Oh ! The Humanity ! !
PHILADELPHIA—Freelance graphic artist Chrissie Bellisle carefully delineated the ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations of the RecyclaBuddies, a group of talking recyclables created for a public-service leaflet she submitted to the Department of Sanitation Monday.
"For reasons of basic sensitivity, you don't want to make the Chinese take-out container an Asian," Bellisle said, as she flipped past a crossed-out pencil sketch of an Inuit ice-cream carton.
Dear gawd what a horrifying idea. What could you have been thinking ? ! ?
"It's a delicate balancing act. I discovered that there were negative connotations attached to a surprising number of the things people throw out."
Imagine the pain! To be tossed aside like a used ...er, garbage!!
Although she said she is satisfied with her decision to incorporate Asiatic epicanthic folds into the eyes of an age-discolored stack of newspapers, Bellisle admitted that infusing everyday household garbage with easily recognizable racial traits—while avoiding demeaning stereotypes—is difficult.
I can only imagine. . . Did you know that there is an illiteracy rate of 40% in the Philly area?
...she discarded close to 30 preliminary characters, among them a Native American milk carton, a Filipino cereal box, and a stack of East Indian wire-hangers.
Sure, makes perfect sense.
"That brings another problem to light: If you include one woman in the mix, no one cares what race she is. As if one female recycling drum can represent female recycling drums of all races, but male recyclables deserve further distinction."
I can't believe it!! I feel so under-valued and insulted. I feel so used and undeserving ! ! !
"Look at this grinning soda can giving the thumbs-up here," she said. "Everyone subconsciously assumes it's a Caucasian male."
Just looks like a creepy leering letch to me. Ohhhh, yeahh -- white guy = assho*le Ok -- I geddit.
I think you'll need to call in a professional for that, honey. Maybe put a plaid shirt on her? Oh, damn, that's right. You only need one (1) woman.
I don't want to make him a bottle of water, for obvious reasons.
So glad we're stereotype-free, here. [...um, it's not obvious to me . . . is she saying all water-swilling yuppies are gay? ...er,]
"And I'm really not looking forward to doing the page that explains the symbols on the bottom of plastic containers," Bellisle added. "Who am I to determine which RecyclaBuddy of color is a 1 and which is a 5?"
Who, indeed? Why wars have been started over less ! !
Heather Franks, a public-relations official with Philadelphia's Department of Sanitation ...[adds] "We especially love that soda can giving the thumbs-up. I don't know what it is about that little guy, but we're thinking of making him the boss of the whole crew." [he's white, beeatch. ain'tcha noticed? whew -- talk about sub-conscious...]
Yup. Completely stereotype-free. What a relief! [. . .er, so it would be rude insensitive if I thought of my used jar of salsa as a Chicana?]
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