Note from BW of Brazil: Let’s be real. Brazil has a very peculiar manner of dealing with racism. In fact, one could argue it blatantly upholds the practices and ideals of white supremacy while pretending that it doesn’t. There are too many examples to cite here. We could start TV host/comedian Danilo Gentili who, after offering a black man bananas to stop accusing him of making racist jokes on his TV program, was found innocent of any racist intent by a judge. Gentili recently made headlines again after saying he thought a black senator looked like someone who serves coffee. The senator affirmed that she would take legal action against the late night talk show host. Then we have the case of the black girl who was tormented by her classmates with racist jokes yet she was the one who was made to apologize. Then there was the case of the futebol fan who was caught calling a black player a ‘macaco’ (monkey) on live television who denied being racist because she had been with a black man. We could go on and on but you get the point.
In today’s post, we find yet another example of Brazil upholding racism in a case we brought you back in February involving funk singer Ludmilla. One of the commentators of a TV network’s Carnaval coverage said Ludmilla’s hair looked like a “brillo pad”. Now when accusations of racism arise in everyday life, many Brazilians will point out, ‘we can’t be racist, there’s a law against it’. While this is true, there is a law against racism and people caught in the act of doing something racist can be fined and imprisoned. But the way the law is written, people often get away from stiff penalties because in court proceedings, the racist act is often defined as a ‘racial injury’, which has a lighter penalty, rather than racism. Technically, any person who feels they were victimized by racism can take their aggressor to court. But, it’s not quite as simple as it sounds, as was pointed out in the article “Why racism in Brazil is a perfect crime: Racists are not going to jail”.
With this in mind, check out what happened when the singer sued the blond TV host for racism. As you will see from this case, yes, black Brazilians can sue for racism but the system can still make them pay for having the courage to do so! Which calls to mind the subtitle of a great book by Francine Winddance Twine: The Maintenance of White Supremacy in Brazil.
Rede TV! network boycotts Ludmilla after singer sued Val Marchiori for racist comments during Carnival, says columnist
Courtesy of Brasil Post
2016 has been a difficult year for Ludmilla.
At this year’s Carnival the singer was the target of racist comments from TV host/socialite Val Marchiori about her hair being “bombril” (steel wool scouring pad). Ludmilla replied to her comment on her Facebook page and filed a lawsuit against the socialite.
According to UOL (website), after initiating the action, the funkeira became the persona non grata for the TV station Rede TV! where Val Marchiori works.
Ludmilla can’t be called for any production or even have her name mentioned on the channel’s programs.
The boycott of the singer by Rede TV! can be interpreted as an endorsement, on the part of the broadcaster, of the racist comments that Ludmilla suffered. The station thus wastes a chance to correct a serious mistake by one of its hosts
Contacting by HuffPost Brasil, the representative of Rede TV! only said that “he doesn’t comment on ongoing lawsuits.”
Source: Brasil Post
Kudos to Ludmilla for filing the lawsuit. Racism doesn’t just go away because there’s a law against it -especially in a place like this where the white upperclass is especially bred to be petty tyrants with the worst education that money can buy. It is clear,though, the Black Brazilians are starting to stand up for themselves when these things occur. I only hope they will sustain the momentum in their fight, as old systems take time to change – particularly when the ruling class just makes the rules up as they go as the do in Brazil! I just hope these stories will anger and ultimately inspire others Black Brazilians to do the same thing as the situations present themselves. What I am happy to see is that Ludmilla didn’t just cry about it and feel helpless and depressed. Great job for her!
DEAR MISS WOMEN OF BRAZIL HOW DO I ERASE MY POST HISTORY I WANT TO CANCEL MY POST I FEEL THERE ARE OTHERS WHO WOULD BE ANNOYED BY THIS CAN YOU ERASE ALL MY POST SINCE YOU ARE THE ADMINISTRATOR THANKS LET ME IF THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE I WILL STOP WRITTING I WANT TO CANCEL AND ERASE MY POST AND MY ACCOUNT SINCE YOUR ARTCLES DOES NOT RELATE TO MY INTEREST BUT YOU HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB IN REPRESENTING BLACKS IN BRAZIL GOOD ARTICLES
This goes to show that even rich Black people are powerless against White Supremacy. I hope Ludmilla also sues Rede TV for being racist as well.
I really hope shes wins too but i doubt the White Supremacist will let that happen.