Lack of representation = systemic racism: Footloose is Exhibit A

[Anonymous]

Just finished rewatching Footloose.

Filmed in 1984 when 12% of the American population was Black, yet there are zero Black kids in a movie about dancing.

Remember the big dance scene at the end? They had white guys breakdancing. This was at the height of the breakdancing craze btw. All white cast, and they didn’t even bother to add any Black or brown dancers in the big school dance. Zero.

Pretty shocking.

[Anonymous]

It took place in rural Kansas.

[Anonymous]

There were black people in Kansas in the 80s.

Regardless: go back and watch movies from the 1980s, and you’ll notice a total lack of any diversity. The lack of *any* representation—even a token amount—is glaring.

[Anonymous]

https://amp.theguardian.com/film/2015/may/10/wacky-asians-blacking-up-and-the-libyans-the-worst-of-80s-movie-racism

Wow…this sums it up.

[Anonymous]

Wait! Are you trying to cancel the 80's?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait! Are you trying to cancel the 80's?

Not at all!

It’s just so obvious…and so sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just finished rewatching Footloose.

Filmed in 1984 when 12% of the American population was Black, yet there are zero Black kids in a movie about dancing.

Remember the big dance scene at the end? They had white guys breakdancing. This was at the height of the breakdancing craze btw. All white cast, and they didn’t even bother to add any Black or brown dancers in the big school dance. Zero.

Pretty shocking.

Waaaiiiit, are you saying that black people should be in a movie about dancing because they are "good dancers" and have "great rhythm?" You know that is racist, right? This is what happens when white people try and be "allies." OMG please tell me this is a fake double-reverse psychology post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just finished rewatching Footloose.

Filmed in 1984 when 12% of the American population was Black, yet there are zero Black kids in a movie about dancing.

Remember the big dance scene at the end? They had white guys breakdancing. This was at the height of the breakdancing craze btw. All white cast, and they didn’t even bother to add any Black or brown dancers in the big school dance. Zero.

Pretty shocking.

Waaaiiiit, are you saying that black people should be in a movie about dancing because they are "good dancers" and have "great rhythm?" You know that is racist, right? This is what happens when white people try and be "allies." OMG please tell me this is a fake double-reverse psychology post.

+ 1,000.

[Anonymous]

Go watch the last scene where they dance at the prom and imagine what the director and choreographer must have been thinking when the white guys were trying to breakdance. It’s a featured scene. This was the height of the breakdancing craze. Only racism could have prompted an all-white cast for the big dance scene featuring breakdancing.

[Anonymous]

OP, you are so wise. Thank you for sharing your entirely new observation and for educating us.

[Anonymous]

What percentage of rural Kansas was Black in 1984?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What percentage of rural Kansas was Black in 1984?

6%

But does it matter?

Movies are made for a national and ultimately global audience.

America was 12% black in 1984.

And they opted to only have white kids in the big dance scene. Probably 100 kids, and all are white. They feature dancers, including a blue eyed blonde hair guy doing MJ-esque breakdancing moves, and it didn’t occur to anyone on the set to add any diversity?

[Anonymous]

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73151/18-catchy-facts-about-footloose

I read where it was actually filmed in Utah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73151/18-catchy-facts-about-footloose

I read where it was actually filmed in Utah.

Makes sense since there’s at least one scene with snow capped mountains that totally look like Utah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73151/18-catchy-facts-about-footloose

I read where it was actually filmed in Utah.

Makes sense since there’s at least one scene with snow capped mountains that totally look like Utah.

Hilarious because Kansas is sooo flat.