Swedish minister criticized for mutilating 'blackface' cake

4/18/2012

Sweden's Minister of Culture is facing demands for her resignation after re-enacting female genital mutilation on a cake depicting a naked black woman. The cake was part of an art installation at Stockholm's Museum of Modern Art and was meant to draw attention to female circumcision. Minister Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth laughed and joked with others attendees as she cut the cake, revealing red coloring meant to signify blood. As partygoers cut it, the artist, who was painted in blackface and was posing at the head of the cake, screamed in mock pain. Liljeroth has defended her actions, saying anger over the event should be directed at the artist and not her.

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