Why is blackface offensive but drag queens aren't?

Question

Both of them involve mocking a disadvantaged group. Why is one okay but not the other?

Answer 1

Favourite answer

Drag queens are extremely offensive to me as a woman.

Answer 2

Drag queens aren't "mocking" anyone. Theyre performers. They exaggerate makeup and perform. how is that mocking anybody? black face has been traditionally used to openly and obviously degrade black people. drag has never had the intent to "mock" women

Answer 3

Drag queens can be offensive, it depends on the performance. Some of them are 100% hatred of women like Blair Black.

Answer 4

Drag queens "mock" women in the same sense that some products "mock" chicken.

Blackface is tasteless because of its origins. It came in a time when blacks were oppressed. It also put heavy emphasis on black traits that racists at the time would have commonly mocked and humiliated black people for having.

You could make your case that blackface itself isn't racist, but as a product of time when racism was rampant and very acceptable, it's a bit tasteless.