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Severe ongoing issues and concerns with Dollshe Dollshe Ban

Troubling language regarding skin tone

Dec 31, 2020

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    1. This sort of thing is disappointing where darker skin tone represents something evil/bad or in some cases is sexualized. But being black, this sort of thing is nothing new to me and seeing it in the bjd hobby is something I expect (just being honest). It exist in those countries today and have for a long time. Ignorance and culture shouldn't pass as an excuse but it still does and we either call it out or pretend like it's not a big deal. That's just the reality of it.
       
      #41 Gintsumi, Jan 2, 2021
      • x 12
    2. One of the things that has bugged me recently is how darker skin tones have food terms used for them. It's weird and it does seem fetishistic. "Chocolate" skin? Kinda ew... I really like that companies are using descriptive and artistic language instead for their darker colours. Terra cotta? Nice. Sienna? Great! How about some onyx? Spectacular!
      OP I'm really glad you contacted the company in question to let them know their concerns. I'm even more impressed they replied to you and I hope they can repair this issue. There's no excuse not to do the homework in this day and age.
       
      #42 A Wee Tiefling, Jan 2, 2021
      • x 5
    3. I agree with this, unless all of their skin tones are food. For example, Migidoll's NS is now "meringue beige" and MerryDollRound's normal pink is called "strawberry". I wouldn't have an issue with dark brown being "chocolate" or something similar in those cases. But when it's white, normal and chocolate, I agree with you, it is a little weird, at best. It's not that hard to say dark brown or ebony or similar.

      As for companies taking inappropriate things into consideration, it brings to mind Doll Chateau's original listing for Miriam, one of their 1/6 dolls who original showed what basically amounted to a beat up baby in black leather. After a few people contacted them and said it was upsetting, they changed it to a completely new photo shoot of the same doll with a new faceup in cheerful yellow with candy as a backdrop. Sometimes companies mean well, but come across entirely wrong. An email or two can change it all.
       
      #43 CloakedSchemer, Jan 2, 2021
      • x 5
    4. I completely understand. I’m not black so I can’t speak for your experience but I am so sick of people minimising this sort of easily avoidable BS.

      I guess it’s easy to say “you’re reading into it too much” when you’ve never been told to “go home” in your own country, or that “no one will marry you” in regards to your skin!

      It’s clear there’s something wrong with the wording in the description; whether they meant it or not it needs to go.
       
      #44 Muraki88, Jan 2, 2021
      • x 6
    5. Hey, it is what it is. Like I said, not surprise that it happens(I expect this sort of thing) but I don't pretend it doesn't exist and that it's not a problem. I don't expect this sort of thing to stop either. Doll companies are going to do what they are going to do even if it is bad. That is the reality of it. I acknowledge that bad things happen even in the doll hobby.
       
      #45 Gintsumi, Jan 2, 2021
      • x 5
    6. Even some people who have experienced this won't see a problem, one of the reasons being there's a lot of 'othering' when it comes to Asia. Kind of like how some Anime fans get this wild and idealistic almost fetishistic idea of what Japan is like, some BJD owners have a reverence for Asia and the 'novelty' that comes with Asian dolls. To them this isn't a lived reality, it's something they can put in a bubble and observe from the outside as just quirky and unusual.

      To me I can both accept and understand why certain things happen culturally whilst also understanding they perpetuate negative stereotypes. I've been in the hobby a long time and always found the Normal Skin moniker weird. Even with understanding it's origins, I hate typing/saying it because it makes it seem like I'M calling that skintone 'normal' :chibi
       
      #46 Datsuki, Jan 2, 2021
      • x 4
    7. Yeah I know it exists in everything but I’m not going to ignore it when I can send a simple message to address it.

      I’m just angry with some of the other comments diminishing the disrespectful nature of the description. “It’s about good vs evil!” Like that has anything to do with brown/tanned skin....

      That’s why calling it out is so important. It’s not about fake “wokeness” or being sensitive, this sort of colourism is harmful and we should not accept it. A lot of people say “just ignore it” ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away.

      It’s funny that myself and other Asians have called it out as a problem and non-Asians are like “I see no issue here!”
       
      #47 Muraki88, Jan 2, 2021
      • x 10
    8. --Mod note--

      As a general principle, different cultures have different perspectives and viewpoints on issues. This is not to say that they are 'correct' viewpoints; but culture clash, and translation issues, can and do happen.

      Den of Angels has a strong stance on equality and inclusion. However, this thread has mostly devolved into complaining about companies not being sufficiently understanding of racial inequality, as well as arguing about semantics and interpretations of translations, and as such, is being locked.

      If a company is doing something that an individual sees as offensive, the best option is to reach out to that company to tell them how and why they are being offensive.
      Simply complaining about it here on the forums won't affect any positive change in those companies.
       
      #48 AirimirOfGondor, Jan 2, 2021
      • x 17
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