The Serena cartoon — too much, too far?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand what you are saying but keep in mind that it's a cartoon, it's not realistic. Also, the subject of the cartoon isn't Osaka, it's Serena's outburst. Nobody is talking about how the cartoon ref does not look like the real ref. My point is that it's a cartoon, it's satire and does not have to be accurate.

It also doesn't have to be accepted as trivial or whimsical or harmless.
Both the depiction of Serena AND the depiction of Osaka CAN be interpreted as sexist and racist and offensive.

Or not. You people have the sensitivity of al qaeda......give it a rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cartoons are caricatures. And Serena Williams is a very masculine looking woman and she threw a tantrum when she was called out on getting coaching from her coach. The coach should also have been fined. He has admitted to coaching from the sidelines.

I also did not think that this cartoon overplayed the "angry black woman" theme. Why? Because Serena was at that moment an angry spoilt brat. She is entitled to be human. She is also entitled to be fined.

I did not find it racist at all.

However, I am shocked by the fact that Osaka was depicted as a White woman. This single thing, IMHO, showed the implicit bias of the cartoonist.

I did not object to Serena being shown as masculine (she is - people have eyes), but I completely objected to Osaka (Hawaiian and Japanese, with very dark skin) - being shown as a meek, subservient, White woman who was being told by a paternalistic man sitting way above her to just let Serena win - absolutely misogynistic and racist. I found it insulting to women of all colors including White woman.

Serena was not dissed. All women and Osaka were.

What? No. She's black (Haitian-American) and Japanese. Here she is with her parents, Tamaki Osaka and Leonard Francois.

[Anonymous]

I posted this elsewhere, but this article gets into the history of the "angry black woman" stereotype, and how that is displayed in the cartoon.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45476500

The Sambo-like features present in the cartoon have long been used to portray black Americans.

https://www.google.com/search?q=african+american+sambo&rlz=1C1GGRV_enUS751US751&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi04rTX27XdAhVnrlkKHUZXBxIQ_AUICigB&biw=1590&bih=814

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand what you are saying but keep in mind that it's a cartoon, it's not realistic. Also, the subject of the cartoon isn't Osaka, it's Serena's outburst. Nobody is talking about how the cartoon ref does not look like the real ref. My point is that it's a cartoon, it's satire and does not have to be accurate.

It also doesn't have to be accepted as trivial or whimsical or harmless.
Both the depiction of Serena AND the depiction of Osaka CAN be interpreted as sexist and racist and offensive.

Or not. You people have the sensitivity of al qaeda......give it a rest.

A) Who the f__k are "you people"?
1. you have no clue whatsoever of my political ideologies or social sensitivities so who exactly are you grouping me with based on my response to one freaking post?
2. the term "you people" in and of itself screams xenophobia and intolerance so am I free to make presumptions about you based on your usage of that term?

B) There are a lot of folks worldwide who take issue with the cartoon. So...
1. why do thousands if not millions of critics have to give it a rest?
2. the cartoonist is getting lots of backlash and he is now throwing a bit of a tantrum his damn self much like he mocked Serena for doing, so can we tell him and his defenders to give it a rest?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand what you are saying but keep in mind that it's a cartoon, it's not realistic. Also, the subject of the cartoon isn't Osaka, it's Serena's outburst. Nobody is talking about how the cartoon ref does not look like the real ref. My point is that it's a cartoon, it's satire and does not have to be accurate.

It also doesn't have to be accepted as trivial or whimsical or harmless.
Both the depiction of Serena AND the depiction of Osaka CAN be interpreted as sexist and racist and offensive.

You are such a tool.

The International Tennis Federation is coming to the defense of the referee now, stung by the criticisms hurled by the USTA in its knee-jerk defense of Williams.

It will just end up as one more instance where Americans distinguish themselves on a world stage by their boorishness and lack of good manners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course it is obviously racist. Even leaving the depiction of Serena aside, why would the cartoonist turn Osaka into a thin blonde woman when in reality she is a very strong, broad Japanese woman?

+1

The caricature of Serena is arguably racist, but the depiction of Osaka makes it pretty clear.

There is nothing racist about the cartoon and by making the opponent a blond woman the cartoonist was underscoring that Serena would have behaved the same way against any opponent.

If anything, it’s racist to suggest Serena is some type of black nobility who is above reproach or caricature. She is far from belonging on any type of pedestal.

Or: here’s an angry black woman and her lovely opponent beautifully acting like a sane white lady.

Most of the top tennis players in the world are white women. The cartoonist was not depicting Osaka. He was depicting her oppponents generally, who have to put up with Serena’s efforts to intimidate them by whatever means are at her disposal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It mocks her behavior, which is what cartoons do. I don't see anything about it that is racially specific.

A satirical cartoon is not racist simply because the subject is a minority. To call it racist, people need to outline what specific racial aspects the artist is mocking.

Perhaps the use of sambo, antiquated, cartoonish features makes it racist in and of itself. But I would expect nothing else from people who actually reveled in such depictions of Black folks then and now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cartoons are caricatures. And Serena Williams is a very masculine looking woman and she threw a tantrum when she was called out on getting coaching from her coach. The coach should also have been fined. He has admitted to coaching from the sidelines.

I also did not think that this cartoon overplayed the "angry black woman" theme. Why? Because Serena was at that moment an angry spoilt brat. She is entitled to be human. She is also entitled to be fined.

I did not find it racist at all.

However, I am shocked by the fact that Osaka was depicted as a White woman. This single thing, IMHO, showed the implicit bias of the cartoonist.

I did not object to Serena being shown as masculine (she is - people have eyes), but I completely objected to Osaka (Hawaiian and Japanese, with very dark skin) - being shown as a meek, subservient, White woman who was being told by a paternalistic man sitting way above her to just let Serena win - absolutely misogynistic and racist. I found it insulting to women of all colors including White woman.

Serena was not dissed. All women and Osaka were.

Of course not. Now let's go find another excuse for excusing racist behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It mocks her behavior, which is what cartoons do. I don't see anything about it that is racially specific.

A satirical cartoon is not racist simply because the subject is a minority. To call it racist, people need to outline what specific racial aspects the artist is mocking.

Perhaps the use of sambo, antiquated, cartoonish features makes it racist in and of itself. But I would expect nothing else from people who actually reveled in such depictions of Black folks then and now.

Serena has frizzy hair, thick lips, and a big butt. Of course a cartoonist will exaggerate them, just like they’d exaggerate Trump’s spray tan, orange mop and squinty eyes.

[Anonymous]

Can someone post pics of the cartoonist's other work (where he exaggerates features).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand what you are saying but keep in mind that it's a cartoon, it's not realistic. Also, the subject of the cartoon isn't Osaka, it's Serena's outburst. Nobody is talking about how the cartoon ref does not look like the real ref. My point is that it's a cartoon, it's satire and does not have to be accurate.

It also doesn't have to be accepted as trivial or whimsical or harmless.
Both the depiction of Serena AND the depiction of Osaka CAN be interpreted as sexist and racist and offensive.

Exaclty

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand what you are saying but keep in mind that it's a cartoon, it's not realistic. Also, the subject of the cartoon isn't Osaka, it's Serena's outburst. Nobody is talking about how the cartoon ref does not look like the real ref. My point is that it's a cartoon, it's satire and does not have to be accurate.

It also doesn't have to be accepted as trivial or whimsical or harmless.
Both the depiction of Serena AND the depiction of Osaka CAN be interpreted as sexist and racist and offensive.

You are such a tool.

The International Tennis Federation is coming to the defense of the referee now, stung by the criticisms hurled by the USTA in its knee-jerk defense of Williams.

It will just end up as one more instance where Americans distinguish themselves on a world stage by their boorishness and lack of good manners.

So freaking what? OOOOh, the USTA should shiver in their boots. Not! BTW, when Serena appears on any of the international tennis courts, ticket sales go up. That's what the ITF needs to be concerned about, finding another Serena to woo the crowds. OANO Naomi might be the answer.

[Anonymous]

I think the umpire was on the take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course it is obviously racist. Even leaving the depiction of Serena aside, why would the cartoonist turn Osaka into a thin blonde woman when in reality she is a very strong, broad Japanese woman?

+1

The caricature of Serena is arguably racist, but the depiction of Osaka makes it pretty clear.

There is nothing racist about the cartoon and by making the opponent a blond woman the cartoonist was underscoring that Serena would have behaved the same way against any opponent.

If anything, it’s racist to suggest Serena is some type of black nobility who is above reproach or caricature. She is far from belonging on any type of pedestal.

Or: here’s an angry black woman and her lovely opponent beautifully acting like a sane white lady.

Most of the top tennis players in the world are white women. The cartoonist was not depicting Osaka. He was depicting her oppponents generally, who have to put up with Serena’s efforts to intimidate them by whatever means are at her disposal.

Do some reseach before spewing your garbage. Serena is considered to be one of the sweetest tennis players on the circuit. They like her. Well maybe not Sharapova.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the artist responded by defending himself - posted examples of other articles where the people being teased have very exaggerated features

Right but what about the inaccurate portrayal of Osaka as a thin blonde woman? When she is clearly neither of those things.

I thought Osaka had blond hair...

I don't think it's racist IF he draws other people with exaggerated features.

Other people of color. Not white people.

And he posted examples of other racially-charged cartoons as well - not just showing POC with exaggerated features, but displaying the sorts of politics that one would expect of a person who makes these cartoons. And, let it be noted, these cartoons are FOR a right wing newspaper.

If you don't see the racism, I think you probably are willfully blind to racism in society that exists in any way other than someone announcing explicitly: "HI I AM A RACIST!"