Blackfacing has happened in Singapore again and we are still wondering if it is racist.

The latest incident, surfacing on Tik Tok, involved a recent event where a group of attendees at a corporate dinner and dance event in Singapore were seen wearing Afro wigs and painting their faces black. Undoubtedly, this image has sparked debate about whether such behaviour is unacceptable, or if people are simply being too sensitive.

This incident follows a series of “blackfacing” or “brownfacing” controversies over the years. Just this year, during the Racial Harmony Day celebrations in July, a student wore a pink uniform resembling that of a platform worker, paired with a mask of a man with dark skin.

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Mathew Mathews is head of the Social Lab and principal research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore. He oversees a programme on race, religion and intergroup cohesion. Sophy Tio is a research associate at the same Institute.

Top photo from Freepik.