People Are Pointing Out Examples Of Alleged ‘Everyday Racism’ In Shops
In difficult times like these, Twitter often turns into a space for heated debates. And if it hits a nerve, it may spiral out of control.
This is what happened when Jesús A. Rodríguez tweeted a photo showing a supermarket shelf with the caption “it’s more than just the police.” The image showed an aisle of locked-up hair products allegedly aimed at black hair. Jesús’s post soon racked up 606K likes and 191K retweets and got everyone debating the issue. Others joined in to share more pics from supermarkets calling them out for “everyday systematic racism.”
But some remained skeptical over whether the issue has anything to do with racism. In reply to Jesús’s post, Nola Darling said that “stores lock up products that are mostly stolen.” Let’s dive into the stormy discussion down below to see how it progressed.
This post sparked a stormy discussion on Twitter
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Many joined in to share what they spotted at supermarkets
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Institutional and systematic racism have become keywords in the wake of the George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement. Mary Frances O’Dowd, a senior lecturer of Indigenous Studies at CQUniversity Australia, described these two terms in a piece for The Conversation. “’Systemic racism,’ or ‘institutional racism,’ refers to how ideas of white superiority are captured in everyday thinking at a systems level: taking in the big picture of how society operates, rather than looking at one-on-one interactions.”
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It’s also important to note that “these systems can include laws and regulations, but also unquestioned social systems.” This means that systematic racism can stem from “education, access, and hiring practices.” It penetrates, both openly and invisibly, every aspect of our daily lives.
For example, Joaquin Phoenix called out systematic racism in the film industry as his speech for leading actor at the 2020 BAFTA awards. “I think that we send a very clear message to people of color that you’re not welcome here. I think it’s more than just having sets that are multicultural. We have to do really the hard work to truly understand systemic racism.”
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Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary currently defines racism as:
1. a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
2. a) a doctrine or political program based on the assumption of racism and designed to execute its principles, b) a political or social system founded on racism
3. racial prejudice or discrimination
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Today at target 😡 pic.twitter.com/IZxkzzChGI
— Amber Desiree (@TheAmber_Show) June 9, 2020
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But Kennedy Mitchum, a recent graduate of Drake University in Iowa, suggested that the definition should include a reference to systemic oppression. On May 28, she emailed American Merriam-Webster and pointed out that racism is “both prejudice combined with social and institutional power. It is a system of advantage based on skin color.”
Merriam-Webster replied the next day and said the issue needs to be addressed urgently. Merriam-Webster’s editorial manager Peter Sokolowski told the BBC that the wording of the second definition of racism will be “even more clear in our next release.” “It could be expanded to include the term systemic and it will certainly have one or two example sentences, at least,” he said.
But others felt like the issue has nothing to do with racism
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Others found the pricing was the issue
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And more people had to add to the debate
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They lock it up when it gets stolen often, they don't lock it up when stealing isn't much of an issue. So if the store near you locks shit up, then it says more about your neighbourhood than it does about the store owner. Locking shit up is an reaction to an action.
In my neighborhood Walgreens, the men's Mach 3 razors have theft prevention. The women's razors, of equal value, don't.
That's because women's razors of equal value have fewer items in them and are absolute crap.
What?! Equality! We woman steal stuff too!!! ;)
This is random but the dollar General near me has all the deodorant in a plastic box thing and when you open it up it rings real loud. So everyone knows when you get deoderant. Nothing to do with the dove commercial. I usually get it somewhere else because I don't want the whole store to know I'm buying deodorant.
@Lisa Chambers-- Equal Value meaning the women's razors would be the same price lol
I can buy razors for my legs 7 for 5.99. Those Mach 3's are over 20 bucks a pack arent they?
Indeed it is more of a reaction...remember when the locked up Ice-cream Yogurt and tide pods because people would lick the lids or eat the pods? Plus it also has to do with the size of the object... smaller expensive things are locked since that makes the thing bigger and larder to conceal.
There are things like deoderent (cant spell lol) and tooth paste locked up at our local stores cause people like to clome in and use them like put on the deoderent (still cant spell) or squirt the toothpaste every where then put it back so now they lock it up
Exactly, you don't just make a store and think "oh I should lock up the products pertaining to black people because I think they are more likely to steal things." Locking stuff up takes more money, so if there isn't a cause that's a waste of money. If the white baby sells more, and the black baby sells less, of course you're gonna change the prices to make more money. The dove thing, however, looks inexcusable, but I haven't seen the rest so IDK what it could possibly be about, but from what they showed, yeah no.
The ad was fine if you watched the whole clip. It goes from a black person, to a white person, to a brown person. People took it for what it wasn't. Dove was just showing that all their product was suitable for other skin types. If it went from brown to black to white there probably wouldn't have been an issue.
I've shopped at a lot of Goodwills in Canada. The bagged items of randomness are very common. The pricing is never consistent because on any day a different person may be pricing it.
Exactly this! Thank you
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Yes! Finally some common sense.
Did you know that jesus was gay and loves you?
And do people think a translation just magically appears? Translators need to eat too.
You are right.
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So why only lock up some of a particular product range in the same shop? Or has the neighbourhood deteriorated in the space between shelves? The hair dye one is so blatant!
Items stolen en-masse from chain stores often make their way through the gray market to small neighborhood shops. I'm guessing there's a bodega somewhere thats willing to buy questionably obtained Just For Men, but only the variety that suits their demographic. Here's one example: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/wilmington-delaware-mini-markets-cvs-walgreens-shoplifting-thefts-mark-up-prices/185390/
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lies...........my walmart is in an affluent neighborhood and "stealing isn't much of an issue". also i noticed years ago the ponds cold cream was more expensive just because it was in Spanish. even the manager i asked couldn't explain why. what's your explanation for that, oh great smart one?
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The woke police aren't going to appreciate you're thought crimes.
*your
I think this whole racism thing is getting out of hand and people are becoming paranoid seeing it everywhere. These things can be explained by locking up high theft items, different production batches, people hoarding and a maximum sales limit, people actually having black hair....sooo many other reasonable explanations. even the fact that this is considered "racist" is a gimps of the dystopian society that is in the US. If even these mundane things are RACIST and trigger people then everything is and the word RACIST loses all if it's significance. I personally think that words like "RACIST, BIGGOT, HOMOPHOBE, TRANSFOBE" should not be used lightly.
I would agree that the racism thing is way out of hand. Been 155 years since slavery ended and we still disproportional arrest people of color, given them higher sentences for the same crimes, drastically under fund their schools, teach people of color they have a lesser value, and then call them paranoid when they point out injustice. Let's agree that these items are high theft items. Notice how they are not TVs or electronics. They are basic necessities. When you have high theft of cheap necessities that are clearly designated for one particular race...doesn't that show you that there is a high degree of racism that they face? May be if they had better schools, were more likely to be hired, or just didn't get arrested for being black they wouldn't have to steal shampoo.
Reading through the comments on this post just proves one thing - people don't understand and aren't even trying. We're so very, very far from ending racism. Ivana, I agree with everything you've written. People aren't bothering to stop and think about why these issues exist. Or that these issues will just as easily be caused by different groups of people in areas with different demographics. Poverty causes theft. Lack of opportunity causes poverty and so on it goes. By choosing to deny that these factors are real these people are accepting racism and allowing it to carry on. They, of course, couldn't possibly be racist themselves... oh no. 🙄 I'm not blaming the stores for wanting to stop theft - the problem is much more deep-rooted than that.
I cannot believe that you actually DO believe what you just said, Jessica Bertram... that people steal things not because they WANT to but because they cannot afford them. (where is an emoji when you need it- one with eyes bugged out and jaw on the floor) So it's simply justified to steal stuff from a store that paid for the item and needs to SELL, as in get MONEY for it so they can stay open. Oh but don't blame the thief... They didn't WANT to take it but they HAD to take because they couldn't afford it. Are you serious??? If you can't afford it you do without until YOU figure out a way to BUY the product. It's called WAIT or just forget about it and figure out another way to do your hair or whatever it is you think you can't live without right now. No wonder this world is so messed up.
Hear hear!
Don't you just love Jessica Bertram's reply here?? Blacks don't want to steal .... they're forced to steal!! LOL Poor blacks have no control over their actions. Pathetic.
@Malice Evil and then you had to go and open your mouth. Metaphorically.
ivana, that was masterful. I agree completely. these low-dollar items are being stolen because people cannot afford them, not because they WANT to steal them.
I would have to disagree. My closed G store is in an area that is super heavy white. Home range from 250k-1.5 mill. Good schools and lots of small mom/pop businesses around but most of the things in the above pictures are locked up st my store. In my opinion it is not race or low income its shit people and them raising shit children. In my area the wealthy families let the kids do what they wont, legal or not. Even had a drunk 17 year old mow down a $30k tree in a country club driving her MB. Girl I went to school with rolled her H2, she cried and got her a new one before insurance even paid out. Theft is because of shit people. I have 2 homeless guys that live outside of my shop. They dont steal a damn thing because they get paid to watch over the area and keep it clean. If that crazy guys can make legitimate money, anyone can.
Agreed, things need to change, racism is a thing and should be addressed properly. This however is overkill..."Calling out stores" for punting security measures to avoid shoplifting of products most likely based on their stock information just because those products are "clearly designated for one particular race". Could it also be that the "high theft of cheap necessities" be caused not by the lack of money but by the choice of spending that money on other more expensive "luxury items" and shoplifting the necessities?
"Blacks will never succeed in America." Sincerely - B. Obama
Thank you, best comment!
I love you.
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Ivana, blacks commit vastly disproportionate amounts of violent crime. This has been true since anyone here was even born. So....until that stops... things aren't going to change at all. WAKE UP!
Ummm. People see racism everywhere because it IS everywhere.
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Woke police will be knocking on your door soon.
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I am eagerly waiting for them...
If people would stop stealing shit then they wouldn't have to lock everything up!
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if systemic racism didn't make it difficult to get a proper education or even just get work, people of color could afford to buy necessities and not steal them.
I have had a number of black friends that say people (including their family) make fun of them for being so white because they sought an education or chose to pursue a STEM career... So it's not just a problem with getting the education. Their own community brings them down(or tries to)
PURE BULLSHIT. Anyone in America can get an education. Asians and other ethnic groups don't seem to have a problem. Stop making excuses.
People need to stop using the Dove commercial as an example of racism. It was taken out of context. It's one of those, there are honest to God problems and that just isn't one of them.
Exactly. I suggest people read the 'I am the woman in the racist Dove ad' article on the Guardian. It's a chilling example of how mob mentality and things taken out of context are fucking scary. The ad being removed is a bad thing. Here is a direct quote from the black model in the photo: "While I agree with Dove’s response to unequivocally apologise for any offense caused, they could have also defended their creative vision, and their choice to include me, an unequivocally dark-skinned black woman, as a face of their campaign. I am not just some silent victim of a mistaken beauty campaign. I am strong, I am beautiful, and I will not be erased."
Thanks for the reading suggestion. Great article.
Beans follower
Beans yes
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What context is there that makes transforming a black girl into a snow white red head not racist, given the history of white skin as a marker of beauty and products like skin bleach?
E.g. the context where the snow white girl then turns into something else?
1. I don't think you understand what the word 'context' means. 2. 'context' is important-- no matter how much people want to pretend it doesn't, intent fucking matters. FYI it is not promoting skin lightening or skin bleach. It's a 'quick change' ad where the women rapid-fire change as their shirts lift. She turns into another woman of color right after she changes into 'white'. In fact, there are SUPPOSED to be 7 changes in the full ad which was removed because people like you are morons. This is a quote from the black model: "Then, the full, 30-second TV commercial was released in the US, and I was over the moon again. There were seven of us in the full version, different races and ages, each of us answering the same question: “If your skin were a wash label, what would it say?”" so yes, context fucking matters. There is nothing racist about the ad. In fact hypersensitivity towards everything is not a good thing for any POC. This is not the battles society should be fighting.
Two points: 1) Large stores like CVS lock high-theft items up based on inventory data, not racism. It's inconvenient for the sales associates and expensive to lock merchandise up, so they're doing it for a reason and they occasionally reevaluate. 2) A lot of shoplifting is somewhat organized and resold to shady corner stores. That is why you see Tide, soap, energy drinks and energy shots locked up. These stores tend do tend to be in low income areas with minority customers.
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Been 155 years since slavery ended and we still disproportional arrest people of color, given them higher sentences for the same crimes, drastically under fund their schools, teach people of color they have a lesser value, and then call them paranoid when they point out injustice. Let's agree that these items are high theft items. Notice how they are not TVs or electronics. They are basic necessities. When you have high theft of cheap necessities that are clearly designated for one particular race...doesn't that show you that there is a high degree of racism that they face? May be if they had better schools, were more likely to be hired, or just didn't get arrested for being black they wouldn't have to steal shampoo.
Yeah yeah. You keep posting the same stuff. You're basically justifying theft and saying that poor people are to blame for theft.
You know why certain products are locked? Because they have a history of being stolen. My Walmart has all the wireless stuff locked behind glass doors, even cheap cases and cords. Why? Because of theft. Walmart near work doesn't have the same problem, nor the one in Knightdale. The SJWs practicing Victimhoodology should ask why these products need to be locked up. Perhaps talk to the store manager and see the data about theft that led to this.
SJW???????
Social Justice Warriors.
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as soon as you typed out SJW, you lost all credibility. Nah, your whole comment is so full of racist crap you never had any credibility to begin with.
I thought SJW lost their credibility after their scandals... and you just said you agree with the first half of his comment, so it cannot be "full of racist crap".
Having worked in retail for many years I can assure you that if it's locked up it's because it's been stolen often. The store sees the trend and reacts, simple as that. If you look hard enough you can find racism anywhere. As far as the price differences, I can't really say. Maybe one should look at the ingredients in the hair care, maybe it costs more to make. Just a thought....
That Dove commercial I remember. It was a whole slew of women, of all colors, showing that it's good for everyone's skin. It was not at all racist.
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I thought the point of Dove commercials was being pretty and young is the most important thing....
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This is not about racism, this is about economics. 100% these items are stolen the most. It sucks for the rest of us who don't steal.
"the white girl kleptos of the shoplifting community" WTF. But if we say "the black girl kleptos of the hairproduct shoplifting community", that'racist and nazi and whatnot. Double standards much?
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awww are you butthurted? Know what? You don't get killed for breathing and being white.
Tracy I see you are on the right side but I am replying to you because of the reverse hate and racism you are showing to whites. We will never fight and correct racism if you spread it yourself. Change is happening now, please be a voice for the future and not from the past.
Hell, in my town they lock up the condoms and Magic the Gathering Cards. I think locking up items has more to do with rate of theft than anything else.
oh no! if locking up condoms leads to un-wanted pregnancy that's so awful. I can't really offer a solution, but it's thought provoking.
If a person cannot afford to purchase a condom they certainly cannot afford the cost of an unwanted pregnancy and the birth and upbringing of a child. Easy solution? Keep your trousers zipped [or your legs closed if you are a woman]. You will not die just because you cannot have sex.
locking up condoms is more likely to create more STD cases
This is about theft and economics, not race. The stores exist to make money and part of that is about reducing loss. It's the same root cause regarding lack of grocery stores in certain areas. The shops are literally stolen out of business. There are several pharmacies, gas stations, and other stores that are closing permanently after the riots.
They lock up the stuff that gets stolen.
It's wonderful to see some common sense in these comments.
Yes, I feel so relieved that at least Bored-Pandas still are intelligent
Ok, most of this seems ridiculous. All this is simply happening because those products happen to get stolen the most where these stores are. And what does the tide picture even have to do with the topic? Is there tide for different races now????
I am a Caucasian who lives in a predominantly African American county. When I started to notice items (i.e. razor blades, soap) being locked up in my area pharmacy which is run predominantly by African Americans, I was told that they had to start locking things up since they were being shoplifted and losing way too much money. Shoplifting has nothing to do with race and everything to do with not being taught by ones parents about right versus wrong or being taught that stealing is wrong!
Walmart person here, would like to share a bit of my perspective. First thing to keep in mind is that none of this (at least to my knowledge) comes from the top. It could be a manager's decision, or a district manager's decision, but it's not written into Walmart Law in a book somewhere; Walmart can be evil, but it's not the devil. If a manager decries it, the people under him are stuck going along with it, no matter how stupid or pointless. Second, there is the issue of theft. Strange sh-- becomes targets for theft. I have to spider-wire my children's tablets and watches because even though they're all $50-100 and never ever sell, they are immediately stolen without security. On the other hand, a lot of items stolen are things people need and can't afford. I get upset about stolen knives and drugs, but I can't fault people for stolen baby formula and baby clothes, etc. (out of space, will continue in comments)
My local small supermarket has moved one specific brand of male deodorant (popular with a certain type of people) from the regular shelf to a "behind the counter" shelf. It's not racism, it's protecting your business.
I get all of this, except the thrift store one. Before Covid, I would be at thrift stores at least 4 days a week (it is how I make a living). Often two IDENTICAL items (not different colors, brands, sizes - but identical items) will be priced differently. It is because different people do the pricing every day. And so two identical plates will be priced differently. And most stores won't match prices. One plate is 99 cents, and one is $1.50. Too bad.
Life experiences teach most people "what" to expect. If a store never rings up black hair care products due to theft?!! Then someone (black or white or whatever) is stealing them! Not racist at all. Why are people always looking for this shit?
If you look hard enough for something to be offended by, you certainly WILL find it...You will never be happy if you are constantly offended!
Get a grip 🤦🏼
At Walmart and other markets, they've been locking up almost anything that might fit in a purse or pocket. Make-up, perfumes, etc. It doesn't have anything to do with anything but theft.
oh for heavens sake.
In the Dove commercial the black woman took her shirt off to become the white woman. The white woman took her shirt off to become the hispanic woman. Only the first two women were shown.
What is the difference with Black Girl sunscreen? Isn’t sunscreen the same for all skin types? I admit I need a high spf because I burn bad. I’m so confused why you’d need a completely separate product that’s probably same except overpriced. Maybe don’t fall for these marketing gimmicks? It’s not racist to put more frequently bought items in prominent display. I assume high theft items in more impoverished areas are locked up. Stores don’t give a crap about your skin color, they care about loss prevention and profits. It’s more of a problem as to why people steal but why stores try to prevent loss. Bigger issue folks.
sunscreen is different for different skin types
The black "skin type" is low spf. No need to write "black" on the bottle, just grab the low spf sunscreen like everyone with dark skin. Only the amount of melanin differs.
They lock up the items that are most frequently stolen. If it's "black" products that are being stolen, then that's solely on you black folk.
In my nearest supermarket Green halapeno tabasco is in a locked container. No other sauce (even other Tabascos) is. What does that mean?
If a particular demographic of people have a very high level of shoplifting particular products, then what would be the "logical" thing to do? Don't bother answering. You won't be able to do it. Instead, you must forget logic and follow Political Correctness. Sorry store owners, you simply are not allowed to prevent your stock from being stolen. If you object to this, you're a fucking racist and should be stoned to death. It's a waste of time locking the stuff up anyway because sooner or later your store is going to be looted and burnt to the ground. This is the "New World". Deal with it, or sell your shops and go on unemployment you unreasonable racist bastards. (Note to the not so bright ... this is "Sarcasm" ... Google it.)
I am a Caucasian who lives in a predominantly African American county. When I go into my pharmacy which is manned mostly by African Americans, I have to go to them when I find things like razor blades locked up. This was not always the case and so I asked them why they are locking these things up and their answer was simple. They keep stealing these items and they are losing lots of money. This is not racism. This is lack of upbringing by parents that you should not steal!
I am confused about the tide being locked up. Like I know there is a black market for tide but white people use tide too. My family has always used it.
What is so different and wonderful about Tide that there is a black market for it?
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That guy that posted the Dove commercial as an example is a malicious piece of human trash... there was nothing wrong with that commercial but he took on bit out of context and completely twisted the whole narrative... people like this are the worst
Sorry but is my white freinds that shoplift, my black freinds don’t dare because they know they’re being watched.
Wait. What's wrong with the Dove ad campaign? I've watch the whole thing. And it's different than what just the two pictures are put side by side.
If darker shades are locked up mayyyybe darker shades are stolen more often? If it happened at my store I would do the same. If you dont want to see these kinds of things then dont steal it in the first place.
ulku tuna like
ulku tuna like
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Sick of this crap, everything is racist, media brainwashing at it's best
All this is BS. More for them to bitch about when there's nothing there
So now you guys see racism even up your ass; maybe you should blow up Mount Rushmore for any of 'the guys' is black! How about the American constitution or The Founding Fathers of the United States? Really? Even the toilet was invented by a white dude.
In a lot of these cases, the theft prevention teams in the head offices of retailers will see a sku number, how much that product loses through theft overall. They then decide whether to add theft prevention devices based on this information, they don't even know what the product is, it's just a sku number. It does show there is wider social mobility issue in wider society. People stealing these things do so because they are in poverty.
Each box has different colors. I seriously thought it was about the color of the hair. Very sorry to have to witness another example of racism. Let's please ALL come together as one!.
Blacks commit vastly disproportionate amounts of violent crime. WHY CAN'T THE POLICE JUST LEAVE BLACKS ALONE? Blacks are stealing the damn Afro sheen. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO LOCK UP THE AFRO SHEEN? ........... wake up people.
I went to get a pair of good nail clippers and I noticed that the African-American products were kept under lock and key in the "beauty" department. I looked for some hair gel and noticed every jar I picked up to open and smell had someone's fingers dipped into them. Every one. This was Walmart in northern California.
Eww. Sad thing is, a single person can ruin a whole shelf of jars, but you just can't stand there and watch everyone like a creep.
As I see it, the only solution is online shopping.
This is why we can’t have nice things. White people are not the superior race (I’m white myself), white people also commit crimes, no race is better and no race is worse.
at my local walmart they lock up the face powder applicator pads that are $2!! I guess it's a high theft item, i think it goes the same for anything they lock up, not because of the color of your skin thats paranoia right there
Key word "alleged".
I believe the Tide products being locked up was during the teens eating Tidepods pandemic...
But that picture shows BOTTLES of LIQUID Tide. Not packs of Tidepods.
I was called the Decoy. While I was followed around the store, my white pals robbed the place blind. I learned to pick a better class of friends, but learned a valuable lesson too.
Omar A yes
Omar A follower
Most of these give pause to think. But I have to quibble about the dolls in the thrift shop. These things are priced according to age and condition. I would have to see the condition of both dolls before I could make a definitive judgment that the pricing was unfair. However, the white doll was priced higher. So obviously the thrift store was not trying to price gouge the potential black buyer of the black doll. I know with male/female discrimination when two products are exactly the same but are designated for male and female the price for the female is usually higher. Women do not see that as a signal that the product is more valuable to them, they see that as prejudice against them. So it's really hard to determine that there is some kind of prejudice going on with the dolls.
Look the store is going to end up doing what they want in the end, they have inventories that can prove pilferage and loss. If something keeps getting pilfered they can stop carrying it altogether, and if they are a big box store with a website you will be able to order online. And that will likely go for all of it, not just the products for Black hair or skin tones. I visited Dollar General in an ordinary part of town and they had laundry detergent under lock and key, also due to theft. And then recently I watched a store video where 100's of people stormed it (this was way before protests) and cleared it out in minutes. So here is what will likely happen: You go to the front of the store and ask for what you want. You inspect the items they bring up and decide yes or no, then pay and go home. No more browsing, no more self help. It has already started with the online order and pickup. Welcome to the 20's.
I'm sorry but this is the drip, drip effect of subconscious racism. In the UK most of the black hair shops are fun by South East asians, the follow you round the store and only smile when they're taking your money. I see black brown women like myself being observed and then spend lots of money in these shops. And no there aren't local black business to buy from otherwise they wouldn't get my money . Unless you are a person of colour you have no idea what it is like being stereotyped all the time. It wears you out and I live in the UK so goodness knows what it's like in America
I think people have lost their minds. In the community where I live, all the products are priced pretty much the same, there are specific products for people of color, example hair products, but they're not locked up,nor are they pricier than commiserate products. Get a life, people.
Actually, at the drift store it might not be racism. They usually price by damage of the second hand goods. This is just from my experience, though. Good and eye opening article anyway!
I think those things were locked up because that was the thing the get stolen most of the time.
I live in a very small town with a lot of redneck types (trust me I’m a lesbian and catch crap quite often) but our Walmart’s only lock up cologne and perfumes. I’ve never seen one lock up hair products! This is insane! Believe me I’m white as hell and I know PLENTY of white folks who shoplift and rob but I don’t know one single black person who does. I have had friends of different races my entire life and the white ones have done more BS out of everyone. I don’t think it’s that one race does this more than another I just think black folks get reported more often because people are racist buttholes!
I agree that theft is more socioeconomic than race. What do you mean by “reported” more often? Reported by employees to the police?
Today Walgreen's and CVS announced they will no longer be locking up cosmetics that are designed for people of color. I guess someone there reads Twitter.
Fortunately this doesn't happen in the UK. Im shocked at the Dove advert, so quickly watched a YT video. I don't think it's racist as after the really white girl was a more olive skinned model, admittedly they should have chosen another skintone such as Asian , to make the point of Dove being suitable for all skin much clearer.
Dove is a moisturizer and therefore NOT suitable for oily skin but that's not really about race....
Systemic* Don't write about it if you don't even know the right word to use
In my local supermarket tinned corned beef and mayonnaise is locked up in a cage- guess the people who had been stealing it really like corned beef sandwiches!
Mayo should always be locked up, it's disgusting.
Ok I am 2 sided on this because I see both sides. 1. The companies lock items up or add theft deterrent devices because they are "High Theft" and not because it's racism. White people steal soo much where I am and it's all the crack heads and druggies. 2. The price is most likely higher for the black community because the black market (no pun intended or racism intended) is a smaller market than the white or rest of the market. The products for black hair care is unique to their needs. As a white person, I would never need that product for my hair. FYI I do not want to say that there is not racism, but things like these in these large big box stores are planned based on theft. I work for a big box store that was not in the pics and we put security devices on items because their highly stolen stolenitems.
People steal. It has nothing to with race. Think of this if you continually accuse your partner of cheating, one day they will. They think, “well they think I am anyway so why not?” That same mentality goes across the board. If you treat people like they’re criminals, then they’ll act like one. Treating others with kindness is free. If you’re so afraid of stealing buy security cameras.
According to your logic, if you continually accuse white people of racism, one day they will become racists. And how security cameras help? Most of these stores have them, but police does not care about small item theft.
Some people say their favorite Catwoman is Julie Newmar. Others say Ertha Kitt. Others say Michelle Pfeiffer But my favorite Catwoman is 312. :)
My Walmart locks up some of the electronics but what offended me when they first opened was that they had the blatant video cameras with monitors protecting the baby formula. All I could think if parents had to steal to feed their babies what does that say about our society?!? As for the makeup and hair care products you should either lock them all up or lock up none of them. Kleptos come in all types.
Guys, you're missing the point. We all know that the products are locked up because they get stolen. The question isn't THAT they get stolen, it's WHY. When you are a person of color in a society built on systemic racism that is designed to keep you poor, sometimes the only way to get things is to steal them. I mean, look at the pictures. In most cases the items are necessities. Maybe the solution is to build a society where the color of your skin doesn't determine whether or not you get adequate education. food, housing and jobs. You're being called on to understand that there is a deeper issue here. Try to look past your privilege and see the other side for a change.
What privilege? Being born with white skin is not a privilege, it is because your parents were also born with white skin. White skin is a fact of genetics, not privilege.
It costs extra to build cages around high theft products and is a big hassle for employees who have to unlock it throughout the day. They do it because it costs even more to have the stuff constantly stolen.
To add, this is one major reason Race is still an issue, people are being psychologically conditioned to see racism in everything. They will psychoanalyze anything in order to find something racist about it.
Soo many jumps to conclusions here. So many messing up of correlation and causality... Wish I had had popcorn while reading these comments.
I can answer the Canadian thrift store question. Different people price the materials subjectively. I've often seen two donated items that are exactly the same priced differently.
I noticed this type of racism at music stores back in the day (when we purchased CDs). Rap CDs didn't go on sale very often and even at regular price they were often a dollar or two more than other genres.
Why did the lock them up in the first place. What was their reasoning? I have seen various neutral items locked too.
Theft prevention. They are the items that get stolen the most.
What an unbelievable shame.
I went to the Body Shop the other day to get this foundation that I've been using for a while. My skin tone is light to medium brown. When I went to grab the foundation that I usually get I noticed that it was the darkest one that they had available. Confused I asked one of the employees in the shop if they had changed their foundation number system since the last time I was here. She said no, all the darker foundations can be found online. I put it back and left the store. I haven't shopped there since. It is so unfair that they don't provide all of the options in store. Sure it can be bought online, but how are you supposed to test to see if you have the right colour for your skin?
Jesus Christ, just go back, most likely they were just out of stock for a while.
People give it a rest.
It saddens me that ppl are so blind they are literally denying and justifying blatant racism. Open your eyes for heavens sake.
Rather than being sad, perhaps make a logical argument why you see obvious racism here. You could also argue the fallacies in logic of some alternative theories you disagree with.
I smell White Privilege all over this comments section... (And appreciate the accurate comments about WHY people might steal hair/body care products -- because we still have systemic racism that keeps people trapped in poor neighborhoods where they can't afford basic necessities. I'm not condoning stealing at all, it's wrong, but even more wrong is the system that creates these kinds of inequities.)
I've seen this, racism is bullshit -__-
I could (if barely) understand locked up items in the stores, but not the difference in pricing. Even toy babies... What's wrong with this society? 🤨🤦♀️
Why would anyone want to open a store? Price one item higher than another is racism because apparently you like punishing a race by charging more. Conversely, pricing that item more cheaply is seen as implying that race is poorer thus racism. Price one doll lower than another and it’s inferred you place less worth on one race over another. Maybe it’s inferred it’s cheaper because that race is poorer. Better make it more expensive. Now you are punishing a race. Make it the same. Now you can’t adjust to overstocking. Regardless, it must be racism. Skepticism of given narratives and critical thinking skills are trading at a discount.
How is it racisme if that's the product that get's stolen most often... Oh wait that most meen that some people are more criminal then others.... But no that can't possible be right
It's not "alleged" racism, it's racism.
All these people who think that racism exists in a bubble that doesn't permeate the whole of society! Even if the stores are not being deliberately, maliciously racist, they are operating within a system that disadvantages people based solely on their skin. Unconscious bias is a real thing and it has a knock-on and cumulative effect. Perhaps shampoo for afro-Caribbean hair genuinely is shoplifted more often (I have no way to know, but people seem pretty adamant it's all inventory led and therefore discrimination free). BUT if you think that's because black people are inherently more likely to be thieves then you are holding racist opinions! *If* it's true it's a consequence of racism and the oppression and disadvantages it causes. These examples are just a reflection of the racism in the wider world.
Some people can't handle criticism... Downvoting your comment for stating a fact is immature and silly in the least. I worked in a supermarket for ten years when I was in school and uni. And I completely agree with you! Denying racism and racial profiling is easy for those who don't want anything to change. Of course not all examples listed are correct, but it shows you the broader picture and why making a change is up to us.
How exactly having to wait 30 seconds more for that product to be taken out of the box or made as not to trigger an alarm "disadvantages people based solely on their skin"? Please let me know? If that product is bought then there is absolutely no problem....
Sigh. Read it again. I said the stores are "operating in a system that disadvantages people based solely on the colour of their skin". That's what systemic racism is! Do you honestly think 30 seconds extra wait at the till is the ONLY way that black people face discrimination? *If* it is true that black products are stolen more often, it's because black people face racism that causes economic hardship. They also face disenfranchisement from a society that repeatedly tells them they are worth less and inherently criminal. When society tells you to fuck off, and that you don't deserve justice, why would you hold back from stealing from that society? Look up "self fulfilling prophecy". The social contract says "I treat you fairy: you treat me fairly". But racism breaks that contract, so why expect its victims to stick to the rules?
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@Charlotte How about to...idk prove that you are NOT the stereotype sed society wants you to be? I faced discrimination in my life and i chose to say " fuck you" back "i am better than this" when society told me to fuck off. I made some tough choices, postponed some of my needs and proved that i can make it and be happy. Now i laugh in the faces of the people that discriminated against me. Fun fact fighting fire with fire and an eye for an eye leads to a world of ashes full of blind people.
This isn't about the "stealing" issue, but it's related to corporate racism: I heard from a Black co-worker some years ago that her sister went to a Payless shoe store in Compton, California (city with a high percentage of Black residents). All the shoes were cheap and tacky looking. She couldn’t find one pair of shoes she wanted, so she went to a Payless in Torrance (city with over 50% White residents, very small percentage of Black residents). That Payless had a MUCH BETTER selection of shoes. >:-(
This is a supply and demand issue. The demand for racisum exceeds the supply. Then you get this nonsense.
I guess you are the one demanding it?
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For everyone commenting, thinking, oh we got the facts... UFlorida, 2005, observational study, determined taht race and gender are NOT determining factors in who shoplifts ----- but police arrests are. Rethink, people. RETHINK who gives you stats on shoplifting (cops). B/c we know they'd NEVER be racially biased, right?.... Nor store owners.... https://news.ufl.edu/archive/2005/08/study-shows-shoplifters-more-readily-identified-by-behavior-not-race.html
I'm sorry, but I worked inventory control. The cops didn't tell us who was stealing our shit. We didn't care so much the who in fact, all we cared about was preventing shit from getting stolen. We ONLY looked at shrink. Raw numbers. If item X had a lot of shrink, item X got locked up.
You totally miss the point here...Do you actually believe the stores would go through the extra trouble of putting security tabs on products that are not likely to be stolen based on their inventory? It takes time to put those tags or place the object in that box...it takes time to open that shelf for a costumer...it takes time to get that product security off...Timer is money...so if theft would not be an important problem i do not think the stores would actually do it...RACE has nothing to do with it...the likelihood of the product being stolen however does
@Leo Domitrix: By the way... did you know that Coke used to contain cocaine, and heroin was developed as an alternative for those that got addicted?...so yeah...history is full of things we do not do anymore in 2020... And why "in all-white areas,... nothing is locked up except stuff that can be used to make meth" ? could it be...because those items are most likely to be shoplifted by meatheads...
@MaliceEvil, yes, and my point was not well-stated, but it's this: OTHER THINGS GET STOLEN IN ALL-WHITE AREAS AND ARE NOT LOCKED UP the way meth-making stuff is. IF IT REALLY IS JUST ABOUT WHAT IS STOLEN... Booze and cosmetics make the top 10 list in retail of "most shoplifted" and yet, the white people cosmetics aren't locked up, and neither is the booze. Who is most likely to have a store cop or actual cop apprehend for shoplifting? White soccer mom with $50 of make-up, or the POC kid who grabbed a candy bar?... Just consider the possibility. If you can't, or won't, fine. Go to Tulsa witH Trump.
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BTW, whole industries used to go to the trouble and expense of separate bathrooms, water fountains, dining areas;... so, yeah, I do think they'd decide that if X product is going missing, then biases will influence decisions. And if stores all know who stole it.... Well, did they press charges, or only against "some"? Ask some questions before deciding that inventory numbers are all that is involved. Try. Please. B/c in all-white areas, it seems nothing is locked up except stuff that can be used to make meth, and that's not the only thing being shoplifted....
Stores keep track of their own inventory and theft records. They know what gets stolen and who stole it.
And, before I retire, b/c obviously, I'm meant to explain how this works: You challenge your existing biases by reading things you don't think you'll agree with. Like that UFlorida study. Wow. This was pretty simple, but hey, if all you good store mployees are willing to bellieve that POC are really stealing (fill in blank) more than the non-POC version of it? 1. Who taught you that way? and 2. Go to an all-white area hit by serious poverty. Strangely, very little is locked up! Yet there's no lower rate of shoplifting. Get it yet? Didn't think so. Peace, out, whatever, buh-bye.
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You all missed my point.... Challenge your biases about how this works OUTSIDE your personal experience.
I am sorry but i am not good at mental gymnastics...i expect that how it "works" for me would work for anyone else. It would be the same hassle for me to get that product cleared as for anyone else who purchases it...and the same hassle for me if the product triggers an alarm for some reason.
How about you just tell us - since seems most of us don't get your point?
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Been 155 years since slavery ended and we still disproportional arrest people of color, given them higher sentences for the same crimes, drastically under fund their schools, teach people of color they have a lesser value, and then call them paranoid when they point out injustice. Let's agree that these items are high theft items. Notice how they are not TVs or electronics. They are basic necessities. When you have high theft of cheap necessities that are clearly designated for one particular race...doesn't that show you that there is a high degree of racism that they face? May be if they had better schools, were more likely to be hired, or just didn't get arrested for being black they wouldn't have to steal shampoo. Though, I am willing to bet it is mostly racism rather than high theft as the people most likely to be caught are black because employees are more suspicious of black people.
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You reap what you sow.
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Do not going to these store for buy their products period, fuck them!
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Yeah, all demographic groups actually commit every crime in precisely equal percentages; nearly every person who's ever been incarcerated in the US for dealing meth is a white male. But that's not b/c most meth dealers are in fact white males. I'm sure there's just as many Asian women who sell meth as there are white men who sell it! Almost every person convicted of being a serial killer in the US is a white male, but actually just as many Hispanic women are serial killers!
Lol what
They lock it up when it gets stolen often, they don't lock it up when stealing isn't much of an issue. So if the store near you locks shit up, then it says more about your neighbourhood than it does about the store owner. Locking shit up is an reaction to an action.
In my neighborhood Walgreens, the men's Mach 3 razors have theft prevention. The women's razors, of equal value, don't.
That's because women's razors of equal value have fewer items in them and are absolute crap.
What?! Equality! We woman steal stuff too!!! ;)
This is random but the dollar General near me has all the deodorant in a plastic box thing and when you open it up it rings real loud. So everyone knows when you get deoderant. Nothing to do with the dove commercial. I usually get it somewhere else because I don't want the whole store to know I'm buying deodorant.
@Lisa Chambers-- Equal Value meaning the women's razors would be the same price lol
I can buy razors for my legs 7 for 5.99. Those Mach 3's are over 20 bucks a pack arent they?
Indeed it is more of a reaction...remember when the locked up Ice-cream Yogurt and tide pods because people would lick the lids or eat the pods? Plus it also has to do with the size of the object... smaller expensive things are locked since that makes the thing bigger and larder to conceal.
There are things like deoderent (cant spell lol) and tooth paste locked up at our local stores cause people like to clome in and use them like put on the deoderent (still cant spell) or squirt the toothpaste every where then put it back so now they lock it up
Exactly, you don't just make a store and think "oh I should lock up the products pertaining to black people because I think they are more likely to steal things." Locking stuff up takes more money, so if there isn't a cause that's a waste of money. If the white baby sells more, and the black baby sells less, of course you're gonna change the prices to make more money. The dove thing, however, looks inexcusable, but I haven't seen the rest so IDK what it could possibly be about, but from what they showed, yeah no.
The ad was fine if you watched the whole clip. It goes from a black person, to a white person, to a brown person. People took it for what it wasn't. Dove was just showing that all their product was suitable for other skin types. If it went from brown to black to white there probably wouldn't have been an issue.
I've shopped at a lot of Goodwills in Canada. The bagged items of randomness are very common. The pricing is never consistent because on any day a different person may be pricing it.
Exactly this! Thank you
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Yes! Finally some common sense.
Did you know that jesus was gay and loves you?
And do people think a translation just magically appears? Translators need to eat too.
You are right.
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So why only lock up some of a particular product range in the same shop? Or has the neighbourhood deteriorated in the space between shelves? The hair dye one is so blatant!
Items stolen en-masse from chain stores often make their way through the gray market to small neighborhood shops. I'm guessing there's a bodega somewhere thats willing to buy questionably obtained Just For Men, but only the variety that suits their demographic. Here's one example: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/wilmington-delaware-mini-markets-cvs-walgreens-shoplifting-thefts-mark-up-prices/185390/
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lies...........my walmart is in an affluent neighborhood and "stealing isn't much of an issue". also i noticed years ago the ponds cold cream was more expensive just because it was in Spanish. even the manager i asked couldn't explain why. what's your explanation for that, oh great smart one?
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The woke police aren't going to appreciate you're thought crimes.
*your
I think this whole racism thing is getting out of hand and people are becoming paranoid seeing it everywhere. These things can be explained by locking up high theft items, different production batches, people hoarding and a maximum sales limit, people actually having black hair....sooo many other reasonable explanations. even the fact that this is considered "racist" is a gimps of the dystopian society that is in the US. If even these mundane things are RACIST and trigger people then everything is and the word RACIST loses all if it's significance. I personally think that words like "RACIST, BIGGOT, HOMOPHOBE, TRANSFOBE" should not be used lightly.
I would agree that the racism thing is way out of hand. Been 155 years since slavery ended and we still disproportional arrest people of color, given them higher sentences for the same crimes, drastically under fund their schools, teach people of color they have a lesser value, and then call them paranoid when they point out injustice. Let's agree that these items are high theft items. Notice how they are not TVs or electronics. They are basic necessities. When you have high theft of cheap necessities that are clearly designated for one particular race...doesn't that show you that there is a high degree of racism that they face? May be if they had better schools, were more likely to be hired, or just didn't get arrested for being black they wouldn't have to steal shampoo.
Reading through the comments on this post just proves one thing - people don't understand and aren't even trying. We're so very, very far from ending racism. Ivana, I agree with everything you've written. People aren't bothering to stop and think about why these issues exist. Or that these issues will just as easily be caused by different groups of people in areas with different demographics. Poverty causes theft. Lack of opportunity causes poverty and so on it goes. By choosing to deny that these factors are real these people are accepting racism and allowing it to carry on. They, of course, couldn't possibly be racist themselves... oh no. 🙄 I'm not blaming the stores for wanting to stop theft - the problem is much more deep-rooted than that.
I cannot believe that you actually DO believe what you just said, Jessica Bertram... that people steal things not because they WANT to but because they cannot afford them. (where is an emoji when you need it- one with eyes bugged out and jaw on the floor) So it's simply justified to steal stuff from a store that paid for the item and needs to SELL, as in get MONEY for it so they can stay open. Oh but don't blame the thief... They didn't WANT to take it but they HAD to take because they couldn't afford it. Are you serious??? If you can't afford it you do without until YOU figure out a way to BUY the product. It's called WAIT or just forget about it and figure out another way to do your hair or whatever it is you think you can't live without right now. No wonder this world is so messed up.
Hear hear!
Don't you just love Jessica Bertram's reply here?? Blacks don't want to steal .... they're forced to steal!! LOL Poor blacks have no control over their actions. Pathetic.
@Malice Evil and then you had to go and open your mouth. Metaphorically.
ivana, that was masterful. I agree completely. these low-dollar items are being stolen because people cannot afford them, not because they WANT to steal them.
I would have to disagree. My closed G store is in an area that is super heavy white. Home range from 250k-1.5 mill. Good schools and lots of small mom/pop businesses around but most of the things in the above pictures are locked up st my store. In my opinion it is not race or low income its shit people and them raising shit children. In my area the wealthy families let the kids do what they wont, legal or not. Even had a drunk 17 year old mow down a $30k tree in a country club driving her MB. Girl I went to school with rolled her H2, she cried and got her a new one before insurance even paid out. Theft is because of shit people. I have 2 homeless guys that live outside of my shop. They dont steal a damn thing because they get paid to watch over the area and keep it clean. If that crazy guys can make legitimate money, anyone can.
Agreed, things need to change, racism is a thing and should be addressed properly. This however is overkill..."Calling out stores" for punting security measures to avoid shoplifting of products most likely based on their stock information just because those products are "clearly designated for one particular race". Could it also be that the "high theft of cheap necessities" be caused not by the lack of money but by the choice of spending that money on other more expensive "luxury items" and shoplifting the necessities?
"Blacks will never succeed in America." Sincerely - B. Obama
Thank you, best comment!
I love you.
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Ivana, blacks commit vastly disproportionate amounts of violent crime. This has been true since anyone here was even born. So....until that stops... things aren't going to change at all. WAKE UP!
Ummm. People see racism everywhere because it IS everywhere.
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Woke police will be knocking on your door soon.
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I am eagerly waiting for them...
If people would stop stealing shit then they wouldn't have to lock everything up!
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if systemic racism didn't make it difficult to get a proper education or even just get work, people of color could afford to buy necessities and not steal them.
I have had a number of black friends that say people (including their family) make fun of them for being so white because they sought an education or chose to pursue a STEM career... So it's not just a problem with getting the education. Their own community brings them down(or tries to)
PURE BULLSHIT. Anyone in America can get an education. Asians and other ethnic groups don't seem to have a problem. Stop making excuses.
People need to stop using the Dove commercial as an example of racism. It was taken out of context. It's one of those, there are honest to God problems and that just isn't one of them.
Exactly. I suggest people read the 'I am the woman in the racist Dove ad' article on the Guardian. It's a chilling example of how mob mentality and things taken out of context are fucking scary. The ad being removed is a bad thing. Here is a direct quote from the black model in the photo: "While I agree with Dove’s response to unequivocally apologise for any offense caused, they could have also defended their creative vision, and their choice to include me, an unequivocally dark-skinned black woman, as a face of their campaign. I am not just some silent victim of a mistaken beauty campaign. I am strong, I am beautiful, and I will not be erased."
Thanks for the reading suggestion. Great article.
Beans follower
Beans yes
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What context is there that makes transforming a black girl into a snow white red head not racist, given the history of white skin as a marker of beauty and products like skin bleach?
E.g. the context where the snow white girl then turns into something else?
1. I don't think you understand what the word 'context' means. 2. 'context' is important-- no matter how much people want to pretend it doesn't, intent fucking matters. FYI it is not promoting skin lightening or skin bleach. It's a 'quick change' ad where the women rapid-fire change as their shirts lift. She turns into another woman of color right after she changes into 'white'. In fact, there are SUPPOSED to be 7 changes in the full ad which was removed because people like you are morons. This is a quote from the black model: "Then, the full, 30-second TV commercial was released in the US, and I was over the moon again. There were seven of us in the full version, different races and ages, each of us answering the same question: “If your skin were a wash label, what would it say?”" so yes, context fucking matters. There is nothing racist about the ad. In fact hypersensitivity towards everything is not a good thing for any POC. This is not the battles society should be fighting.
Two points: 1) Large stores like CVS lock high-theft items up based on inventory data, not racism. It's inconvenient for the sales associates and expensive to lock merchandise up, so they're doing it for a reason and they occasionally reevaluate. 2) A lot of shoplifting is somewhat organized and resold to shady corner stores. That is why you see Tide, soap, energy drinks and energy shots locked up. These stores tend do tend to be in low income areas with minority customers.
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Been 155 years since slavery ended and we still disproportional arrest people of color, given them higher sentences for the same crimes, drastically under fund their schools, teach people of color they have a lesser value, and then call them paranoid when they point out injustice. Let's agree that these items are high theft items. Notice how they are not TVs or electronics. They are basic necessities. When you have high theft of cheap necessities that are clearly designated for one particular race...doesn't that show you that there is a high degree of racism that they face? May be if they had better schools, were more likely to be hired, or just didn't get arrested for being black they wouldn't have to steal shampoo.
Yeah yeah. You keep posting the same stuff. You're basically justifying theft and saying that poor people are to blame for theft.