Swedish minister criticized over 'genital mutilation cake'

Swedish minister criticized over

worldnews.msnbc.msn.com...

Sweden's minister of culture has come under fire for cutting a cake in the shape of a naked black woman in a series of events some deemed a "racist spectacle," Sweden's English-language website The Local reported.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I did a search and couldn't find anything on this on ATS, so just passing it along.

I am a fan of art, especially strange art and am African American myself. I don't see a problem here and in a sick way find it amusing.

I'm not sure how this is considered racist ... maybe more cannibalistic than anything.



[url=http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/17/11251375-swedish-minister-criticized-over-genital-mutilation-cake?lite]worldnews.msnbc.msn.com[/u rl]
(visit the link for the full news article)

Originally posted by blackreign2012


I did a search and couldn't find anything on this on ATS, so just passing it along.

I am a fan of art, especially strange art and am African American myself. I see no problem here and in a sick way find it amusing.

I'm not sure how this is considered racist ... maybe more cannibalistic then anything.



[url=http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/17/11251375-swedish-minister-criticized-over-genital-mutilation-cake?lite]worldnews.msnbc.msn.com[/u rl]
(visit the link for the full news article)

You're not? Okay, I'm black as well, so it's sad that I have to explain this to you.

This wasn't a cake in the shape of a naked black woman. This was a cake, in the shape of a parody black woman. A black face character which has always been used as a racist depiction for black people...

you sadden me...

Originally posted by My.mind.is.mine

Originally posted by blackreign2012


I did a search and couldn't find anything on this on ATS, so just passing it along.

I am a fan of art, especially strange art and am African American myself. I see no problem here and in a sick way find it amusing.

I'm not sure how this is considered racist ... maybe more cannibalistic then anything.



[url=http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/17/11251375-swedish-minister-criticized-over-genital-mutilation-cake?lite]worldnews.msnbc.msn.com[/u rl]
(visit the link for the full news article)

You're not? Okay, I'm black as well, so it's sad that I have to explain this to you.

This wasn't a cake in the shape of a naked black woman. This was a cake, in the shape of a parody black woman. A black face character which has always been used as a racist depiction for black people...

you sadden me...

Sorry I sadden you. It looks to me of an African tribes Woman, rather than a parody black faced character. You can see the rings around the neck, the bloated belly, the painted face, etc. I really don't see color nor am I into racism, so maybe I'm just oblivious to it. Didn't really come on hear to debate about moral or racial issues. Just finally seen something in the news that wasn't already posted on here.

Originally posted by blackreign2012

Originally posted by My.mind.is.mine

Originally posted by blackreign2012


I did a search and couldn't find anything on this on ATS, so just passing it along.

I am a fan of art, especially strange art and am African American myself. I see no problem here and in a sick way find it amusing.

I'm not sure how this is considered racist ... maybe more cannibalistic then anything.



[url=http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/17/11251375-swedish-minister-criticized-over-genital-mutilation-cake?lite]worldnews.msnbc.msn.com[/u rl]
(visit the link for the full news article)

You're not? Okay, I'm black as well, so it's sad that I have to explain this to you.

This wasn't a cake in the shape of a naked black woman. This was a cake, in the shape of a parody black woman. A black face character which has always been used as a racist depiction for black people...

you sadden me...

Sorry I sadden you. It looks to me of an African tribes Woman, rather than a parody black faced character. You can see the rings around the neck, the bloated belly, the painted face, etc. I really don't see color nor am I into racism, so maybe I'm just oblivious to it. Didn't really come on hear to debate about moral or racial issues. Just finally seen something in the news that wasn't already posted on here.

edit on 18-4-2012 by blackreign2012 because: (no reason given)

edit on 18-4-2012 by blackreign2012 because: (no reason given)

So you posted just so you could be the first to post it, but weren't interested in having your standpoint debated?

reply to post by My.mind.is.mine


Just so that you know......this was a cake designed by a black man for a cause that was highlighting Female Circumcision. The guy that made the cake made it as a black woman as female circumcision is predominantly (but not exclusively) carried out in Africa on black women.

As an aside, for some reason the guy that made the cake decided to give it his face!

There is also an existing thread on this. I would link but as a technopohbe i have no idea how! Sorry.....

The mutilation of female genitalia is a serious issue. This cake makes a mockery of it.

This "performance art" by a black swede man of all people, is horrifying. His mocking cries, the giggling smiling people surrounding the performance makes it that much more sickening.

This is a whole new level of depravity.

Everyone involved in this cake should be removed from their positions, not to mention sent for a mental evaluation.

"So you posted just so you could be the first to post it, but weren't interested in having your standpoint debated?"

Exactly. I could care less about a debate. This is my favorite website and I wanted to contribute some info.

Not be the first to post ... but to finally post something. Everyone here has their posts on speed dial or something.

reply to post by blackreign2012


I'm curious what your position is on this, especially seeing your user name and avatar of a black man holding a white skinned mans skull.

Originally posted by Flavian
reply to post by My.mind.is.mine

 

Just so that you know......this was a cake designed by a black man for a cause that was highlighting Female Circumcision. The guy that made the cake made it as a black woman as female circumcision is predominantly (but not exclusively) carried out in Africa on black women.

As an aside, for some reason the guy that made the cake decided to give it his face!

There is also an existing thread on this. I would link but as a technopohbe i have no idea how! Sorry.....

The artist actually "black faced" his own face, as he's of mixed origin. Don't know if people recognize it, but black face is equivalent to anybody's random impression of a white person being buck teeth, hay straw, and overalls...

I'm just pointed out the sheer ignorance. Not to mention, mutilating a cakes genitals doesn't exactly HIGHLIGHT the problem of genital mutilation, it almost glorifies it.

reply to post by BlueFoxToo


I think the problem was really that it was a bunch of people that were uncomfortable around the media. Hence the childish giggling.

I despair sometimes to be honest. Here are some people trying to raise awareness about the horrible plight faced by some women and they are just opened up to abuse. They should be getting credit instead of criticism. The more commonplace this type of reaction gets, the more likely it is that people simply won't bother in future......

reply to post by My.mind.is.mine


Ahh, the reports i read said he was a black artist. I guess that does put a slightly different spin on it but only slightly (in my mind).

At the end of the day, they cut the wrong end of the cake - i can see that.

The question really though should be "do you wish they wouldn't bother trying to highlight attention to such causes?".

Seriously, if i was the minister in question, next time i was asked for my involvement in something similar i would say no chance, go find some other mug.

Originally posted by Flavian
reply to post by My.mind.is.mine

 

Ahh, the reports i read said he was a black artist. I guess that does put a slightly different spin on it but only slightly (in my mind).

At the end of the day, they cut the wrong end of the cake - i can see that.

The question really though should be "do you wish they wouldn't bother trying to highlight attention to such causes?".

Seriously, if i was the minister in question, next time i was asked for my involvement in something similar i would say no chance, go find some other mug.

Don't get me wrong, he's mixed, but the problem point, is the black face..

Mind you, all this fire storm started by a half black man who has so little self respect, he'll wear a hat saying "'n-word'" dead center..... while sipping from a champagne glass with a Hitler mustache....

Originally posted by Flavian
reply to post by BlueFoxToo

 

I think the problem was really that it was a bunch of people that were uncomfortable around the media. Hence the childish giggling.

I despair sometimes to be honest. Here are some people trying to raise awareness about the horrible plight faced by some women and they are just opened up to abuse. They should be getting credit instead of criticism. The more commonplace this type of reaction gets, the more likely it is that people simply won't bother in future......

I've seen firsthand how some people react to media, and it's been my experience that broad grins, approaching the main event taking their own photos while laughing and spooning cake into the performance "artists" mouth aren't suffering from nervousness.

reply to post by My.mind.is.mine


Performance "artist" always seem to be screwed up in the head, and yet always purport to be bringing to light some social ill, and feel they're doing so in some "fresh" "bold" way. It's so often the case, that to use the term performance art is a cliche', it's automatically a perjorative.

In fact, most of these "artists" actions are more depraved than the depravity that they say inspired them. I can think of one such performance where a "artist" tied a stray dog to a chain in a bare room and denied it food and water...until it died miserably. "Patrons" of this artist walked through and observed the dog dying over the course of days. In another "performance" a litter of puppies was shot in the head in front of children. Of course the "artist" had a noble reason why this was ok. If somebody somewhere feels that this cake, with a man laying there pretending to be a young woman, giving mockish cries, really helps the issue at hand, I question their faculties.

That young womens external genitalia are cut off using a kitchen knife is the issue, NOT blackface. This "artist" failed. Sweden needs to cut everyone loose that bought into this.

I do not see racism. I see extremly bad taste (besides culinary qualities of cake), and lack of culture (despite the minister involved).

First we have a self-hating racist calling himself an artist...(Yes, there is racism - the face as previously noted, if you deny it you're probably ignorant and are hiding something, if you can't see it you are ignorant).

Then there is the problem that is being addressed? Circumcision??? And the right way to do that is not to have a guest speaker that is able to explain the seriousness of the issue...no, the right way is to hire a self-hater to address the issue by cutting and EATING a peace...you all see which peace...of cake...while the self hater fakes screams of pain.

I don't know what kind of pills those Swedes are on...but that is not okay. It's deranged to say the least...what the hell did I just watch?

reply to post by InfoKartel


ahem...

ART......

Those who want to see racism will see it everywhere. I dont see it here. So there is a stylised depiction of an African tribe member, what is racist about that? They wear make-up as far as I know, and I think the face highlights the pain of the procedure. Please concentrate on real racism instead of imagined one.

As for the performance itself, it is shocking, but that is because the practice itself is shocking. In drawing the attention to the issue, this serves well, so mission accomplished anyway.

Semantics, I realise, but circumcision is mild compared to genital mutilation.


Racism and circumcision aren't the topic at hand, but again, this whole spectacle is a failure, so it's not suprising that the issue is lost on those viewing.