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Glite Dictionary
🎭 Imitating Asians 🎭 To act Asian
to yellowface

to yellowface

1 9.9
To act as an Asian person when you are not Asian, using makeup and stereotypes
  • verb
  • /ˈjɛloʊfeɪs/
  • Offensive
: [Ofensivo] representar a personas asiáticas de forma estereotipada
  • The film was criticized for choosing to yellowface instead of hiring an Asian actor.

Examples

  • The director apologized after being accused of trying to yellowface a major character in the play.

  • Many people now recognize that to yellowface is disrespectful and offensive.

  • Don't yellowface!

  • The actor was criticized for yellowfacing in the movie.

  • The director faced backlash for planning to yellowface the lead role instead of casting an Asian performer.

  • In recent years, many productions have been called out for attempting to yellowface characters to save costs on casting.

  • Activists urged the producers to rethink their decision to yellowface in their upcoming film.

How Offensive

to dehumanize
  • Formal
24 7.5
to yellowface
  • Offensive
1 9.9
to portray
90 3.7

Surface Forms

yellowface infinitive
yellowfaced past
yellowfaced past participle
yellowfacing present participle
yellowfaces third person singular

Etymology

Yellowface as a verb comes from the same idea, the parts yellow and face, and follows the pattern of blackface. So, to yellowface someone is 'to pretend to be' Asian using makeup, costume, or stereotypes, which is disrespectful and harmful.