Posted in October 30th, 2009
Doesn’t everyone have that one friend who doesn’t dress up for Halloween, but likes to come up with ways to describe his/her costume anyway, as in “I’m dressed as a pedestrian.”
At first I declared I was dressed Brazilian, after deciding not to change my shirt in response to my 8 year old’s announcement that “I did not look good” in the Happy Halloween T-shirt I planned to wear to school as Room Parent today. While he didn’t articulate it, I’ve gained a few pounds on my already buxom figure, so the T-shirt is a little more fitted than the last time I wore it. It’s still really comfortable, completely suitable, but there’s no camouflaging the girls.
When I first went to Brazil with my American self-consciousness years ago I thought women were exploited, given the bare and form exposing clothes popuralized in advertising and media. Until I realized people are just more comfortable in their skin. This is my body…so what? So, I’m dressed as a self-confident Brazilian. I like my T-shirt. So what?
But then I stopped by Trader Joe’s this morning saw that one of the employees was dressed up as…AN ASIAN WOMAN…Eeeek! I’m shocked! I’m aghast! Isn’t that inapproprate?
Well, yes, it is inappropriate to “dress-up” as another culture. It appropriates and essentializes others by turning ‘real people’ into shallow, stereotypic objects. Even my 8 year old knew it would be racist to dress up as a “Native American” when we saw the costume, and both felt a little sick to our stomach’s at the sign for “Asian Acceccories” posted at another Halloween store.
But there was something notable about this young woman dressed as an Asian Person. She was Asian! At first I was confused, then smiled. Was she purposely making fun of the racism and stereotypes that the holiday brings out. Or did she wake up this morning and think “oh crap, it’s Halloween and I need a costume,” and just go into her closet? Is it a political statement? Is she parodying herself?
So, for now, I’m going as a Jew (I’m Jewish). And, since I’m still not changing my shirt, I guess I’m going as a Brazilian Jew.
How about you?
Tags:
First Voice,
Jewish Brazilian,
Racist Halloween Costumes
2 Responses to "Happy Halloween. I’m Going as a Brazilian. Or a Jew. Or a Brazilian Jew."
On October 30th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Gori Girl said:
I’m not entirely convinced that I’ve seen a good enough argument against cultural costumes to paint them all as wrong/immoral (by intention or not). And you seem to agree given your “costume” being Brazilian, no?
Certainly there are types of cultural costumes that promote blatant, harmful stereotyping (sexy Asian lady with accent), or have a history of negative connotations (blackface) – and I agree that those shouldn’t be considered acceptable costumes.
But what about the person who just has another culture’s clothing in his wardrobe, and decides to wear that ’cause it’s bright & colorful & different from his normal attire? Or a costume that plays on words, expectations, and, yes, stereotypes, such as the time an Indian citizen friend of mine went as a Native American (”feather not dot tonight” was his slogan).
I feel like one would have a very difficult – torturous, even – effort to create an ethical argument that holds water that would disallow the wearing of cultural costumes and not disallow a whole raft of other costumes, such as stereotypical profession outfits.
And to answer your question, I’m going as Soylent Green.
On November 6th, 2009 at 10:30 am
shoss said:
The top that the young women wore at Trader Joe’s did look like something I recall seeing available at The Limited or Express last season.
I remember going to San Francisco for the first time in the late 70’s–we were talking about something in a group and I remember someone saying “hey man, that’s just giving me a bad vibe…” or something to that effect. It struck me as funny, because in the midwest, from where I was visiting, we supposedly didn’t talk about true feelings because we were conservative and uptight. Here in the “open, hippy” district of San Francisco, where everyone was supposed to be touch with themselves, they weren’t communicating because “the vibe wasn’t right.” But the effect was the same–no one was really connecting or communicating.
What was my point? Oh, yeah, that sometimes people (please say it’s not me : ) ) can get so focused on superficial vestiges of political correctness or looking for offense that they miss the ability to connect cross-culturally.
Thanks, GoriGirl
