Racially insensitive halloween costume?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always thought Halloween was a time to wear something and be someone you are not normally. I never thought the costumes were worn as a form of ridicule - unless that was the purpose and then the costume was pretty much "out there" if a laugh was what was wanted.

When I was young, I remember dressing up as a construction worker, a pregnant woman (my catholic mom was always pregnant and so at the age of 5 I decided that would be my costume), a mummy, you name it. It was for fun. Dressing up in a kimono or a sari does not mean the costume is being ridiculed, it means that a little girl thinks it is cute/pretty and wants to wear it. For example, my DD wants to be a flamingo this year because the costume makes her feel pretty.

Right so she is being a flamingo. What is the little girl in the kimono being? If someone says to her what is your costume or what are you dressed up as...what would the little girl say?

She would say, "I am dressing up as a Japanese person."

The problem is that lots of people understand why "dressing up as a Japanese person" is problematic. I expect they also don't understand why blackface is problematic.

[Anonymous]

^^^lots of people DON'T understand why "dressing up as a Japanese person" is problematic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What's wrong or offensive about portraying a culture as an "other"? People don't typically wear kimonos in American culture, so of course it's something different to us. What's wrong with recognizing that it's something different?

"Other" doesn't mean different. "Other" means "not as human as we are".

How does wearing a kimono on Halloween mean I think the Japanese are less human? Seems like a huge logical jump to me.

Wearing a kimono or a kilt or a sari for Halloween just means people who don't get to wear them like them.. Halloween is about wearing clothes or dressing in a costume that you normally do not get to wear. Something chosen and liked by the wearer.

Celebrities in kilts:
http://www.bevoguish.com/celebrities/how-kanye-west-decides-which-leather-kilt-to-wear-plus-other-men-in-skirts/

I don't know if Gerry Butler has a family plaid but he and Ewan MacGregor are the only Scots to my knowledge on the page.

[Anonymous]

Oh, PP, so if celebrities do it it is not offensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Wearing a kimono or a kilt or a sari for Halloween just means people who don't get to wear them like them.. Halloween is about wearing clothes or dressing in a costume that you normally do not get to wear. Something chosen and liked by the wearer.

And that is EXACTLY the point. A sari is not a costume. A kimono is not a costume. Saris and kimonos are real actual clothes that real actual people wear, as part of a particular culture.

(And "a Japanese person" is not a costume either.)

[Anonymous]

I practice Wicca. Can I assume all of you going on about the kimonos won't dress up as a witch for Halloween? After all, it's offensive to my religion.

[Anonymous]

Could i make mu kids a klu klax klan outfit?

[Anonymous]

I have four kids - maybe I'll dress one up as an African American person, one as a Chinese person, one as a Hispanic person and leave one white and they can go as diversity or the UN.

[Anonymous]

Are all of the people who are outraged over the names of professional sports teams like the Redskins just as outraged by kids wearing Indian costumes or costumes depicting any other ethnicity? Your moral outrage should disappear just because our little darling looks cute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a woman born in India who has occasion to wear a beautiful Sari at least once a month, I think you women are nuts. I would think it adorable if I had a girl trick or treat at my home. If I knew a neighbor girl who wanted to wear one or even use them for dress up I would pull out my daughter's old Saris.

You people sound nuts.

That's fine, but you certainly don't speak for all Indians or all Indian women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^lots of people DON'T understand why "dressing up as a Japanese person" is problematic.

I don't. Could someone explain it to me?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could i make mu kids a klu klax klan outfit?

99.9% of the population would agree that is offensive. Hardly the same as dressing in a kimono, but I'm open to being enlightened as to why the latter is offensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have four kids - maybe I'll dress one up as an African American person, one as a Chinese person, one as a Hispanic person and leave one white and they can go as diversity or the UN.

It's the Jolie-Pitt family! Except for the Hispanic person.

[Anonymous]

Is there a PC manual out there I can consult to provide guidance as to what to allow my kids to wear and not wear as a Halloween costume?
Wouldn't wan to offend anybody.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have four kids - maybe I'll dress one up as an African American person, one as a Chinese person, one as a Hispanic person and leave one white and they can go as diversity or the UN.

It's the Jolie-Pitt family! Except for the Hispanic person.

And the Chinese person, and the African American person.