Anonymous asked: What's your opinion on Sharon Needle's unapologetic racism?
I actually thought “Don’t reblog that, someone will want your opinion about her and racism”, but I did it anyway.
I was also going to try to write some nice long nuanced explanation of my feelings about this but I’m too tired for that.
Basically I think she is an artist who always played with her audiences comfort zone. Her persona is built around shock value. Do I think she said/did some things in her acts that were racist or racially insensitive? Yes. Do I think she did them because she hates people of color and is seeking to perpetuate the discrimination many people of color face in this country? Probably not. She did some ignorant stuff for the wrong audience and didn’t respond great when people called her out on it. It happens to a lot of artists, and they grow, get better, and learn what people will let them get away with.
