A white girl in my class yesterday said she was going to wear her "Indian costume" for Halloween yesterday. I told her "you shouldn't wear that." She asked why, and I simply said "It's racist." She got defensive and started demanding to know why it was racist. I told her that many Native Americans were very offended by it, but she pulled the "oh but I'm 1/10th Native American"card. What's a response to that?
Asked by Anonymous
You are very brave to confront people in person because many are defensive and can be cruel in their defiance, please be safe.
- Being Native American, or mixed raced and Native, does not make it okay to wear stereotyped “Native American” costumes.
- These costumes promote racist stereotypes, that stereotype is not dissolved by being Native.
- Costumes that depict a race or ethnic group is dehumanizing. It lumps all people of that group into a stereotype, and reduces them and their cultures into an inanimate object (a costume).
- When a group or race is viewed as subhuman oppression and violence against that group is inevitable.
This person at your school may feel like they are causing no harm, but they are; they are adding (contributing more power) to these dehumanizing stereotypes. They are promoting racism, no matter what their intent. We are not a costume, we are a large, diverse race with over 500 cultures, languages, etc.
This person may not listen to you, but if you stick to the reasons why it is offensive they may reflect on their actions later. It is worth it. Good luck!