the Editor from a great-grandmother, teacher and volunteer)

Arissa Oh ‏@arissaoh 1h

3 white ppl on @GreaterBoston unhelpfully discuss HS prodns of “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” cc: @pragmaticmom

Pawprint: Millard West Student Newspaper: Through with Thoroughly Modern Millie

The Washington Post: Twenty-Three Skiddo: ‘Modern Millie’ Doesn’t Dance

It’s an attempt, sort of, at a parody of the old-style musicals of the ’20s and ’30s, the sort jerry-built out of cheerful songs, convoluted plots, elaborate tap demonstrations and derogatory stereotypes.

IMDb: Thoroughly Embalmed Musical

Project Muse: Thoroughly Modern Millie (review)

Not Like Crazy: An Easily Overlooked Racism?

In the Spring semester at school, the Musical Theater Department put on Thoroughly Modern Millie, which was overflowing with racism in its portrayal of Asians. I must say, I was thoroughly upset about the whole thing. First, the guys playing the Asians, I believe they were supposed to be Chinese immigrants, had white face makeup and slanty eyes. I couldn’t help but think that if they’d dressed in blackface, surely there’d be an uproar (Of course, they are putting on Ragtime this year, so we’ll see how they handle that– they’re already sending out emails about how they want the black students to try out for roles because there aren’t many black people in the musical theater department *eyeroll*). That wasn’t the only bad thing about the musical, however, the villian was a white woman pretending to be Asian who pronounced her L’s as R’s, and said she used soy sauce to clean a stain. Of course, she also treated the two Asian immigrants who worked for her as if they were stupid, and the silently and humbly submit in front of her, though behind closed doors they argue in Chinese (I guess it was real Chinese), with subtitles projected above the stage. And then one of the Asian men falls in love with one of the white women in the musical, blonde hair, blue eyes, you know the deal. At the end of the musical, they get together, as if his reward for working hard and being submissive, for being mistreated, is the gift of white womanhood, the pinnacle of creation. So yeah, I was pretty pissed about that whole thing.

Myvanwy: Review of Thoroughly Modern Millie

Someone sent me video of a local comedian’s youtube video of a character I’ve seen him portray once before. To call it infantile and racially insensitive would be a gross understatement. For the targets of his ridicule, it’s every bit as offensive as a mean-spirited performance in blackface. But because it’s against one of the few groups for whom bigotry, hostility, and ridicule is still acceptable (Chinese Americans and others of Asian and/or Pacific Island descent), it’s seen as okay by most and even encouraged by other local comedians. Kevin Marshall’s America

Zak Keith: Hollywood Asian Stereotypes

Racism against Asians is often “unawares”—a form of racism that flies under the radar due to its widespread acceptance as the norm. Its interactive dynamic resembles that of an unwritten social contract. Asians in the West are expected to accept patronizing remarks and racist taunts so demeaning that perpetrators would think twice before dishing them out with such unwavering consistency to any other minority group, such as Latinos or African Americans. Asians who object to such treatment are typically met with befuddlement and offense at their audacity to make an issue out of it.

Mia Wenjen blogs at PragmaticMom: Education Matters, here and occasionally at her Asian American blog JadeLuckClub. She resides in Newton with her husband and three kids, with two at Newton North High School. She can be found on Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google +, Instagram and YouTube.

Photo credit: Grasshopper and Sensei, my oldest.

April 3, 2014
‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ play draws controversy in Mass. over racial stereotyping

‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ play draws controversy in Mass. over racial stereotyping

from Monitoring, Exposing & Fighting Against Anti-Semitism and Racism: Anti-Semitism, Pro-Jewish, Philo-Semitism, Positive Jewish Issues & Unique Jewish Identity

Two characters Ching Ho and Bun Foo, are hapless Asian laundrymen controlled by Mrs. Meers, a third character with chopsticks in her bun, who speaks in a farcical Chinese accent as she uses the men to kidnap unsuspecting young girls staying at her hotel to be sold as sex slaves.

The curtain has come down on a suburban Boston high schools production of Thoroughly Modern Millie, but the controversy over the plays racially insensitive portrayal of Asian-Americans lingers.

The musical had a March 13-16 run at Newton North High School, angering some Asian-Americans who found the musicals racial stereotypes hurtful and unacceptable, the Boston Globe reported.

“We would never do anything anti-Jewish, or anti-African-American. Blackface is unthinkable, but yellow face is utterly fine,” said Newton resident Mia Wenjen, whose Pragmatic Mom blog brought attention to the debate.

According to the Boston Globe, the theater director apologized at a community meeting the night after the show closed.

“I’m sorry. I am so, so sorry you are feeling the anger you are feeling,” said Adam Brown, director of Theatre Ink, which staged the play over the weekend. “We blew it. I’m sorry.”

The show is based on a movie starring Julie Andrews that had its premiere 47 years ago.

Two characters Ching Ho and Bun Foo, are hapless Asian laundrymen controlled by Mrs. Meers, a third character with chopsticks in her bun, who speaks in a farcical Chinese accent as she uses the men to kidnap unsuspecting young girls staying at her hotel to be sold as sex slaves.

The Globe quoted Kelsey Fox, a Newton North student who played Mrs. Meers, as saying that all the students involved with the show have learned valuable lessons.

We started a conversation school-wide, and we learned how to listen, she said. At the beginning of this process, we didn’t know how to be the best allies to our classmates; now we do, we understand the history.

The show’s director, Brad Jensen, who teaches English at Newton North, said before Monday nights forum that a great deal of effort was made as far back as October to use the script to teach students about the racial stereotypes depicted by the characters.

My Posts:

Thoroughly Modern Millie is Thoroughly Racist

My Take on Thoroughly Modern Millie

Talk Back: Racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie at NNHS

NNHS Responds to Concerns About Thoroughly Modern Millie

MTI Advises How to Squelch Dissent on Thoroughly Modern Millie

Throwndown NNHS: Talk the Talk or Walk the Walk? Regarding Racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie

Rebuttal to ’Millie in Newton: Turn Stereotypes into Lessons

More Than 50% of Asian American Teens are Bullied in School

White Privilege and Thoroughly Modern Millie

Other Links:

The Boston Globe: School Play’s Stereotypes Bring Outcry and Apology. “Millie” touches nerve in Newton by Ellen Ishkanian

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ Flag Highlights How Old Plays are Rife with Stereotypes by Don Aucoin

The Telegraph: US high school show triggers race row by David Millward

NECN TV Segment: NECN Broadside with Jim Braude, Historical Musical Sparks Controvery at Massa chusetts High School

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ Fight Creates a Chilling Effect by Joan Vennochi

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ in Newton: Turn Stereotypes into Lessons

The Boston Globe: Musical is Little More Than Staged Racism by Jeffrey Melnick (Letter to Editor in response to Joan Vennochi’s article above).

Monitoring, Exposing & Fighting Against Anti-Semitism and Racism: Thoroughly Modern Millie’ play draws controversy in Mass. over racial stereotyping

Company One: In the Intersection, Thoroughly Modern Millie Controvery at Local High School

A case study published by UMass Peter Kiang almost 20 years ago (see pages 9-13), parallels almost exactly what happened at Newton North High School. ScholarWorks at UMass Boston, We Could Shape It: Organizing for Asian American Student Empowerment by Peter Nien-Chu Kiang.

The Notebook: Racism isn’t entertainment: Why “Thoroughly Modern Millie” didn’t belong on CAPA’s stage

Resist Racism: Thoroughly Racist ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’

Genki Speak: Racism in Our Backyard

Angry Asian Man

Village 14: Decision to Stage ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ at North Challenged

AsAm News: Play Filled With Offensive Images Sparks Town Hall Meeting

AsAm News: I Love Newton: High School Production Fails To Address Heavy Dose Of Asian American Stereotypes

Greer Tan Swiston: Kudos to Newton North for a thoroughly modern update of ‘Millie’

The Boston Globe: Oh, by the way, how about a round of applause for the kids? (Letter to the Editor from a grandparent)

The Boston Globe: Choice, execution of musical informed by thoughful education process (Letter to the Editor from the writers who comprise the Theatre Arts Opportunity Committee at Newton North High School.)

The Boston Globe: We miss a vital chance for understanding when we swap out ethnic characters (Letter to the Editor from a great-grandmother, teacher and volunteer)

Arissa Oh ‏@arissaoh 1h

3 white ppl on @GreaterBoston unhelpfully discuss HS prodns of “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” cc: @pragmaticmom

Pawprint: Millard West Student Newspaper: Through with Thoroughly Modern Millie

The Washington Post: Twenty-Three Skiddo: ‘Modern Millie’ Doesn’t Dance

It’s an attempt, sort of, at a parody of the old-style musicals of the ’20s and ’30s, the sort jerry-built out of cheerful songs, convoluted plots, elaborate tap demonstrations and derogatory stereotypes.

IMDb: Thoroughly Embalmed Musical

Project Muse: Thoroughly Modern Millie (review)

Not Like Crazy: An Easily Overlooked Racism?

In the Spring semester at school, the Musical Theater Department put on Thoroughly Modern Millie, which was overflowing with racism in its portrayal of Asians. I must say, I was thoroughly upset about the whole thing. First, the guys playing the Asians, I believe they were supposed to be Chinese immigrants, had white face makeup and slanty eyes. I couldn’t help but think that if they’d dressed in blackface, surely there’d be an uproar (Of course, they are putting on Ragtime this year, so we’ll see how they handle that– they’re already sending out emails about how they want the black students to try out for roles because there aren’t many black people in the musical theater department *eyeroll*). That wasn’t the only bad thing about the musical, however, the villian was a white woman pretending to be Asian who pronounced her L’s as R’s, and said she used soy sauce to clean a stain. Of course, she also treated the two Asian immigrants who worked for her as if they were stupid, and the silently and humbly submit in front of her, though behind closed doors they argue in Chinese (I guess it was real Chinese), with subtitles projected above the stage. And then one of the Asian men falls in love with one of the white women in the musical, blonde hair, blue eyes, you know the deal. At the end of the musical, they get together, as if his reward for working hard and being submissive, for being mistreated, is the gift of white womanhood, the pinnacle of creation. So yeah, I was pretty pissed about that whole thing.

Myvanwy: Review of Thoroughly Modern Millie

Someone sent me video of a local comedian’s youtube video of a character I’ve seen him portray once before. To call it infantile and racially insensitive would be a gross understatement. For the targets of his ridicule, it’s every bit as offensive as a mean-spirited performance in blackface. But because it’s against one of the few groups for whom bigotry, hostility, and ridicule is still acceptable (Chinese Americans and others of Asian and/or Pacific Island descent), it’s seen as okay by most and even encouraged by other local comedians. Kevin Marshall’s America

Zak Keith: Hollywood Asian Stereotypes

Racism against Asians is often “unawares”—a form of racism that flies under the radar due to its widespread acceptance as the norm. Its interactive dynamic resembles that of an unwritten social contract. Asians in the West are expected to accept patronizing remarks and racist taunts so demeaning that perpetrators would think twice before dishing them out with such unwavering consistency to any other minority group, such as Latinos or African Americans. Asians who object to such treatment are typically met with befuddlement and offense at their audacity to make an issue out of it.

April 3, 2014
The Colbert Report’s Racist Tweet

Racism against Asians is often “unawares”—a form of racism that flies under the radar due to its widespread acceptance as the norm. Its interactive dynamic resembles that of an unwritten social contract. Asians in the West are expected to accept patronizing remarks and racist taunts so demeaning that perpetrators would think twice before dishing them out with such unwavering consistency to any other minority group, such as Latinos or African Americans. Asians who object to such treatment are typically met with befuddlement and offense at their audacity to make an issue out of it.

Zak Keith: Hollywood Asian Stereotypes

My guest author today is Andrew Leong. He attended the Thoroughly Modern Millie Talk Back and draws an alarming parallel of racism in the media and on the stage.

————

We know the Colbert Report uses conservative attitudes as satire. While his use of the “Ching Chong Ding Dong” shtick to critique the Washington DC football team‘s use of the mascot “Redskins” is debatable, questionable, and offensive especially to the Asian American community, it is a great example of how the use of racially charged and offensive language and imagery is acceptable to the network if they are using a racial minority community with less political muscle.

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,Video Archive

Watch at 4:48 for segment.

Even as satire for a white liberal show, I can’t imagine them making use of African Americans in the same example … which would have made more sense since one can imagine how many black football players would be boycotting or corporate sponsors pulling out if a team mascot portrayed a racial stereotype offensive to the African American community.

More to the point in relating the above back to the problem at Newton North High School, it’s an example of how when racially offensive material are used without properly contextualizing the content, recipients of the content simply will repeat that offensive material, thus perpetuating the stereotype.

With the Colbert Report we believe the originator of that tweet was an adult working at Comedy Central, but with Thoroughly Modern Millie, we are talking about high school students as cast and audience members. Where’s the proper education?

Andrew Leong

This is the tweet:

I am willing to show #Asian community I care by introducing the Ching-Chong Ding-Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever.— The Colbert Report (@ColbertReport) March 27, 2014

“Ching-Chong Ding-Dong” is a reference to a satirical Asian caricature Colbert has assumed on the show in the past, including a January 2011 segment attacking Rush Limbaugh. It was also part of Wednesday’s segment about the Redskins.

After outrage erupted on the social network, the tweet was deleted, but not before the #CancelColbert hashtag started trending. From USA Today

It is also covered in The Wire.

The perceived anonymity of Twitter gives people the license to express sentiments they wouldn’t dare to in a face-to-face interaction.

However personal the attacks though, this is not just about the cyberbullying that Suey or other Asian women (as a fellow Tweeter points out) experienced last night or abuse theycontinued to receive today. It’s how enforced “harmlessness” of a culture of bullying and marginalization creates an environment in which people feel free to enact and institutionalize this abuse without fear of being held accountable.

Asian Twitter has been labeled as “overly sensitive” and is being told to laugh along with everyone else when in fact, but what gets lost when people are told to simply find the humor achieved at their expense is the fact that one “joke” labeled “satire” is part of a larger cultural acceptance of casual racism and xenophobia. When we decide as a culture that something as “innocuous” as othering Asian people and communities through humor is okay, then we perpetuate a social and political environment where lawmakers can pass policies that use anti-Asian rhetoric as a primary motivation.

From The Daily Dot

Andrew Leong is an Associate Professor at College of Public and Community Service at University of Massachusetts Boston. He has taught at CPCS since 1990. His specialty is on law, justice, and equality pertaining to disenfranchised communities, with a focus on Asian Americans. From 1987 to 1993, he was Clinical Director of the Chinatown Clinical Program at Boston College Law School. He was Supervising Attorney of the Asian Outreach Unit at Greater Boston Legal Services from 1986 to 1990.

Professor Leong is a graduate of Drake University (1982- BA) in Des Moines, Iowa and Boston College Law School (1985- JD) in Newton, Massachusetts.

He is active in community and civil rights work, having served on the Board of Trustee of numerous Asian American and civil rights related organizations (e.g. Asian American Resource Workshop, Asian Community Development Corporation, the Chinatown Quincy School Community Council, the Executive Committee of the Greater Boston Civil Rights Coalition, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, The Institute for Affirmative Action, the Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston, and the Steering Committee of the Lawyers’ Committee For Civil Rights Under Law).

Professor Leong also served as the President of the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts from 1989 to 1994. During the same period he was also President of the Harry H. Dow Memorial Legal Assistance Fund. He has fought numerous episodes of environmental injustice in Boston ‘s Chinatown since 1982 and is the chair of the Campaign to Protect Chinatown.

These are all related posts on Thoroughly Modern Millie at Newton North High School:

My Take on Thoroughly Modern Millie

Talk Back: Racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie at NNHS

NNHS Responds to Concerns About Thoroughly Modern Millie

MTI Advises How to Squelch Dissent on Thoroughly Modern Millie

Throwndown NNHS: Talk the Talk or Walk the Walk? Regarding Racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie

Rebuttal to ‘Millie in Newton: Turn Stereotypes into Lessons

More Than 50% of Asian American Teens are Bullied in School

White Privilege and Thoroughly Modern Millie

Thoroughly Modern Millie End of School Year Takeaway

These are other articles and posts related to Thoroughly Modern Millie at Newton North High School:

The Boston Globe: School Play’s Stereotypes Bring Outcry and Apology. “Millie” touches nerve in Newton by Ellen Ishkanian

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ Flag Highlights How Old Plays are Rife with Stereotypes by Don Aucoin

The Telegraph: US high school show triggers race row by David Millward

NECN TV Segment: NECN Broadside with Jim Braude, Historical Musical Sparks Controvery at Massachusetts High School

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ Fight Creates a Chilling Effect by Joan Vennochi

The Boston Globe: ‘Millie’ in Newton: Turn Stereotypes into Lessons

The Boston Globe: Musical is Little More Than Staged Racism by Jeffrey Melnick (Letter to Editor in response to Joan Vennochi’s article above).

Monitoring, Exposing & Fighting Against Anti-Semitism and Racism: Thoroughly Modern Millie’ play draws controversy in Mass. over racial stereotyping

Company One: In the Intersection, Thoroughly Modern Millie Controvery at Local High School

A case study published by UMass Peter Kiang almost 20 years ago (see pages 9-13), parallels almost exactly what happened at Newton North High School. ScholarWorks at UMass Boston, We Could Shape It: Organizing for Asian American Student Empowerment by Peter Nien-Chu Kiang.

The Notebook: Racism isn’t entertainment: Why “Thoroughly Modern Millie” didn’t belong on CAPA’s stage

Resist Racism: Thoroughly Racist ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’

Genki Speak: Racism in Our Backyard

Angry Asian Man

Village 14: Decision to Stage ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ at North Challenged

AsAm News: Play Filled With Offensive Images Sparks Town Hall Meeting

AsAm News: I Love Newton: High School Production Fails To Address Heavy Dose Of Asian American Stereotypes

Greer Tan Swiston: Kudos to Newton North for a thoroughly modern update of ‘Millie’

The Boston Globe: Oh, by the way, how about a round of applause for the kids? (Letter to the Editor from a grandparent)

The Boston Globe: Choice, execution of musical informed by thoughful education process (Letter to the Editor from the writers who comprise the Theatre Arts Opportunity Committee at Newton North High School.)

The Boston Globe: We miss a vital chance for understanding when we swap out ethnic characters(Letter to the Editor from a great-grandmother, teacher and volunteer)

Arissa Oh ‏@arissaoh 1h

3 white ppl on @GreaterBoston unhelpfully discuss HS prodns of “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” cc: @pragmaticmom

Pawprint: Millard West Student Newspaper: Through with Thoroughly Modern Millie

The Washington Post: Twenty-Three Skiddo: ‘Modern Millie’ Doesn’t Dance

It’s an attempt, sort of, at a parody of the old-style musicals of the ’20s and ’30s, the sort jerry-built out of cheerful songs, convoluted plots, elaborate tap demonstrations and derogatory stereotypes.

IMDb: Thoroughly Embalmed Musical

Project Muse: Thoroughly Modern Millie (review)

Not Like Crazy: An Easily Overlooked Racism?

In the Spring semester at school, the Musical Theater Department put on Thoroughly Modern Millie, which was overflowing with racism in its portrayal of Asians. I must say, I was thoroughly upset about the whole thing. First, the guys playing the Asians, I believe they were supposed to be Chinese immigrants, had white face makeup and slanty eyes. I couldn’t help but think that if they’d dressed in blackface, surely there’d be an uproar (Of course, they are putting on Ragtime this year, so we’ll see how they handle that– they’re already sending out emails about how they want the black students to try out for roles because there aren’t many black people in the musical theater department *eyeroll*). That wasn’t the only bad thing about the musical, however, the villian was a white woman pretending to be Asian who pronounced her L’s as R’s, and said she used soy sauce to clean a stain. Of course, she also treated the two Asian immigrants who worked for her as if they were stupid, and the silently and humbly submit in front of her, though behind closed doors they argue in Chinese (I guess it was real Chinese), with subtitles projected above the stage. And then one of the Asian men falls in love with one of the white women in the musical, blonde hair, blue eyes, you know the deal. At the end of the musical, they get together, as if his reward for working hard and being submissive, for being mistreated, is the gift of white womanhood, the pinnacle of creation. So yeah, I was pretty pissed about that whole thing.

Myvanwy: Review of Thoroughly Modern Millie

Someone sent me video of a local comedian’s youtube video of a character I’ve seen him portray once before. To call it infantile and racially insensitive would be a gross understatement. For the targets of his ridicule, it’s every bit as offensive as a mean-spirited performance in blackface. But because it’s against one of the few groups for whom bigotry, hostility, and ridicule is still acceptable (Chinese Americans and others of Asian and/or Pacific Island descent), it’s seen as okay by most and even encouraged by other local comedians. Kevin Marshall’s America

Zak Keith: Hollywood Asian Stereotypes

Racism against Asians is often “unawares”—a form of racism that flies under the radar due to its widespread acceptance as the norm. Its interactive dynamic resembles that of an unwritten social contract. Asians in the West are expected to accept patronizing remarks and racist taunts so demeaning that perpetrators would think twice before dishing them out with such unwavering consistency to any other minority group, such as Latinos or African Americans. Asians who object to such treatment are typically met with befuddlement and offense at their audacity to make an issue out of it.

Mia Wenjen blogs at PragmaticMom: Education Matters, here and occasionally at her Asian American blog JadeLuckClub. She resides in Newton with her husband and three kids, with two at Newton North High School. She can be found on Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google +, Instagram and YouTube.

Photo credit: Grasshopper and Sensei, my oldest.

March 30, 2014