Megyn Kelly went viral when she declared Santa Claus “just is white,” but a decade later the idea of what St. Nick can look like has only expanded.

Aisha Harris had no idea of the uproar she would create when she recommended the Christmas Penguin.

Ten years ago, the writer and journalist published a lighthearted viral essay titled “Santa Claus Should Not Be a White Man Anymore,” in which she questioned the ubiquity of white Santa imagery.

“America is less and less white, but a melanin-deficient Santa remains the default in commercials, mall casting calls, and movies,” Harris wrote. “Isn’t it time that our image of Santa better serve all the children he delights each Christmas?” In fact, she suggests, a Christmas Penguin can represent the holiday instead of a person.

The backlash was swift, especially after anchor Megyn Kelly responded to the piece on her Fox News show “The Kelly File.” “This is so ridiculous, yet another person claiming it’s racist to have a white Santa,” Kelly said. “And by the way, for all you kids watching at home, Santa just is white.”

  • Flying Squid
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    1111 months ago

    Your argument is fair and nuanced. Her claim, however, was not:

    “Just because it makes you feel uncomfortable doesn’t mean it has to change,” Kelly said. “Jesus was a white man, too. It’s like we have, he’s a historical figure that’s a verifiable fact, as is Santa, I just want kids to know that. How do you revise it in the middle of the legacy in the story and change Santa from white to black?”

    https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/12/insisting-jesus-was-white-is-bad-history-and-bad-theology/282310/

    • @kromem
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      611 months ago

      Agreed, Kelly is a nutjob. It’s just a pet peeve when I see the common reactionary response that often misrepresents our understanding of history and propagates misinformation, so I try to provide a bit more accurate context when I see it.

      • Flying Squid
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        611 months ago

        Understood. As I said, you have a fair and nuanced argument. And the context is appreciated, so thank you.