This Exists: NYT Holiday Gift Guide For People Of Color
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What I would like to know is who thought this was a good idea? In this year’s NYT’s Annual Holiday Gift Guide there is a section devoted to “Of Color | Stylish Gifts.” From the intro to the section.
Somali fashion, do-it-yourself henna kits, children’s books that draw inspiration from the lives of Barack Obama and Sonia Sotomayor: it’s not hard to find gifts created for and by people of color this holiday season. Here are some possibilities.
I had to read that twice. Because really New York Times? NYTPicker, who was the first to note the addition thinks there’s no other word for it but racist. I’m not sure I’m willing to go that far. But badly, terribly thought out, bordering on offensive, absolutely. I suspect what actually happened was somewhere in the editing process someone thought they should figure out some way to work Barack Obama (he’s done well for them before!) into the mix and then extended it to Sotomayor and voila, suddenly you have a gift guide that weirdly looks like it’s out of some magazine from the 1960’s except this might not have been kosher in the 60’s (for very different reasons). So mainly just of-puttingly weird. Mostly, I am utterly amazed it made it past the editing process and am baffled why anyone felt the need to separate these gifts from the more generalized categories into which all these items fit, to one based on skin color.
In case you’re interested, some of the “possibilities” include ‘The Mocha Manual to Military Life: A Savvy Guide for Wives, Girlfriends and Female Service Members’; ‘Wise Latina’ t-shirts; and a number of hair and make-up products designed for people of color.
Meanwhile, if they are going to include sections devoted to particular segments of the population why only highlight one based on race? (Why highlight it at all, really … there are plenty of things listed here people who are not black or Latino may want, but anyway.) Why not have a section for the gay people in your life? Or Jewish? The answer, of course, is because it is insulting and offensive and so utterly at odds with how the NYT conducts itself in all other areas of the paper. I emailed the NYT to ask for an explanation behind their thinking, and will update accordingly.
Related: NYT Gift Guide Includes A Separate Section For “People Of Color.” White Readers You May Skip To The Next Page [NYTPicker]
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25 comments
@Glynnis – Racist is actually the correct word. By showing a different attitude towards what works for blacks versus others, the NYT is no less racist than an all white country club. Singling out any one race for special attention while dismissing others is racist by definition. Constraining gift choices based on color – racist. Ignoring other groups to focus on just the one – racist.
Quoting Webster: “rac-ist: n 1. A beleif that one’s own race is superior. 2. a policy or practice based on racism – rac-ist. n., adj.”
The NYT fully meets the second definition. I know this is a harsh attitude, but the NYT has really overstepped in their zeal to capitalize on President Obama.
Embarrassing typos above. Oops!
It should come as no surprise that The New York Times came up with a catalogue for Blacks. After all, its soul sister, MSNBC, came up with a network for Blacks called theGrio: our lives . . . our world . . . our stories. To a person from outer space, or even from Germany, watching the broadcast network news programs, it would seem as though the majority of Americans are black.
Racist? When I was in Grad B-School, this used to be called “target marketing”. Marketers long discovered that you could gain extra market share and extra revenue if you learned to segment your target market and not try to market to everyone in the same fashion. I had a semester-long project where we had to study the buying habits of the African American Consumer Market (AACM) and the Hispanic Consumer Market (HCM). Even within these population segments, different marketing styles were required because these market segments were not monolithic. Why were we studying this? Because target marketing using minority segmentation done the right way meant millions of dollars in extra revenue for companies. And since we found that minorities tend to be much more “brand loyal”, it was considered a good (and profitable) practice to have them attached to your brand. In other words, NYT (or MSNBC) does not do this as some sort of social uplfit or Obama capitalization program…they do it because target marketing to folks of color translates into money.
Interesting people are calling this racist, but I guess it’s a sign of the times. For those non-minorities who are somehow feeling aggrieved, keep in mind that 94% of all marketing efforts are still aimed at you…..
Come on people, get a grip. I think the NYT’s “for people of color gift section” is silly and pandering, but racist? Why oh why the hair-trigger tendency to declare things racist? Dictionary.com’s first definition of the term states:
racist
–noun 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
I don’t see any of that in what the NYT’s has done. Glynnis McNicol and those readers who have commented seem to think that any actions or statements that stem from noticing the race of others is racist. There’s a black guy who lives in my building. Granted I have almost no justifiable reason to think of him or interact with him any differently than I would with my white or hispanic neighbors. If I give out holiday cards this year to my neighbors I agree it would be clumsy and unintelligent of me to give him a card tailored specifically for people of color. But it wouldn’t be racist UNLESS I think he is somehow less than me because of his race. On the other hand, if I had some Tim McGraw or Metalica concert tickets I needed to get rid of, my black neighbor is the last guy I would approach to see if he was interested in them. Now, would that be racist? or would that just be common sense based on the common sense that often (not always, and never perfectly) inheres in most stereotypes? In this hypothetical example I would think of him and interact with him differently based on my awareness of his race. Do you think he wouldn’t employ similar common sense stereotypical stratetgies when dealing with me and his other white neighbors? Everyone should re-watch Clint Eastwood’s “Gran Torino” for a lesson in how to ditch our racial hyper-insensitivities. Noticing racial differences and tailoring ideas and actions based on them is not automatically racist. Let’s say I walk into a fast food joint to eat lunch. I’m in no particular hurry. I am williny to eat in this one or in the other one next door. In the first I enter I notice a throng of about 6 boisterous white college guys….maybe they’re frat boys. They look like frat boys and they are behaving like my stereotypical idea—formed from experience—of how frat boys sometimes behave. So I decide, naw, I dont want to eat my lunch in this boisterous environment, and I go instead to the place next door. It’s likely that each of the college guys individually is a nice guy who wouldn’t disturb my peace at lunch time. But in this throng they grate on the nerves. So I avoid them based in part on my stereotypical ideas about frat boys. The point is, EVERYBODY employs such common sense (but occassionally imperfect) strategies. People of ALL RACES do this. It is sane and it is human. Do not apologize for it, just realize that stereotyping is an imperfect tool. So the NYT’s thinks that people of color might have unique tastes in holiday gifts? OMG!! How could they be soooo racist!?!!?? Get a grip, people.
It’s hard to take this story seriously when Glynnis has already proven she’s not exactly credible on the whole “identifying racism” thing.
Yet another example of why many years ago I nicknamed The New York Times “The New York PATERNALISTIC Times”!
Paternalism is a form of racism.
And lest the guilty, knee-jerk crowd jump off with their defense of The NY Paternalistic Times by assuring us that blacks and other people of color are indeed “different”, that is sheer nonsense: Do blacks and other people of color think differently, talk differently, walk differently, love differently, pray differently and behave differently than other human beings? The racialists (those who deify skin color and make skin color “the” definition of a person or of a culture) would answer “yes” to all of those questions. They hold with certainty that “so many things” are “different” for “blacks” and for all “people of color” that they (those people) therefore deserve and want “special” marketing, and “special” differential treatment.
The decision makers at the New York Paternalistic Times oftentimes mirror the folks at NPR in terms of complexion and knee-jerk ideology; indeed, The NY Times partners with WNYC (NPR’s New York affiliate) with a knee-jerk morning drive “chatter” show, called “The Take Away” –which is a pathetic and paternalistic vessel that constantly stereotypes and attempts to define the spokespersons and leaders and “styles” of “people of color.”
As one “person of color” to whom this kind of lazy thinking and ethnocentric trash is directed, I find this stream of paternalism nauseating and insufferable.
Michael Meyers, New York
How ’bout a NYT “Holiday Gift Guide for Caucasians”? Or, “… for Muslims”. Or, “… for …”. The point is that the NYTs has too many of these kinds of “things” that they really have become nothing more than a mainstay of the “old media.” Does anyone any longer really consider the NYTs a credible news source? You might, buy I know many who do not. They are nothing more than “old media.” Big deal, they have a “gift guide.” What’s quite interesting is that the NYTs thinks they would be a knowledgeable resource for this or any particular “guide,” or any other distinction in any similar category (they are bigoted regarding all, anyway).
Um…Mr. Meyers, you need to get over your self-righteous anger and please read “What’s Black About It? Insights To Increase Your Share of a Changing African American Consumer Market” by two African American marketing professionals. People of color do respond positively to target marketing based on cultural aspects.
Um…No doubt they call you “Mr. Tibbs.”
You project when you accuse me of having “anger”…I just am sick and tired of sophistry in any guise–especially the racial guise. That is why we were not surprised–only disgusted–when The NY Paternalistic Times recently put on the cover of its magazine “Precious.”
Talk about validating and popularizing racial stereotypes!
Michael Meyers
gvn wtrmln nd KFC gft crtfcts t m frnds f clr
Guess that makes BET, EBONY and every other race targeted media outlet and magazine racist, huh?
Mr. Meyers stated:
“That is why we were not surprised–only disgusted–when The NY Paternalistic Times recently put on the cover of its magazine “Precious.” Talk about validating and popularizing racial stereotypes!”
Okay, I’m with you on that one! Don’t get me started about that movie…I’ve had several “spirited” debates with friends of mine about that one and the images it celebrates. Why would such imagery become a favorite of the”artsy” crowd? I believe it has a lot to do with their one-sided view of African American life in this country (we’re all underclass beings from the ghetto).
On the other hand, when you ask, “Do blacks and other people of color think differently, talk differently, walk differently, love differently, pray differently and behave differently than other human beings? ” Yes, I believe we do in many respects. There is a common bond that should bind all Americans, but that doesn’t mean we should all be carbon copies of each other. Poor White folks from West Virginia also talk, love, pray, and behave differently than White folks who live in Manhatten’s Upper East Side. Black folks raised in Baldwin Hills of California talk, love, pray, and behave differently than Black folks from a poor neighborhood in Port Arthur, Texas. And there are definitely regional differences in folks from the South, the West Coast, the Mid-West, the East Coast etc…and it’s those differences that give our nation such “flavor”. I guess because the nature of my profession often has me in Asia doing business, I have to be acutely aware of cultural differences….if I commit one social faux pas, it could be a deal breaker. Yes, I believe we are all the same under God, but there are differences that must be taken into account just out of plain respect. For me to gloss over cultural differences is for me to show a person disrespect, and not respecting them for who they are and whence they come. When a busines markets to me as an African American (correctly), I take it as a compliment. And there are ways to reach me that may not work with others. If you watch closely, many ads aimed at African Americans tend to be “aspirational”, reflecting our historically strong desire for opportunity and societal and professional advancement. Those kind of ads may not work as well with the mainstream population.
Mr. Myers, I definitely understand your frustration with Black folks often being treated as if we’re from another planet and don’t have the same dreams and hopes as other Americans (especially lately since Pres. Obama’s election….the conservative right has gone ballistic!). But realize too that there are differences that can be highlighted in a positive light….
I work with a guy who is from Cuba, drives a 4×4 and wears camo truckers hats, and listens to gangter-rap. What the hell does the Times suggest I get as a Hanukka gift for him?
Liberals are racist, plain and simple. They treat blacks and other of people of color with such condescension. Obviously these people can’t even make a simple gift selection without white liberals pointing them to the proper culturally correct gifts to buy.
The NYT has a “general” gift list as well. It looks like the ‘Of Color’ guide is a pretty awesome list, actually — better, in my opinion, than the general list. Why in the world wouldn’t they just put these items in the normal gift giving guide? The fact that items that would appeal specifically to people of color were sectioned off seems to imply any number of things. Perhaps white people would be uncomfortable seeing a “Wise Latina” T-Shirt, perhaps people of color are too stupid to see a book about African Americans and realize it was targeted to them, perhaps only people of color would ever buy Henna or scarves? Um…no. I can see why some would take this as being racist.
Korean Ginseng
Gee, I wonder what would happen if a newspaper decided to publish a gift guide for people of Northern European/Anglo descent?
How about ranting, screaming and rabid claims of RACISM?
Hmmm, I wonder why the same charges don’t apply to the liberals who published this?
Hey folks, lets not forget that Latino/Hispanic is not a race. It’s an ethnicity.
Latino people can be white, black, asian, or of multiple races. Remember Alberto Fujimori, Peruvian authoritarian president in the 1990s? His parents were from Japan, but he was born and raised in Peru. Of Asian racial decent, but Latino ethnicity.
I’m not saying I agree or disagree with all of the comments. I think the phrasing “Of Color” is poor editing, and should have been rewritten before publishing, or perhaps given some other kind of tag within the “regular” gift guide. Besides, I know plenty of whites who paint their body with henna, listen to hip-hop music and would buy a hip-hop nursery rhyme CD for their kid, would buy wacky nail polish to donate to Haitian causes, wear saris and Bindya scarves, etc.
Perhaps if they would have used the label “Ethnic gifts” it would have been more appropriate, and still clued in people these are types of gifts that are traditionally marketed to a non-white, target audience.
Is it racist? I suppose so, if you think that Latino/a should be categorized as a race.
So, what’s worse…publishing a shopping guide that targets a particular race, or publishing a list of notable media leader deaths and not including any people of color?
http://www.mediaite.com/columnists/a-glaring-omission/
I don’t intend this as a further condemnation of Mediate; I believe Ms. Sklar’s heartfelt apology was sufficient. But I do ask the question in all seriousness. Personally, in matters like this (and as a person of color), I’d rather the media acknowledge my value to them as a reader, no matter how awkwardly, than leave me off the list altogether.
You have GOT to be kidding me! Is everyone only now realizing how very fundamentally racist LOTS of things in the media re? What about the NAACP? Or what about Black Heritage month? How do you think an organization called National Association for the Advancement of White People would go over? How do you think White Heritage month would go over? The undertones of racism are only now permeating into advertising and marketing. I’m not a BIT surprised, and I loathe the entire idea. I recently saw a t-shirt on an HBCU campus with the words “The Blacker the College, the Sweeter the Knowledge”. How do you think a t-shirt with the words “The Whiter the College, the Sweeter the Knowledge” would go over? I am not in favor of separating races for any reason in the media.
As long as any one group insists on being treated differently as in “it’s a black thing” we will continue to have seperation and racial strife that will promulgate divisiveness among the races. If we take a look at our society we are so multi-cultural and mult-ethnic with few people being purely of one race once we get to the third or fourth generation born in the US. I’m certain Ms. MacNicol is young, meant no harm, and worked hard to put her article together. If youdon’t like the content don’t read it and go on to the next story. As soon as all those that complained about the content of this article arewilling to do something concrete about kids killing each other they have a right to complain that they are being excluded, not targeted, or feel left out. I’ve been on both sides of this story, a poor white kid from the Bronx, nd now live in the upscale part of the East Bay, Ca. People trying to have and belong to an ethnic identy doesn’t offend me unless the ulterior motive is to belittle someone else.
I think people throw the word racism around too lightly and don’t understand what the word means. I think people try to broaden the definition. A racist is someone who believes their race is superior than others.
Dictionary.com – “Racism is the doctrine and/or belief that that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior” and, in certain cases, the belief that this perceived superiority give the race the authority to rule over the lesser races.
The New York Times is advertising and catering to specific corner market.
NAACP and other like organizations are not racist. Without the back and forth dialogue, I’m not going to convince anyone who believes these organizations are racists that they are not.
All I will say is read history books and/or watch documentaries. Please don’t judge people and organizations that you don’t know or understand.
The American public school system has done a horrible job of teaching certain parts of our history to our children.
Understand what racism is and what it is to be racist. Understand the racial history of our country. It’s more than knowing that there was slavery and Jim Crow laws.
Civil Right legislation was not passed until 1965, with the Voting Rights Act passing in 1964. That’s 45 years ago. Eisenhower once said you can’t legislate the hearts and minds of people. That goes for all races.
So whether your black, white, whatever, if you have a dislike or hate toward the other race, or if you just take up issues with things you think, believe or hear what the other race has to say then you need to read your history.
Read “My Soul is Rested” by Howell Raines, Autobiography by Malcolm X (yes he was racist at some point, but when he died he believed that all humans should and could live peacefully side by side. I read the book just a couple of weeks ago so unless you read it…. then you speak out of ignorance if you think otherwise), watch the documentary Eyes on the Prize.
Learn your history, take an objective look at the other race with a clean slate before you start knocking them. That goes for all races.
Understand what it means to be racist and racism. A lot of people seem to not know what it means. The NYT catalog is not.
Glynnis MacNicol ,
You people really need to stop inhaling the conservative pipe, I read the Holiday Gift Guide and thought it was great, every day I am bombarded with “mainstream white” politcal, social, and media thought and cultural crap now the NYT gift guide in my opinion does not have enough great gifts for POC but it’s a start. You and Micheal Myers are like Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck the biggest complainers about African- American cultural wrongdoings but when African- Americans and other POC actually do something that is positive and self affriming it’s either racist or self segregating.
You Conservatives get on my last nerve
Yo Eric, when was the last time you actually listened to Beck, Limbaugh or any of theother conservative voices you are so quick to denigrate? I have NEVER heard any of them EVER malign blacks, latinos or any other people of color. So until you get your facts straight, and actually LISTEN to opposing opinions, please refrain from repeating the mantra of the ultra-biased, ultra-liberal lame stream media.
Is it racist to call out Van Jones, a BLACK communist who was an advisor to Obama until he was called out and “fired” by Obama? Is it racist to demand that the BLACK Charlie Rangel, one of the bigest tax evaders in DC (and also one of the main guys who writes the tax policy the rest of us have to live with!) to be held accountable for living a double standard? Yup, the conservaitives are demanding accountability from ALL bureaucrats, black and white. That some of the biggest hypocrites are blacks is a fact. Don’t blame Beck and Limbaugh for stating the facts.
Lay off the ganja bub, you seem to have confused reality with the smoke-induced delusions of the losers in the liberal media.
I agree with Eric. The column, simply listing gifts that may be of interest to people of color was not racist. I also thought the listings they have their are pretty great and hope they add more. In the future they may have less negative backlash by simply including a diversity section in their main list or something but for me – #1 giving advertising and promotion to retailers I love and #2 making it easy for me to find products I love in a major media outlet – NYT doing both of these at the same time is great, I don’t find it “racist” and definitely not “hate based” at all.
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