A Wake Up Call, Courtesy of Trudeau’s ‘Blackfacing’ Past
by Senanee Abeyawickrama
Canada’s poster-boy for progressivism, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has recently come under fire for photos that show him ‘blackfacing’ and ‘brownfacing’ in the early 1990s and 2000s. The origins of the practice date back to minstrel shows in the mid to late nineteenth century. White actors painted their faces with black grease and drew on bright red lips to depict African Americans as caricatures to the amusement and degradation of primarily white audiences. The practice was centred on white popular culture and is widely condemned as racist today. Despite its origins in the United States, evidence shows that it was just as prevalent in Canada.
The released photos show Trudeau covered in a thick layer of brown makeup at an Arabian themed costume party. In a public apology, he also admitted to one other instance of wearing blackface in high school where he dressed up as a Black American, Harry Belafonte. Not long after, another video was released showing the Prime Minister covered in blackface from head to toe, bringing his blackfacing tally up to a reprehensible three. The scandal has raised eyebrows not just in Canada, but the world with people’s reactions ranging from dismay to sheer anger.
It is hard to miss the political backdrop of the scandal given that the Prime Minister just announced his re-election campaign. Riled up by the political climate, opinions have deflected with some calling for Trudeau’s resignation and others dismissing the incident as a mere mistake of the past.
Judging from his sincere apology, it is fair to assume that Trudeau did not intend to be racist with his actions. He states: “Darkening your face, regardless of the context or the circumstances, is always unacceptable because of the racist history of blackface. I should have understood that then and I never should have done it. I come to reflect on that and ask for forgiveness.”
But does offense depend on intention alone? In this case, no. Although Trudeau cannot undo his past actions, his retrospective apology is not enough to dilute the whole context that normalized the act of blackfacing and brownfacing. The context is rooted in institutions and ideologies aimed at the discrimination and marginalisation of primarily black people, as well as the perception of this racial group as second-class citizens. Trudeau’s apology fails to hold up against the weight of this painful past and its manifestations in the present. Many argue that we should not care about what Trudeau did 11 years ago at a party. This blanket statement, however, ignores the fact that the Prime Minister was aged 29 at the time, well into his adulthood, and was also a teacher at the school that hosted the party. Could the excuse of Trudeau being young and naive hold up against his privileged status?
Lauded as an icon of human rights and multiculturalism, Trudeau has always been quick to call out other politicians for bigotry and racism. Now with the tables turned, it is important to question if his words were just decorated soundbites designed to create an impression of progressivism — or if they truly reflect in his policies.
During his term, Trudeau has backed some policies that are counterintuitive to the image he so strongly portrays. He approved the Keystone pipelines that destroyed the land of the First Nation indigenous population in the region, introduced a bill that makes it harder for migrants to reach Canada, and refused to approve electoral reform which would have given more women access to becoming politicians. He is also currently involved in a separate scandal alleging his role in dropping corruption charges against an engineering firm.
At times, it takes something as shocking as Trudeau’s blackfacing past for us to see beyond the ‘progressive image.’ The scandal reminds us of one important thing — it is not enough to go by buzz-word induced speeches and charm when assessing politicians. Trudeau is by no means as vile as the Trumps, La Pens, and Orbans of this world. And his efforts to advocate for minority rights should not go unnoticed. However, the fact that he has engaged in blackfacing and brownfacing — not just once but three times — speaks to either a severe ignorance or disingenuity. And it is hard to tell which is worse. Acts of bigotry and racism do not just manifest in far-right circles. In this age of performative liberalism, it is important that we keep politicians accountable through their policies — regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum.
Now, it is up to the Canadian voters to decide how they want to weigh their Prime Minister’s actions as they head to the polls. But for the Trudeau enthusiasts and the general public alike: this incident is a powerful wake up call to see beyond generic classifications of politicians on the political spectrum. Whether we find authenticity or hypocrisy in their actions, the onus is on us to look harder, not blindly follow.
