Hi Anna! Just to clarify, the exaggeration of features is not in itself offensive. Rather, it’s the context behind that exaggeration that makes it problematic. Historically, these sorts of differences have been used to define people of color as outsiders or un-American (think about how these stereotypes were so common during WWII, to depict the Japanese threat) — and this sort of exaggeration calls back to that type of ostracism.

That’s why the analogy to extra-pale faces doesn’t quite fit; white Americans don’t currently face similar obstacles in the US and historically (for the most part — understanding that different groups have been considered “white”) haven’t been discriminated against in the same way.