I pose this as a legitimate question, I'm not trying to start anything and I'd really appreciate thought out responses. I'm also going to say that I appreciate that my privilege and cultural upbringing may be blinding me to things that are obvious, which is why I'm asking, so please be nice :)
OK, so I totes understand why blackface is not cool, but what about if say, a white person went dressed as Beverly Hills Cop? Is that still "blackface"? Blackface has a history that goes back to the minstral shows when it was used in a degrading fashion, so I get that, but I don't really see how dressing as a strong, leading black character is bad. I get how dressing up like a cultural stereotype is perpetuating a stereotype (like being a "mexican" with a poncho and a hat), but can white people (or black or asian people) not go to halloween dressed as El Santo (mexican wrestler). If the costume doesn't have negative historical connotations, and doesn't perpetuate a stereotype, where is the racism?
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2013-11-01 12:10 am (UTC)OK, so I totes understand why blackface is not cool, but what about if say, a white person went dressed as Beverly Hills Cop? Is that still "blackface"? Blackface has a history that goes back to the minstral shows when it was used in a degrading fashion, so I get that, but I don't really see how dressing as a strong, leading black character is bad. I get how dressing up like a cultural stereotype is perpetuating a stereotype (like being a "mexican" with a poncho and a hat), but can white people (or black or asian people) not go to halloween dressed as El Santo (mexican wrestler). If the costume doesn't have negative historical connotations, and doesn't perpetuate a stereotype, where is the racism?