whiteface

Whiteface is a term used in discussions of race and performance to describe makeup, costumes, and performances by white actors intended to portray non-white characters or to imitate racialized identities. The concept is less widely defined or studied than blackface, but it appears in critical commentary on representation in theatre, film, and media as a counterpart to racial masquerade. In some cases, whiteface has been part of cross-cultural depictions or satirical works, though such uses are often controversial.

Historically, blackface is the best-documented instance of racial impersonation in American entertainment. Whiteface has appeared less systematically, but has been invoked in discussions of how whiteness is positioned as the default in performance and how stereotypes about non-white groups can be reinforced through makeup, costume, and acting choices. Representations described as whiteface can involve caricatures of Indigenous, Asian, Latino, or other non-white identities, and critics frequently argue that they reduce complex communities to simplistic tropes.

In contemporary discourse, many educators, theatres, and media organizations critique whiteface as a form of racial caricature, even when the intention is satire or critique. Policies in schools and professional venues increasingly discourage or prohibit makeup or portrayal that targets non-white identities, framing such practices within broader movements against racial stereotypes and cultural appropriation.

See also: blackface, minstrel show, cultural representation, race in media.