I Am Not a Costume!

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

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?

To me, yes. But it doesn't seem so to you. If you were to show up in a blonde wig and Marily Monroe-type dress, would you be imitating Whites in general if you put on lighter makeup and a blonde wig to complete the look? Would that change if you thought people would assume you were Etta (or even Beyonce) if you didn't walk around singing "Happy birthday, Mr. President" all night?

Originally Posted by DrPhil

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.

See, now you're just being vain.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Not all Black people agree on what is appropriate but, like I said earlier, let the Blacks folks disagree on that.

iQualify. FYI I'm going as a White girl (Hermione Granger) and not using makeup to do so. I wonder if anyone will know who I am?

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

To me, yes. But it doesn't seem so to you. If you were to show up in a blonde wig and Marily Monroe-type dress, would you be imitating Whites in general if you put on lighter makeup and a blonde wig to complete the look? Would that change if you thought people would assume you were Etta (or even Beyonce) if you didn't walk around singing "Happy birthday, Mr. President" all night?

Why wouldn't I do the bolded? That's the point of dressing and acting like (minus the cigarettes, drugs, and dress in the air) Marilyn Monroe for a costume party. As my other post stated, if I can't convey Marilyn Monroe without the whiteface, I do not need to do Marilyn Monroe. (I would never depict Marilyn Monroe, anyway. There are too many gorgeous and talented Black women to depict. Dorothy Dandridge > Marilyn Monroe)

Besides, costume parties are not government surveillance. You CAN tell people who you are if they can't figure it out. LOL.

Originally Posted by christiangirl

iQualify. FYI I'm going as a White girl (Hermione Granger) and not using makeup to do so. I wonder if anyone will know who I am?

I had to Google who that is so I wouldn't know who you were even with the white face. I would know you were a Harry Potter character if you dressed liked the Harry Potter characters and did other stuff they do (I don't know too much about them).