Egyptian campaign against stereotyping awkwardly turns out slightly racist
Egyptian campaign against stereotyping awkwardly turns out slightly racist
Blog: "I'm from Aswan, but I'm not black" poster causes controversy.
2 min read
30 Apr, 2015
The "I'm not black" poster has caused controversy [Fix/Facebook]
The messages in the anti-stereotyping campaign launched by Egyptian media company Fix Production start innocent enough.
"I listen to metal, but I don't worship the devil."
"I'm from Manoufia, but I'm not stingy."
"I'm from Zamalek, but I'm not soft."
"I'm from Aswan, but I'm not black."
Erm, come again?
It may not have been Fix Production's intention, but there's been a bit of a backlash - mainly because it seems, well, kind of a bit racist.
Fix Production stated that its campaign was merely an attempt to fight stereotypes and generalisations, while highlighting the diversity of society, and is part of a wider global campaign.
"Joining the people who decided to speak out, those Egyptian youth are saying that they are not all the same after all," reads their Facebook page.
Except that, when you list a series of negative stereotypes and then add being "black" to the list, you have somehow managed to attack stereotypes - while, at the same time, being racist.
The comments on the Facebook page of Fix Production, based in the upper-class Cairo neighbourhood of Zamalek, were quick to point this out.
"What's the problem with being black?" one user said, posting a picture of the original a couple of shades darker to make his point.
Another makes the point more succintly: "You're not black, you're racist."
May al-Rasheed, Fix Production's deputy director, told Egyptian news outlet al-Shorouk that the campaign didn't intend to be insulting, but that they were merely using street slang to target stereotypes.
The problem is, in a region where racism can still be prevalent, it's hard to understand how this faux pas was thought to be inoffensive.
"I listen to metal, but I don't worship the devil."
"I'm from Manoufia, but I'm not stingy."
"I'm from Zamalek, but I'm not soft."
"I'm from Aswan, but I'm not black."
Erm, come again?
It may not have been Fix Production's intention, but there's been a bit of a backlash - mainly because it seems, well, kind of a bit racist.
Fix Production stated that its campaign was merely an attempt to fight stereotypes and generalisations, while highlighting the diversity of society, and is part of a wider global campaign.
"Joining the people who decided to speak out, those Egyptian youth are saying that they are not all the same after all," reads their Facebook page.
Except that, when you list a series of negative stereotypes and then add being "black" to the list, you have somehow managed to attack stereotypes - while, at the same time, being racist.
The comments on the Facebook page of Fix Production, based in the upper-class Cairo neighbourhood of Zamalek, were quick to point this out.
"What's the problem with being black?" one user said, posting a picture of the original a couple of shades darker to make his point.
Another makes the point more succintly: "You're not black, you're racist."
May al-Rasheed, Fix Production's deputy director, told Egyptian news outlet al-Shorouk that the campaign didn't intend to be insulting, but that they were merely using street slang to target stereotypes.
The problem is, in a region where racism can still be prevalent, it's hard to understand how this faux pas was thought to be inoffensive.
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