I Am Not a Costume!

[amIblue?]

DrPhil - What would you think about a nonBlack person who dressed up as a famous Black person (i.e., Michael Jackson) sans black face? In your view, is that problematic or acceptable? Back in the day I knew a bunch of kids who dressed up as Michael a la the Thriller era. It was all about being a fan, not a mockery or stereotype. (You know, red jacket, glove, sunglasses.)

Personally, I think you'd have to be pretty darn unimaginative to come up with "sexy thug," etc. Then again, what do I know about being imaginative...my dad was a football coach, so when I was growing up, I was a football player more often than not because it was easy and all the stuff was readily available.

Clearly, dressing up as a stereotype is offensive, but what if it is intended as a tribute for someone you look up to?

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

DrPhil - What would you think about a nonBlack person who dressed up as a famous Black person (i.e., Michael Jackson) sans black face? In your view, is that problematic or acceptable?

The bolded is the key. I would deem that acceptable sans Blackface and sans racial identifiers that would cross the line from depicting a famous person to depicting and mocking what that person considers Blackness.

If I ever had the dumb idea to dress up as Marilyn Monroe I would not use whiteface. If people can't figure out who I am with my light voice and the "happy birthday, Mr. President" song, sans the whiteface, I need to say I am Etta James or something.

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

The bolded is the key. I would deem that acceptable sans Blackface and sans racial identifiers that would cross the line from depicting a famous person to depicting and mocking what that person considers Blackness.

If I ever had the dumb idea to dress up as Marilyn Monroe I would not use whiteface. If people can't figure out who I am with my light voice and the "happy birthday, Mr. President" song, sans the whiteface, I need to say I am Etta James or something.

Thanks for answering!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

If I ever had the dumb idea to dress up as Marilyn Monroe I would not use whiteface. If people can't figure out who I am with my light voice and the "happy birthday, Mr. President" song, sans the whiteface, I need to say I am Etta James or something.

Please, please, please make sure I'm invited to that party!


This whole topic just reinforces my curmudgeonliness: Halloween costumes are supposed to be scary -- ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night -- not cute or funny or stupidly-offensive.

Clowns, of course, qualify as scary.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Please, please, please make sure I'm invited to that party!

When I stop disliking Halloween and the idea of costumes, I will let you know. In the meantime:

Originally Posted by MysticCat

This whole topic just reinforces my curmudgeonliness: Halloween costumes are supposed to be scary -- ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night -- not cute or funny or stupidly-offensive.

Clowns, of course, qualify as scary.

I agree. That is why I have skipped Halloween since childhood. I won't go on my anti-Halloween rant.

[thetaj]

I'm SO sick of the "sexy" costumes! I'm being Paula Deen this year and I've never been more excited.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I agree. That is why I have skipped Halloween since childhood. I won't go on my anti-Halloween rant.

Oh, I love Halloween. I just want to see it done right.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Oh, I love Halloween. I just want to see it done right.

http://thelook.today.msnbc.msn.com/_...-scary-or-sexy

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

This whole topic just reinforces my curmudgeonliness: Halloween costumes are supposed to be scary -- ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties...

"Is that a ghoulie or ghosty or wee student beastie?" Peeves ITY?

Meh I think people get hung up on the whole body paint/face paint issue when (as Phil put it) there are other ways to incorporate racial identifiers that are just as offensive as face paint if not moreso. IIRC the 3rd photo was one of a guy in a sombrero and poncho "dressed as a Mexican." I went to a Halloween party last year and saw a guy in the same outfit, drinking tequila in the corner, and he said "I'm a Mexican." That's offensive because (among many other reasons), he was assuming that poncho+sombrero+tequila = an accurate representation of a Mexican man. If he had been wearing brown paint to tint his skin (he was white), that would have been (or should have been IMO) the least of the concern.

I found the cheerleader's face/body paint to be unnecessary but wasn't personally offended by it. Mostly because she was imitating as one person in his usual attire. If she had put on that same outfit and just said "I'm a Black person for Halloween," the my offense would come from her assumption that Black men are thugs. This would be true whether she painted herself brown or not.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

Meh I think people get hung up on the whole body paint/face paint issue when (as Phil put it) there are other ways to incorporate racial identifiers that are just as offensive as face paint if not moreso.

I do not rank these things. They are all unnecessary coming from an outsider.

Originally Posted by christiangirl

I found the cheerleader's face/body paint to be unnecessary but wasn't personally offended by it. Mostly because she was imitating as one person in his usual attire. If she had put on that same outfit and just said "I'm a Black person for Halloween," the my offense would come from her assumption that Black men are thugs. This would be true whether she painted herself brown or not.

Is there a substantive difference between imitating one person in his usual attire and imitating a group of people? If a nonBlack woman had the luck and privilege () of dressing up as me for Halloween and she used makeup and a wig to depict my skin shade and hair, does that remain in the realm of her only imitating ME? While I love my Blackness and my afro, I do not want a nonBlack person having the luxury of reenacting that. Find another way to be me for Halloween.

For the record, these issues do not require that we find personal offense or even have personal consciousness. I say this because I often hear people say things like "my Black friend says this isn't bad so that means it is okay...why are you offended as a Black person" as a defense for things. Not all Black people agree on what is appropriate but, like I said earlier, let the Blacks folks disagree on that. Meanwhile, nonBlacks need to spare us the "I'm going to do this to prove that I can do it just like you can" routine.