Gourmet Racism
Journalist Leandro Fortes, a member of Journalists for Democracy, states that the use of images of 'mucama' (a term used to describe a Black woman who is considered subservient to a Black woman) to represent racial affirmations, as done by Vogue Brazil magazine, constitutes transversal racism; he says, "this representation of the Black woman as a cheerful and smiling 'mucama,' as in this Salvador festival, is a recurring and regrettable tactic of the white, dominant class in Bahia, unfortunately, with the acquiescence of many good people who cannot live without a free meal."
First and foremost, housemaids were the sexual slaves of their masters, until the end of the 19th century.
In addition to being abused by parents, children, and guests, they worked tirelessly on household chores and slept on the floor during the few hours they had left.
When they grew old, they were thrown into the fields, where they died of exhaustion and starvation.
This representation of the black woman as a cheerful and smiling maid, as in this Salvadoran festival, is a recurring and regrettable tactic of the white, dominant class in Bahia, unfortunately with the acquiescence of many good people who cannot live without a free meal.
* This is an opinion article, the responsibility of the author, and does not reflect the opinion of Brasil 247.