It don't matter if you're black or white... except in Canada

[Sharky]

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/...un-guide-cover-to-make-it-more-inclusive.aspx

The smiling, ethnically diverse family featured on the cover of Toronto's latest edition of its summer Fun Guide was digitally altered to make the photo more "inclusive," which city officials say is in keeping with a policy to reflect diversity.
A spokesman for the department that publishes the guide listing recreation activities confirmed the publication was doctored to insert the face of a different father.
"He superimposed the African-Canadian person onto the family cluster in the original photo. It was two photographs and one head was superimposed over the original family photo," said John Gosgnach, communications director for the social development division.
"The goal was to depict the diversity of Toronto and its residents."

Yeah, because having a black guy on a generic family cluster helps represent diversity... Would it be the same if the 'family cluster' were already 'African-Canadian', and the image was doctored to include a white guy? Or would that be racism?
It's the kind of policies employed and exposed in this article that negatively impacts race relations. I wonder if the guy they blocked out knows about this?

Discuss.

 

[garrettroyce]

Personally, I think it's hilarious as well as it is petty of a government to think that a pseudo ethnic picture really makes a difference on people's opinions of their government. I hope they forgot to change his hands so it's a dark skinned person with bleach white hands

I also wonder if they told the family they were doing this. How weird would it be for the rest of the family to see the picture they know they were in completely different than when they where in it.

 

[Sharky]

I doubt it's a real family... Just a generic one done by an ad agency.

 

[adamparkzer]

There was something similar to this that happened on Microsoft's website. It was fixed after a short while, but I got a screenshot of the two different pictures. Depending on the language, Microsoft had a different Photoshopped picture:

Edit: I originally had it embedded, but it was too large to fit on the standard width, so I included it as an attachment.

 

[Sharky]

Wow... the bottom one looks as though his head's facing the wrong way. And, is it just me, or has the hand not been altered?

 

[adamparkzer]

Wow... the bottom one looks as though his head's facing the wrong way. And, is it just me, or has the hand not been altered?

Yep, that's right, the hand hasn't been altered.

 

[garrettroyce]

HAHA! I called it!

 

[ah-blabla]

There was something similar to this that happened on Microsoft's website. It was fixed after a short while, but I got a screenshot of the two different pictures. Depending on the language, Microsoft had a different Photoshopped picture:

Edit: I originally had it embedded, but it was too large to fit on the standard width, so I included it as an attachment.

Slight OT: Is that a MAC he's using?

But why exactly was the polish version modified?

 

[garrettroyce]

It does look mac-ish, except they didn't brand it with a ginormous apple like they normally do, so it might be a Sony Viao, if it is a computer at all and not a cardboard cutout.

Solution: Edit in Garrett's face.

 

[DefecTalisman]

You can see your all from countries other than Africa, lol. If the same photo was done in South Africa (inserted a white face) then it would be called racist. If it was the other way around it would have some official name that makes it acceptable. We have things here like B.E.E (Black Economic Empowerment) and Affirmative Action. I think the world will learn allot about racism when 2010 world cup soccer comes to this country. Talking of which please don't forget all your personal defence items at home, YOU WILL NEED THEM HERE

Oh and also let’s not forget the "Caster Simenya" issue and how the leader of our governments youth league said Hermaphrodites cannot exist because there is no name for them in his home language(Pedi) or how our current president has his lawyers changing the constitution to stop our high courts from prosecuting him. Or when he was only the deputy president and made some bold claims like “If you shower after sex, you can't get the HIV". Got to love our country

 

[adamparkzer]

Slight OT: Is that a MAC he's using?

But why exactly was the polish version modified?

Yes, that is a Mac that he's using. They Photoshopped out the logo on the back.

The modifications are because of cultural integration. But seeing as black people are a minority, I'm not sure why a black person was replaced by a white person.

 

[Sharky]

You can see your all from countries other than Africa, lol. If the same photo was done in South Africa (inserted a white face) then it would be called racist. If it was the other way around it would have some official name that makes it acceptable. We have things here like B.E.E (Black Economic Empowerment) and Affirmative Action. I think the world will learn allot about racism when 2010 world cup soccer comes to this country. Talking of which please don't forget all your personal defence items at home, YOU WILL NEED THEM HERE

So I'll should be modifying my car to have flame throwers mounted under the doors, just in case someone wants to get in, yeah? Just in case the violence comes back this way...

Yes, that is a Mac that he's using. They Photoshopped out the logo on the back.

The modifications are because of cultural integration. But seeing as black people are a minority, I'm not sure why a black person was replaced by a white person.

I don't see what difference it makes. If they want equality, there shouldn't be this ... bubbles. <self censorship can be interesting. I'll give you a clue, sounds like 'wit'>

 

[fractalfeline]

This isn't in Crossfire?!

I suppose all I can say is Sign of the Times... we are all equal, but some are more equal than others.

Wouldn't it be easier to find an actual family with bi-racial parentage than to try to doctor a photo to include a black guy in a white family? Those do actually exist. If such a family unit is too difficult to find... wouldn't it be a blatant lie to feature a photo of a racially diverse family as representative of the population? Or perhaps it's too socially unacceptable to start an application process for eligible families and only choose ones that are racially diverse?

Though what I think is really funny is that they managed to put in a handicapped individual as well. What are the chances of finding a real family that is bi-racial AND has a handicapped child too?

Edit: That's if you click the second link, to the current cover. It seems there's a habit of featuring doctored covers. Perhaps the current one is real?

So I brought up the subject with my fiancee, since he's a graphic designer... he laughed, because he has similar issues on the job. If the company asks him to make an ad for them, and he makes one with a bunch of clipart... then they come back and say "oh, it's not racially diverse. We need more representation of other races." He's like WTF it's CLIPART. But, he wants to keep his job, and doesn't care enough to give a crap about it, so bing bang boom, adjust the colors and there ya go. Instant black, instant hispanic, give this dude a woman's hairdo, and it's done. As he says, "I'm not paid to care."

 

[garrettroyce]

Wow, that's very interesting hearing the other side of the story too.

 

[fractalfeline]

Wow, that's very interesting hearing the other side of the story too.

What's really funny is that it was a Generic Cartoon Representation of the typical businessmen in suits. Stereotypical white guys with suits, shades, and briefcases, that aren't even well drawn, just kinda cartoony. I remember when he came home freshly brimming with this issue, and he went so far as to show me the before and after. He claims there aren't really a whole lot of clipart pictures out there that are suitably cartoony and yet still depict a racially and gender diverse group of businesspeople. If anything, the clipart he found was deliberately poking fun at the "typical" stereotypical White Fat Cat Businessman image, adding a little bit of subtle humor to the ad. I found the After Image kinda blah, humor sacrificed at the expense of Political Correctness. I really don't think the ad would have offended anyone, if anything, the target audience might have chuckled and said "Huh, this printing palace has personality!" Dunno, I might be biased or something.

But then again, I appreciate his artistic style too, and his strange sense of humor. Not everyone can sell an ad to a tough customer by cleverly placing random cartoon cats in the ad.