brownface

American  

[broun-feys] / ˈbraʊnˌfeɪs /

noun

1. makeup used to darken one’s face and other exposed skin to imitate the skin tone of an ethnic or racial group, as Hispanic, South Asian, or Middle Eastern.

   People were offended when he arrived at the Cinco de Mayo party wearing brownface.

2. imitation of a minority group member’s appearance, speech, traditional dress, etc., by a person who is not a member of that group.

   White voice-over actors have recently come under fire for performing brownface with stereotypical Indian or Mexican accents.

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Etymology

Origin of brownface

First recorded in 1965–70; brown ( def. ) + face ( def. )

Example Sentences

Ricky Chu, who leads Hong Kong’s anti-discrimination watchdog, the Equal Opportunities Commission, said brownface cannot be the sole measure in determining discriminatory behavior.

From New York Times • Apr. 26, 2022

Therefore, Ayer said, LaBeouf’s turn as the gangster enforcer “Creeper” couldn’t be brownface.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2020

"Any time we hear examples of brownface or blackface, it's making a mockery of someone for what they live and what their lived experiences are," Mr Singh told journalists on the campaign trail in Toronto.

From BBC • Sep. 19, 2019

Scheer, the opposition Conservative leader, said brownface was racist in 2001 and is racist in 2019.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 18, 2019

But in this version, directed by Alex Timbers, the musical that Christian is writing is no longer set in India, a move that dodges brownface and cultural appropriation.

From The Guardian • Aug. 13, 2019