Yes is the answer to the question that seems to baffle so many people is these comments: So, caricaturing minorities is offensive? Yes.

“Well, I’m not offended by whiteface.”

Exactly. The historical and social context of representing a minority group, most often in a derogatory way, by over-exaggerating their shared physical differences is rooted in a tradition of discrimination and dehumanization. These images helped to cast minorities as less than for a longer period of our history than the pure and perfect one you seem to think exists now.

If you can point to a blockbuster hit or best-selling book, or an advertisement for a watermelon slushy, in which whites are portrayed as savage beasts by black or other minority actors in “white face” (which isn’t a thing), then this conversation is worth having otherwise reserve your self righteous indignation for another day.

What has always baffled me about these sort of conversations is the immediate belief that you can define “offensive” for another followed by the rigorous defense of your right to offend. If a short person told me that they are offended when I bend my knees and wobble from side to side while calling myself shorty, I’d be like “Sorry, I won’t do that.” And since it’s not really that important for me to behave that way, it’s not too big of a deal for me to stop.

But why are you so invested in the ability to paint your face black and call yourself “black” or slant your eyes and call yourself “Asian”? Why? Freedom of speech? Cool. But please note that your “freedom” to be an offensive ass does not shield you from the legitimate offensive of others and their equal right to express that offense.