The historical context is not the same. The watermelon stereotype is an anti-black racist trope from the 1800s that arose from resentment against newly emancipated former slaves. It accused black people of being “happy to do nothing but eat watermelon”. In comparison, the stereotype of white girls enjoying pumpkin spice doesn’t have the same negative connotation.
It’s even crueler when you remember that newly freed slaves grew the watermelon themselves because they couldn’t afford much. Pumpkin spice is a choice of novelty, not survival.
The historical context is not the same. The watermelon stereotype is an anti-black racist trope from the 1800s that arose from resentment against newly emancipated former slaves. It accused black people of being “happy to do nothing but eat watermelon”. In comparison, the stereotype of white girls enjoying pumpkin spice doesn’t have the same negative connotation.
TIL. I concur that makes my comparison not so fair. Making stereotypes based on any skin color is still icky though.
It’s even crueler when you remember that newly freed slaves grew the watermelon themselves because they couldn’t afford much. Pumpkin spice is a choice of novelty, not survival.