Reply to Racially insensitive halloween costume?

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[quote=Anonymous]There is a difference between dressing "up" as a specific character, or a specific profession, and dressing up as a member of another culture as a Halloween costume.

My African American son has gone out on Halloween dressed as Robin Hood, Harry Potter, Spiderman.  Similarly, I wouldn't have a problem if my kid decided he wanted to dress up as Kai Lan or Caillou or Diego.  I also wouldn't have a problem with him dressing up as a ballerina, or a cowboy, or a matador, or a traditional Indian dancer, and wore clothing from those cultures as part of the outfit.  I'm sure that if I was more versed in Japanese children's literature, I could come up with a character, or age appropriate role where my child might wear a kimono as part of a costume.

But dressing up in a kimono and have the kimono itself be the Halloween costume, that is dressing up as a "Japanese person", portrays the culture as an "other".  Because it makes the kimono itself into the costume, as opposed to what it is, which is clothing.  [/quote]

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