Australia is at it again with racist antics targeting Serena Williams. You may recall Mark Knight's failed cartoon attempt to demean the acclaimed tennis player via Australian newspaper The Herald Sun.
Days after Knight claimed the very racist caricature was not at all racist, two Tasmanian Penguins Football Club players decided to celebrate the end of their season — called "Mad Monday" — by dressing up as Serena and Venus Williams, according to the Huffington Post.
Oh, and want to guess if blackface was involved?
Yes, blackface was involved. STILL.
Some Australians still have no clue what is considered racist. This Mad Monday "costume" is clearly racist. And I'm a person who is fed up with today's over-the-top political correctness. pic.twitter.com/oWPR0WjeUx
— Francis Gonzalez (@fgonzalez_) September 19, 2018
Following a thorough, global dragging on social media, the football club players apologized and have been rebuked by club leadership.
"It was not their intention to upset anyone and all they meant to do was dress as one of their sporting idols. Their actions were never intended to be racist in any way," the Tasmanian football club told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in a statement. "Those concerned have been reprimanded and will be given support to make sure they understand that their behavior was racist and hurtful and that it will not happen again."
Oh look: a mere week after that racist cartoon of Serena Williams, another blackface scandal hits the Australian press bc white dudes decided to "dress up" like her. Meanwhile, three Aboriginal people died in custody in the same time period. What a nation of racist slow learners.
— Celeste Liddle (@Utopiana) September 19, 2018
“People enjoy playing their sports, but they are entertaining in front of the public and therefore they need to acknowledge the values that the public expects them to adhere to,” said Aboriginal activist Michael Mansell. “This sort of racist behavior is offensive to most reasonable people.”
Now, check these out:
Newspaper Behind Strikingly Racist Serena Williams Cartoon Issues Implausible Non-Apology
Black Writer Living In Japan Puts Japanese TV on Blast For Blackface New Year's Eve Sketch