tar baby

Originated in "Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby," an 1881 story by Joel Chandler Harris in which Brer Rabbit becomes increasingly stuck in tar the more he tries to extricate himself from it. Use of the term's first meaning can be seen as offensive due to the existence of the derogatory second meaning.

1. A situation, challenge, or problem from which it is difficult to remove oneself, especially without making it worse. I wanted to help Richard get his company back on track, but everything I do to fix one problem creates 10 more. It's become quite the tar baby.

2. offensive slang A dark-skinned Black person, typically a child.