Let me state the obvious and say I love Yoko Ono. I have always loved Yoko Ono. She's one of the most inspiring beings alive. Her reputation is not only unfair, it is a paradigma of misogyny: she was an artist in her own right and she supported her husband through a number of ups and downs, and still she got shit for…

Ok, I am getting tired of this. "Indian", "Bollywood-themed Indian", "Sexy Indian", "Indian Goddess", "Indian grocery store owner", "Indian engineer" or any other such variation are ALL NOT OKAY. ANY costume that relies on a culture, or cultural stereotypes is NOT OKAY. Wearing a sari as part of a costume that is…

I think you are probably totally correct though I'd also caution against labeling people fetishists if they've simply had a string of partners of one race or another, unless they say fetishistic things, etc. I only added this because as someone who recently was dating a black guy and then became interested in another…

That is the thing about Kanye. He will make an excellent point about race or class and then say something else so ridiculous or narcissistic that he then looses credibility with a whole lot of people. In this instance I think he is very correct in pointing out that the Kardashian sisters are helping to put interracial…

I as well think Kanye has a point (quick, run away, because we are surely the only ones). I really think that they don't get enough credit for alot of things, like how they make millions for simply existing, which is genius.

Not exactly leading the way, are they, but two out of five Kardashian-Jenners are married to or about to marry black men, and they're everywhere at all times. So, if anything, they're making interracial relationships more visible to the general public. That said, are the older Kardashian sisters considered "ethnic" in…

Kanye kind of has a point

Doesn't it go the other way, generally? It seems more common that humor that was fine 40 years ago is now considered shitty and wrong because it's a cheap shot at the expense of some group of people no one gave a shit about offending back then.

Sorry I didn't explain that so well. I mean that if a white person (which it usually is) in the US appropriates Indian culture, then it will be a racial thing. And although the US did not colonized India for hundreds of years, India was still exploited greatly by white, Christian people (which is a majority of people…

US mucks around a lot in the South Asia region, especially with Pakistan, which has a huge impact on neighbouring India. And on a smaller scale, the US's general condescending attitude when discussing India-Pakistan issues, but many large powers are condescending to all other countries so I cannot really point fingers…

Sorry, I have to disagree. First of all, racism is not a bad word. It is a bad thing that people need to talk about, and calling it "The R-word" doesn't make racism disappear. Also, stereotyping based on race is racism.

Denies? Refutes? Come on now, obviously refudiate would be the best word choice here.

That fact that the "R-word" as you put it here (almost like it's the "N-word") is considered such a hot-button word is part of the problem — people get so defensive about the word racist that they're thinking of their defense before really hearing what the minority person/group is trying to say. Yes, this kind of…

There is a large and important difference between the words "refutes" and "denies". Lawyers make large amounts of money between the difference of those two words.

I find it laughable that you think wearing a cowboy/cowgirl outfit is a form of cultural appropriation.

Well I'm sure your Indian friend would laugh but as an Indian myself, I would have found your costume offensive. Dressing up as an "Indian" for a costume party? Refer back to the campaign, "We are a culture, not a costume". Can you tell me how I can dress up as "American" for next year's Halloween? If someone had worn…

No, no, no. I understand what you were trying to aim for but no. Racism can be done just as easy breezy and still be ignorant and problematic. It's the whole oh, there are more racist things to worry about. If you let the (what it seems to be to you) "little" things slip then it becomes a bigger problem down the road.

As far as I know the bit about Jennifer Aniston not attending RDJ's wife's birthday party is false! My husband works at the resort where the party was, and she most definitely was there.

I love babies: "thing" (when said lovingly or in awe or disbelief) is appropriate. They're bizarre little slightly-human-but-not-really creatures until they hit, like, 11 or so months.

I see you Callie, trying to be all casual with that Celebrity Hair Spreadsheet update. Well I WILL NOT be remiss in my duties!