Article in local TO free newspaper on Adidas and racism with Adicolor shoe

[triniboy27]

Adidas's "Yellow" line mocks Asians with bucktoothed caricature

By YEE-GUAN WONG

When I look in the mirror, i see chapped lips, a fresh nose-piercing and streaks of hair bleached just a few shades yellower than the tone of my skin. I don't see Charlie the laundry guy or Jackie the kick-ass guy.

And while I do have a crooked front tooth, I sure as hell don't resemble the bucktoothed caricature that adorns the newest shoe from that other international sporting goods conglomerate, Adidas.

The shoe is called the Y1 HUF, and in addition to the buckteeth, the cartoon Chinese guy sports short hair, a snout and super-slanted (i.e., Asian) eyes.

The image, replicated on a metal toggle on the lace, is the work of San Francisco graffiti artist Barry McGee, aka "Twist," who, incidentally, is half Chinese. In case you have any doubt what the image is supposed to represent, it's one of a series in Adidas's "Yellow" collection.

The unflattering image has touched off a racially charged controversy in online postings and message boards.

Ed Wong, one of those who got wind of the shoe online, says it represents another affront to the Asian male.

"[Consumers] will see it simply as a Chink face," he says.

Adds Anh Phan of the Organization for Chinese Americans, "Historically, damaging images of Asians with yellow skin, slanted eyes and buckteeth have reinforced the false notion of Asians and Asian Americans being the foreigner, and in some cases less than human."

Of course, this isn't the first time a multinational conglomerate has tried to navigate the fine line between style and slag, and failed miserably.

In 2002, Abercrombie & Fitch pulled a dumb and dumberer with "Wong Brothers Laundry Service – Two Wongs Can Make It White" T-shirts. The company showed its smarts later by putting out a women's T with "Who needs brains when you have these?" scrawled across the front.

Am I being too sensitive?

One person who thinks so is Toronto stand-up comic and writer Sabrina Jalees, who wrote a wonderful column ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination defending the racially powered comic Russell Peters. In an e-mail, she writes that a little perspective is in order.

"Calling an Asian-themed shoe series 'Yellow' is the same thing as having an African-themed series titled 'Black,' an Indian-themed shoe called 'Brown' or one designed by Michael Jackson classified as 'So White You've Gotta Squint. '"

Jalees is half Pakistani, half Swiss, and affectionately refers to her mix as Piss. She says Adidas would have to step further across the line before she'd get upset.

"When they start decorating the shoes with railroad track patterns and attaching tiny pouches of rice to the box they come in, then we can start talking."

Talking, however, is not something Adidas is doing on the subject. Calls to the company's Canadian headquarters were directed to the global office, but a promised statement explaining the company's position never materialized despite repeated requests. I did manage to squeeze from one spokesperson that there are no plans to sell this shoe in Canada.

Yet considering that following Abercrombie & Fitch's lead into Asian stereotyping could pay big bucks (sales in the weeks after A&F's Two Wongs debacle jumped 29 per cent), the publicity may be too much for Adidas to resist. A&F, though, was also forced to pay $50 million to settle various discrimination lawsuits.

I'll leave the last word to Jalees. "The bottom line is, the shoe series has no prospect of shifting people's views of Asians for the worse. At the end of the day, a racist is a racist. If the shoe fits, it doesn't matter what its name is."

[SENDkylHISPASSWORD]

I can't belive this is even an issue. It's like affirmative action.

my favourite things

http://mfthings.blogspot.com/

[ddohnggo]

i don't see how this ISN'T an issue. it's bullshit that this stuff gets by. if it was a black shoe, with a caricature of a black person, people would be going ape shit. i don't see how any of this can even be considered ok. it's unfair that asians can be subjected to this type of stereotyping and people aren't held responsible at all.

[onemancult]

I think this is a non-issue being blown up by over-sensitive and opportunistic people and organizations who want some media recognition.

Twist is half-Chinese, HUF is located in a city that probably wouldn't exist without the contributions of the many Asian immigrants that relocated there over history- it's paying a bit of respect, in my mind. It's part of the goddamn Yellow series of AdiColor because of the use of gold on the shoe, not because it has an Asian character on it. Do any of the other Yellow series AdiColors feature anti-Asian designs? Negative.

It's a fucking drawing... if there were a Black series shoe with a caricature of a black person on it, I'd sincerely doubt that it would be an issue, unless there were overtly racist elements to the drawing. And there's a big difference between overt racism and an artist using exaggeration in a caricature- that's what a caricature is.

[derek]

damn I'll go buy the t-shirt it has Ray Fong huge on it. I guess people don't understand twists art. Like usual it's a bunch of pissed off sneakerheads on the internet. how dare you huf!! don't piss them off!!

[showbiz00ditc]

if there was a white shoe with a caricature of a honky on it im sure the white population would get the joke and give it a good laugh.

and its not really racist if the shoe is stating the obvious... its not like people are having an epiphany over the shoe... asian people do have slanted eyes and a (often described as) yellowish tint to their skin... and then anyone can have buck teeth...black, white, yellow, red, brown, or green

[snugglepony]

Quote:

I can't belive this is even an issue. It's like affirmative action.

--- Original message by SENDkylHISPASSWORD on Apr 7, 2006 09:18 AM

spoken like a real canadian white man...

[englandmj7]

Quote: if it was a black shoe, with a caricature of a black person, people would be going ape shit. i don't see how any of this can even be considered ok. it's unfair that asians can be subjected to this type of stereotyping and people aren't held responsible at all.

Yet if they put a picture of some redneck missing teeth, humping his daughter white people wouldn't say shit, would they.......get the fuck over it, acknowledging subtleties in what you see as "discrimination" is only going to further the gap between races....although, personally I would have to agree that it was a little irresponsible and insensitive coming from a big company like Adidas.

Quote: if there was a white shoe with a caricature of a honky on it im sure the white population would get the joke and give it a good laugh.

Heh heh, you wrote that as I was typing the same thing...

Edited by englandmj7 on Apr 7, 2006 at 09:58 AM

[englandmj7]

Quote: if there were a Black series shoe with a caricature of a black person on it, I'd sincerely doubt that it would be an issue,

Heh heh, I am not so sure about that; the NAACP would ABSOLUTELY bankrupt Adidas if they put this man on a shoe:

They scream racism until the cows come home......

I predict this thread getting locked within an hour.

[snugglepony]

Quote:

if there was a white shoe with a caricature of a honky on it im sure the white population would get the joke and give it a good laugh.

and its not really racist if the shoe is stating the obvious... its not like people are having an epiphany over the shoe... asian people do have slanted eyes and a (often described as) yellowish tint to their skin... and then anyone can have buck teeth...black, white, yellow, red, brown, or green

--- Original message by showbiz00ditc on Apr 7, 2006 09:55 AM

re: your first point: you're probably right.

you forget to mention, however, that the white population can afford to laugh at it because in most of the western world, they are the race with the greatest privilege...

your second point is just ridiculous. "asian people do have slanted eyes" so the logical conclusion you draw is that it's cool to mock them for it? the larger point is not that noticing that slanted eyes, or yellow skin, or difficulty pronouncing certain consonants in the english language are common to people of asian descent is racist; it's that all of these "traits" form a part of a larger, fundamentally racist and disparaging view of an entire people, and call to mind a history of violence and discrimination wherein these "obvious" traits are signifiers.

Edited by snugglepony on Apr 7, 2006 at 10:26 AM

[SENDkylHISPASSWORD]

Quote:

i don't see how this ISN'T an issue. it's bullshit that this stuff gets by. if it was a black shoe, with a caricature of a black person, people would be going ape shit. i don't see how any of this can even be considered ok. it's unfair that asians can be subjected to this type of stereotyping and people aren't held responsible at all.

--- Original message by ddohnggo on Apr 7, 2006 09:38 AM

I completly disagree.

and I'm not sure about the buck tooth thing, but asians do have slanted eyes.

Hypothetically if a shoe was made in Asia in a completley different paradigm in the white series featuring a redneck charicature how would people act? I wouldn't care, but I can see some white folks who live there getting up set. Who knows, I have no clue what it's like over there.

my favourite things

http://mfthings.blogspot.com/

Edited by SENDkylHISPASSWORD on Apr 7, 2006 at 10:36 AM

[mrmax]

Quote:

Quote: if it was a black shoe, with a caricature of a black person, people would be going ape shit. i don't see how any of this can even be considered ok. it's unfair that asians can be subjected to this type of stereotyping and people aren't held responsible at all.

Yet if they put a picture of some redneck missing teeth, humping his daughter white people wouldn't say shit, would they.......get the fuck over it, acknowledging subtleties in what you see as "discrimination" is only going to further the gap between races....although, personally I would have to agree that it was a little irresponsible and insensitive coming from a big company like Adidas.

Quote: if there was a white shoe with a caricature of a honky on it im sure the white population would get the joke and give it a good laugh.

Heh heh, you wrote that as I was typing the same thing...

Edited by englandmj7 on Apr 7, 2006 at 09:58 AM

--- Original message by englandmj7 on Apr 7, 2006 09:57 AM

I don't really think you can really compare it like this. White people are not a minority and have a different history regarding racism.

[cheapmuthafukr]

im pissed. i have slanty eyes(most of the time), and sometimes have difficaulty pronouncing certian consanats. now adidas is making me asian? fuck adidas.

but seriously kiddos, how is this different than (insert hot rapper here) saying nigga all the time?

once you can answer that, then you may have something.

simplicity we use to survive, do what you doing properly, thats the way thru life

[englandmj7]

Quote: you forget to mention, however, that the white population can afford to laugh at it because in most of the western world, they are the race with the greatest privilege...

Whilst you have provided very logical and relevant points, don't EVER think/say that it is okay for whites to be discriminated against; white or not, no one "can afford" to be ridiculed/insulted as a result of their physical traits....people nowadays have this mentality that it is impossible to be racist towards white people, and it makes me fucking sick.....I see it every day here in LA; I can't shop ANYWHERE in Koreatown, many black people around where I used to live (South Central) won't even answer you if you talk to them, etc.....it is messed up....so don't even think about pulling that card, it is completely illogical.

[SENDkylHISPASSWORD]

Quote: I don't really think you can really compare it like this. White people are not a minority and have a different history regarding racism.

see my post above, I think that kind of addresses that point. What do you think?

my favourite things

http://mfthings.blogspot.com/

[denimdestroyedmylife]

i like those shoes. i like twist. why does he hate himself?

[cheapmuthafukr]

Quote:

Quote: you forget to mention, however, that the white population can afford to laugh at it because in most of the western world, they are the race with the greatest privilege...

Whilst you have provided very logical and relevant points, don't EVER think/say that it is okay for whites to be discriminated against; white or not, no one "can afford" to be ridiculed/insulted as a result of their physical traits....people nowadays have this mentality that it is impossible to be racist towards white people, and it makes me fucking sick.....I see it every day here in LA; I can't shop ANYWHERE in Koreatown, many black people around where I used to live (South Central) won't even answer you if you talk to them, etc.....it is messed up....so don't even think about pulling that card, it is completely illogical.

--- Original message by englandmj7 on Apr 7, 2006 10:36 AM

thanks eng. i hate when people think its ok to hate white people. i aslo detest the term "reverse racisim," which i think makes it seem worse. ahhh.... but were getting into the relm of the political here..................................

ok. buy something quick. denim porn please. i hate bape. la la la la la.

simplicity we use to survive, do what you doing properly, thats the way thru life

[englandmj7]

Quote:

ok. buy something quick. denim porn please. i hate bape. la la la la la.

ahahahah

Have you seen the new ALIFE shit!! Word!!!!!!!!!!

Edited by englandmj7 on Apr 7, 2006 at 10:52 AM

[ddohnggo]

mr max hit on the spot. you cannot even come back with white people being offended over a white caricature, without understanding the history of racism in the US. most people don't even know much about the history of asian americans in america. the chinese coolies who came to the US in the late 1900's came to help build the railroads, and during the gold rush. they were not given any rights, refused citizenship, and treated like utter shit. this caricature of a short, slanty eyed, yellow buck tooth person has been around for a long long time and pretty much harkens back to those racist days, just as much as someone in blackface harkens back to the early twentith century. look at jerry lewis, the chinese asian character is basically the acted version of this caricature. you CANNOT say that shit is NOT offensive.

having grown up being called a flat face, slant eye, gook, etc...i know that racism still exists. and i think that this caricature just reinforces that, in an overt way, no matter intentions of the artist had.

[SENDkylHISPASSWORD]

Then asian people should not be alowed to be drawn?

Obviously it comes down to this: most white people dont think its racist and most asian people do.

my favourite things

http://mfthings.blogspot.com/

Edited by SENDkylHISPASSWORD on Apr 7, 2006 at 10:55 AM

[snugglepony]

Quote:

Quote:

i don't see how this ISN'T an issue. it's bullshit that this stuff gets by. if it was a black shoe, with a caricature of a black person, people would be going ape shit. i don't see how any of this can even be considered ok. it's unfair that asians can be subjected to this type of stereotyping and people aren't held responsible at all.

--- Original message by ddohnggo on Apr 7, 2006 09:38 AM

I completly disagree.

and I'm not sure about the buck tooth thing, but asians do have slanted eyes.

Hypothetically if a shoe was made in Asia in a completley different paradigm in the white series featuring a redneck charicature how would people act? I wouldn't care, but I can see some white folks who live there getting up set. Who knows, I have no clue what it's like over there.

--- Original message by SENDkylHISPASSWORD on Apr 7, 2006 10:31 AM

you "completly[sic] disagree." congratulations! you offer startlingly clear support for your argument!

[EDIT] (you edited your post)

i'm going to make an assumption here, so PLEASE correct me if i'm wrong. based on your posts about your t-shirt designs, company, etc. and your use of the phrase/possible business name "suburban jewish afro," i'm guessing you're jewish? in all honesty, are you saying that if i put some greedy shylock-type caricature on a shoe, replete with yarmulke, hooked nose, hasidic curls, hoarding all the world's money and power, that the jewish community would not be offended? that they wouldn't issue a statement denouncing me as a shoe maker and encouraging a boycott of my products until i apologized and removed the shoe from circulation?

please.

and your earlier comment about affirmative action? replace "money for college for racial minorities in the US" with "money for young, poor, creative types to do their thing in Canada" (your possible grant for your business) and explain the difference to me.

Edited by snugglepony on Apr 7, 2006 at 10:57 AM

[englandmj7]

Quote: you cannot even come back with white people being offended over a white caricature, without understanding the history of racism in the US.

You think people don't know how influential/instrumental Asians have been in the development of this nation? That has nothing to do with this argument. Do you know the history of racism against whites? Did you know that in Zimbabwe in 2000 Pres. Mugabe ordered his people to physically take back any land that was owned by whites? Ever heard of South Africa? Did you realize that in the countries with the highest populations in the world (China/India) that whites are the minority? Of course you didn't, because no one ever told you. Some people are so ignorant it hurts. You want to argue about the shoes, argue about the shoes, don't fucking bring "whites wouldn't understand racism to the table."

Edited by englandmj7 on Apr 7, 2006 at 11:04 AM

[snugglepony]

Quote:

Quote: you forget to mention, however, that the white population can afford to laugh at it because in most of the western world, they are the race with the greatest privilege...

Whilst you have provided very logical and relevant points, don't EVER think/say that it is okay for whites to be discriminated against; white or not, no one "can afford" to be ridiculed/insulted as a result of their physical traits....people nowadays have this mentality that it is impossible to be racist towards white people, and it makes me fucking sick.....I see it every day here in LA; I can't shop ANYWHERE in Koreatown, many black people around where I used to live (South Central) won't even answer you if you talk to them, etc.....it is messed up....so don't even think about pulling that card, it is completely illogical.

--- Original message by englandmj7 on Apr 7, 2006 10:36 AM

never said it's ok. didn't even imply it.

what's implicit in my statement is that each white person who laughs at a joke/caricature of another white person a) does that of their own free will, and feels ok laughing at it because it's not directly threatening to their status.

i don't laugh at that shit personally.

[ddohnggo]

Quote: SENDkylHISPASSWORD

-superbored-

Posts: 570

Joined: Oct 24, 2005

NEW posted: Today @ 10:54 AM

[Reply To Post] msg. 20 of 21

Then asian people should not be alowed to be drawn?

Obviously it comes down to this: most white people dont think its racist and most asian people do.

i think has to be the most ridiculous response you could have come with. it has nothing to do with being drawn, it has to do with stereotypes that supposedly defines a race. no, my parents do not own a laundry mat. however, they do not speak perfect english, have been made fun of for not being able to speak english well, and have experienced a much harder time and oppositions in life in america as immigrants via racism than anything.

and the fact that you come with some half assed response that most white people don't think is racist and most asian people do, is seriously pathetic.

[ddohnggo]

yes, i do think most people don't know the influence that asian americans had on the building of america. i think it's pretty ignorant to think otherwise.

[cheapmuthafukr]

Quote:

mr max hit on the spot. you cannot even come back with white people being offended over a white caricature, without understanding the history of racism in the US. most people don't even know much about the history of asian americans in america. the chinese coolies who came to the US in the late 1900's came to help build the railroads, and during the gold rush. they were not given any rights, refused citizenship, and treated like utter shit. this caricature of a short, slanty eyed, yellow buck tooth person has been around for a long long time and pretty much harkens back to those racist days, just as much as someone in blackface harkens back to the early twentith century. look at jerry lewis, the chinese asian character is basically the acted version of this caricature. you CANNOT say that shit is NOT offensive.

having grown up being called a flat face, slant eye, gook, etc...i know that racism still exists. and i think that this caricature just reinforces that, in an overt way, no matter intentions of the artist had.

--- Original message by ddohnggo on Apr 7, 2006 10:52 AM

ok... the artist is asian, right? are you offended when a black person uses the word nigger? im not saying that racisim doesnt exist. i know it exists, ive lived in the south all my life. it exists in more forms than just white people vs the rest of the world. and people throughout time have taken symbols of opression and made them thier own as a resistance to that opression.

also, if you say that white people should not be as offended if they saw a demeaning portrayal of them, thenyou are just as racist as the people(an asian in this instance) who you are accusing of racisim. NO ONE should have to deal with it. it doesnt matter what whites have doen in the past, well it does, but why should I be judged and ridiculed for something someone with my skin tone and features did 50 years ago? that my friend is a racist attitude, which i find unacceptable here on a FASHION FORUM, not a political forum(right mods?)

simplicity we use to survive, do what you doing properly, thats the way thru life

[SENDkylHISPASSWORD]

I just elaborated on my post, didn't change anything. Maybe a bunch of religious guys would get upset but honestly, I 100% would think it's hilarious, and would embrace it. Especially comming from a company like Adidas, I wouldnt be too worried. If it was some nazi shoe company then it would be a different story.

And I wasn't actually talking about affirmative action, I don't think theres too much wrong with that, but I was just saying it was along the same lines as in there are different ways of handling things based on what race it pertains to.

my favourite things

http://mfthings.blogspot.com/

[englandmj7]

ddhongo??:

You are obviously still missing the point, it doesn't matter if they did great things for the U.S. that has NOTHING to do with whether or not it is alright to make a caricature of them. Using that logic, you should be horribly offended by a caricature of anyone that has done "good things." It is a really weak argument, and you are taking the issue very personally. You don't have to defend the accomplishments of the Asian community......

[SENDkylHISPASSWORD]

Quote:

Quote: SENDkylHISPASSWORD

-superbored-

Posts: 570

Joined: Oct 24, 2005

NEW posted: Today @ 10:54 AM

[Reply To Post] msg. 20 of 21

Then asian people should not be alowed to be drawn?

Obviously it comes down to this: most white people dont think its racist and most asian people do.

i think has to be the most ridiculous response you could have come with. it has nothing to do with being drawn, it has to do with stereotypes that supposedly defines a race. no, my parents do not own a laundry mat. however, they do not speak perfect english, have been made fun of for not being able to speak english well, and have experienced a much harder time and oppositions in life in america as immigrants via racism than anything.

and the fact that you come with some half assed response that most white people don't think is racist and most asian people do, is seriously pathetic.

--- Original message by ddohnggo on Apr 7, 2006 11:01 AM

Dude, I was agreeing with you by saying what I said. I am saying in general white people have delt with much less racism than asian people in North America and while thats unfortunate it makes hard for someone like myself to see it in such a hurtful manner. With that said, I can understand why it a sensitive issue but based on the image alone I don't think it is so offensive. It's just a charicature.

my favourite things

http://mfthings.blogspot.com/

[snugglepony]

cheapmuthafukr:

why should you be judged for something that another white person did 50 years ago? well, you shouldn't be judged for it, but you should have the decency to acknowledge that you reap some serious benefits from the bullshit that white guy did 50 years ago, and that other people have a right to resent that.

also: "which i find unacceptable here on a FASHION FORUM, not a political forum(right mods?)" = desperate cry for help?

don't post or read the thread if you don't want to discuss.