A new TV spot is creating a firestorm of racist accusations on social media. Here it is: a black man and a Chinese woman are flirting, wherein she thrusts a detergent capsule in his mouth and bundles him into a laundry machine, sits atop the machine as the man spins and screams inside until out pops a handsome Chinese man dressed in a clean, white t-shirt.
You can watch it and read the commentary on CNN.
Fortunately for the U.S., it’s not an American ad. It’s running in China. Which doesn’t make it okay. But it does expose some interesting and shocking realities about racism in Asia. Specifically anti-black racism, and even more stunning, a pro-white bias.
From CNN:
This wouldn’t be the first time ads in China have been accused of racial insensitivity, there was considerable criticism online after the Chinese posters for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” seemed to downplay black actor — and co-lead — John Boyega.
While a large number of Africans live in China, particularly in southern Guangdong province, many have complained of facing discrimination and prejudice from locals due in part to a widespread stigma against dark skin.
That stigma also exists in other Asian countries, a Thai beauty company was forced to withdraw an ad and issue an apology after it released a commercial saying “just by being white, you will win.”
You have to wonder if this was an epic blunder, or whether the ad makers were tapping into some deep prejudice in China. Either way, ew.