Vita & Morte: Opinion of the day.
Personally, I don’t understand why some Native Americans have issue with children dressing up in their cultural attire for fun on Halloween.
I don’t believe it is racist or dehumanizing of the native peoples.
I mean, there are samurai and geisha costumes but I’ve never heard the Japanese fuss…Cultural appropriation is an act of racism, that despite whatever the intent, reduces the stereotyped race into something comical, and thereby subhuman.
Just because you have never heard PoC discuss cultural appropriation doesn’t mean it is right; and didn’t you just state that “some Native Americans have issues with [it]…” That means you have recognized that some PoC are discussing cultural appropriation. It is discussed and recognized as racism all over the world.
It is dehumanizing and even though you don’t want to believe it, how about just recognized that some PoC are offended, that should be reason enough to not want to do it.
I completely respect your opinion, and thank you for not being rude, as most people on this site aren’t good at mature discussion.
To me, dressing as a Native on Halloween or at an event of some sorts isn’t racist, but it is stereotyping. Racism comes from hatred, I don’t think that little kids think ‘I hate Natives so much I’m gonna dress like them!’
But the costuming is very stereotypical, the costumes are simply labeled Indian (which I do not care for the term, I prefer Native Americans as it differentiates from people of India). They don’t label them Navajo, Hopi, Cherokee etc. They all typically follow the Sioux image.
As I child I remember that they had a fair at school about pilgrims and Native Americans. I dressed as Pocahontas. Nothing ran through my mind about it being wrong in any way, especially since I am a documented descendant of Pocahontas herself. I was always more interested in the culture of the Natives than of the pilgrims.
Its fun for little kids, children are innocent, if they have a fascination with Native dress and culture I don’t see the problem with letting them costume.
What about if someone went to a reservation and bought traditional wear instead of the garb of the costume industry?
there is more to racism than hatred. People turning an entire race into a costume is an act racism and is dehumanizing. How are racial stereotypes not racist?
(via vitaelamorte)