The Bank Of Canada Removed An 'Asian-Looking' Woman From Planned $100 Notes After Complaints

[Liberal_in_LA]

Source: Business Insider

The Bank of Canada removed an "Asian-looking" woman from the designs for new polymor $100 bills after focus groups complained.

The bills were brought into circulation last year but the strange decision was only revealed after Canadian Press news agency obtained a copy of 2009 report commissioned by the bank.

“Some have concerns that the researcher appears to be Asian", the report read, referring to the fact that the bill show a woman scientist peering into a microscope. "Some believe that it presents a stereotype of Asians excelling in technology and/or the sciences. Others feel that an Asian should not be the only ethnicity represented on the banknotes. Other ethnicities should also be shown.”

While the woman originally featured on the $100 bill wasn't intended to be "Asian-looking", the Bank of Canada decided to change her to "neutral" look that did not indicate any ethnic group (the new image is below):


We're very curious to see what the original looked like.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-bank-of-canada-removed-an-asian-looking-woman-from-planned-100-notes-after-complaints-2012-8#ixzz23pyptogR

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"neutral" look? The pic used appears to be a caucasian woman. That does indicate an ethnic group. It's not only people of color that are "ethnic". EVERYONE is ethnic.

[Posteritatis]

1. As a Canadian the focus groups around these are just embarrassing

A few months ago they freaked out over one of the other bills because it had the Vimy Ridge memorial on it - the group's allegations were that it was pornographic(?!) or had something to do with 9-11.

Why do these morons have even the slightest fraction of a say in stuff like this? Argh.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. pic of Vimy Ridge memorial

[krispos42]

17. Dear god, I'm a lesbian!

[FiveGoodMen]

21. !

Ah, yes. That was a funny episode.

[pnwmom]

2. So "neutral" means "blondish"?

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. apparently.

[onehandle]

4. She looks French to me.

The non-French speaking Canadians should be pissed.

[struggle4progress]

6. She looks smart to me. On behalf of idiots everywhere, I object to the stereotypical view

that only smart people do science

[dipsydoodle]

7. What's Asian looking ?

[bitchkitty]

42. The image is of the revised note.

They apparently don't have a pic of the other one. I'm going to Google and see if I can find it.

[dipsydoodle]

43. I realised that was the revised image.

Its just that over there you broaden the term Asian to more or less include the entire continent. In the UK it refers to Indian sub continent only.

[SoapBox]

8. Can you just imagine here if the Fed even thought about putting any woman on a bill...

The horrors! The Thugs, Bullies and Baggers would be in an uproar! The Pearl Clutching crowd would faint!

...move on with your petty little lives.

[dipsydoodle]

10. We don't have such issues in the UK

[freshwest]

36. Yeah, we noticed that! She's on the stamps, too.

[dipsydoodle]

44. Exactly !

One of the benefits of continuity - keeps life simple.

[hughee99]

11. Martha Washington was, at one time, on US currency.

[Poll_Blind]

18. Hey!

Not only is it a man, I'd swear it's Ehud Barak. He's done that type of thing before.

PB

[freshwest]

37. Well, things sure have gone to hell since then. Just sayin'

[primavera]

46. Hey, Barbara Bush still is on the US $1 bill

[alp227]

9. This Asian American says FUCK THE BANK OF CANADA FOCUS GROUP

[AsahinaKimi]

25. I don't know what to say...

The entire thing is beyond belief

[alp227]

27. Oh yeah I wonder if this fool was part of the focus group

You know, the one who complained about Asians talking on their cell phones in the library.

[AsahinaKimi]

28. oh yeah I remember her...

Baka tare!

[Liberal_in_LA]

31. I love your sushi gif

[AsahinaKimi]

32. sankyuuu!

Copy it if you wish!!

[freshwest]

38. Ewwww!!! What an idiot!!!

[surrealAmerican]

12. I'm not so sure about putting pictures of ...

... non-specific people on banknotes in the first place. Couldn't they feature a real person, one who has an actual name and identity?

[TrogL]

13. If they're doing insulin, why isn't Banting on there?

[Posteritatis]

15. There's multiple science-related images on the bill, not just the one. (nt)

[Yavin4]

14. Who Do They Want? The MacKenzie Bros. on their Money?

[Denninmi]

16. Well, they could put a real Asian-Canadian on a bank note

And would a focus group object to that?

[Posteritatis]

24. Given the stuff that focus group's been saying over the bills? Yeah, they would. (nt)

[freshwest]

39. Really? Do these clowns have names?

[Odin2005]

19. So "Neutral" = a white woman with blonde hair?

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. lol. yeah

[FiveGoodMen]

22. And by neutral they meant "normal"

indeed!

[Lucy Goosey]

23. As a Canadian, I'm so so embarrassed by this.

[AsahinaKimi]

30. But really, I thought

That on Canadian currency animals were the main focus. Like the dollar coin with the Loonie or the beaver on the nickel. Then on the other side was the Queen. I remember the 50 dollar note with the Royal Canadian mounties in a circle on the note.

[freshwest]

40. Yes, I remember the animals. And a young QE2 on the back side.

[Nihil]

47. "the 50 dollar note with the Royal Canadian mounties in a circle"

"Charge! ... aaarrgghh!"

[PDJane]

26. It's damned embarassing, and I want to know where they get their 'focus groups.'

Good Lord and Lady. I am seriously thinking of becoming a hermit somewhere.

[u4ic]

34. I'm thinking the Calgary School

[DonCoquixote]

29. Canadians

Yes, I know you are better at foreign policy we are, yes you still have medical care..But honestly, ever since Harper kept his seat, is something going wrong?

[yellowcanine]

33. Why don't they use this one of the Queen? (Without Poppy Bush of course)

And they could replace the Seal of the U.S. with the Canadian flag.

[freshwest]

41. Why bills and coins reflecting the First Nations peoples of Canada? Cat got their tongues, or what?

[We are Devo]

45. And we still have..

In God We Trust on our currency

[pampango]

48. To be fair: the group thought the image fed an Asian stereotype of science proficiency and also

wanted more ethnicities, not less, shown on the bill.

The 'complaints' referred to in the story were not that minority ethnic groups should be removed from the bill but that more should be added. Why the Bank of Canada responded with what appears to be a Caucasian image is the real question.