Is Your Halloween Costume Racist?

[Saruhan]

This is bothering me quite a bit, do you seriously think this is okay? Like say if they dressed up in say..."white trash"? Perhaps the numerous other issues we have, the thousands of racist white consumes no one wants to wear?

What do you mean?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_c-ev0rhc_Nc/S ... 0_1922.JPG

That was actually pretty funny

[North California]

Would my Barack Obama mask by considered racist? I personally do not think it is though.

[Ralkovia]

And you decide to make your day better by posting something that you obviously have strong feelings about and that you know will stir up some controversy?

I think what you meant to say was, "I wanted everybody to agree with me, and you guys are assholes because you aren't doing so."

No, I knew there were going to be people disagreeing. I just thought I remembered NSG being a lot less rude.

NSG...less rude. What threads have you been reading?

[Nazi Flower Power]

People should stop being so damn sensitive. Is dressing in drag sexist? I certainly don't have a problem with it. I don't feel like I'm being insulted when I see some guy waltzing around a Halloween party in a frilly pink dress with a big stupid-looking blonde wig. As an actual chick, do I ever wear that kind of thing? No. But you shouldn't take such things too seriously. Considering there are stereotyped costumes derived from European culture as well as minority ones, I don't see this as reinforcing social inequality. There's a whole rack of cheap-ass fake lederhosen and dirndls at a costume shop near me, not to mention Pilgrim costumes, Roman stuff, European-inspired princess costumes, etc. Yes, there is a lot of stereotyped imagery going around, but it's equal-opportunity stereotyping.

The bomb on the chest on the Middle Eastern one is maybe going a step too far. A geisha or an Indian chief isn't a negative thing to be associated with. The costumes might be stereotyped, but the characters they're portraying are not villains. A suicide bomber is a villain. That's not cool.

[Germanic Templars]

Not really, I mean I am using a blind contact lens, an eye patch, a lab coat, and some face paint and putty. Add it all up and you know what i'll look like.

Unless however a one eyed scientist with a half burnt face from a HCl spill is racist.

Eyepatches insult the visually impaired and pirates. Check your privilege.

Darn it, well time for plan B. Dress like Russian from MW2. Got the gas mask and helmet to do so.

[Saiwania]

Wow. Honestly I thought NSG was more open-minded than this. I guess you all don't care about the way minorities feel when you play dress up with their culture. I'm sorry I tried to have a civil discussion. I greatly apologize.

I don't want you to apologize. Even though people aren't agreeing with you, I think that you should still stand by your thread. I understand that you wish to never risk offending anyone. The problem is that any costume could be taken as offensive for any reason by anyone and if one costume is thought to cross the line, then where does it end? To try to categorize what is acceptable or not will be arbitrary.

[Saruhan]

If a person chooses to caricature there own culture (including historic antecedents) then this is less of a problem. So yes white people should feel free to dress as cow girls, cheerleaders, Victorian dandies, football players, surfer dudes or princess. Even the black dress and conical hat is fine since is not related to real wiccans only witch caricatures.

But isen't that statement in and of itself racist?

"I can dress this way because I'm black/asian/white/Native American/ect., but you can't!"

Being non-racist implies that if a person of one race is allowed to do it, then, reasonably, people of other races must be allowed to do it as well.

Yeah, I remember reading about Nazi costumes being fairly popular in South and South-East Asia. But do you remember that shitstorm when that one British Royal dressed as a Nazi once?

[Dyakovo]

Yes.
You're only allowed to dress in this costume:

*nods*

Well, it's not like I could get more conspicuous...

See that costume works for you because that is a Croat Cavalryman circa 1630s...

[Cinderfell]

Dressing up as a S. American guerrilla fighter isn't racist, is it?

It might be insulting to the S. American guerrilla fighter, or anyone who has experienced some strong emotional contact or experience with one.

Politically, its not illegal to insult someone. There is nothing in the constitution or American law that forbids offense. The reason why racism (and supposedly racist behavior) is stigmatized in our (American) culture is because the law-making members of our society have decided that unmediated racism can effect the fundamental well-being of a group of people - for example, through misunderstanding and marginalization of a people by the masses.

An interesting thought experiment is to try and put yourself in the perspective of the person that your costume is a representative of, or can be considered a representative of. Try to understand what their culture and identity has been through, their hardships, their triumphs, their failures, and how your costume relates to that. Then try to understand that the same thing can be done of your culture. I can very easily think of a few costumes that would offend the majority of people in the United States (which will not be illustrated here for consideration).

Why don't we all just err on the side of caution, and sacrifice a perhaps very good (and fun) costume for the sake of sparing someone else the emotional hardship.

[Torcularis Septentrionalis]

No, I knew there were going to be people disagreeing. I just thought I remembered NSG being a lot less rude.

NSG...less rude. What threads have you been reading?

Apparently the ones where people don't get their dick in a twist just because someone want you to give a little thought to something without jumping straight on the "Ur just butthurt lol" train.

[Ralkovia]

Eyepatches insult the visually impaired and pirates. Check your privilege.

Darn it, well time for plan B. Dress like Russian from MW2. Got the gas mask and helmet to do so.

Thats offensive to the Russians. We don't all wear gas masks and helmets.

[Saruhan]

Would my Barack Obama mask by considered racist? I personally do not think it is though.

Depends, can you post a pic? i don't think it would be unless it went pretty fucking far...

[Gauthier]

Would my Barack Obama mask by considered racist? I personally do not think it is though.

No, but in a heavily Red state you might actually get shot at.

[Coherent Imbeciles]

Eyepatches insult the visually impaired and pirates. Check your privilege.

Darn it, well time for plan B. Dress like Russian from MW2. Got the gas mask and helmet to do so.

Gas masks and helmets insult the ghosts of World War One vets. Stop being so offensive.

[Dyakovo]

And you decide to make your day better by posting something that you obviously have strong feelings about and that you know will stir up some controversy?

I think what you meant to say was, "I wanted everybody to agree with me, and you guys are assholes because you aren't doing so."

No, I knew there were going to be people disagreeing. I just thought I remembered NSG being a lot less rude.

Maybe you've never been so blatantly wrong before...
*shrugs*

[Saruhan]

Well, it's not like I could get more conspicuous...

See that costume works for you because that is a Croat Cavalryman circa 1630s...

They were fighting the Turks and Austrians (Kinda) at the time, so they were alright

[Nazi Flower Power]

This is bothering me quite a bit, do you seriously think this is okay? Like say if they dressed up in say..."white trash"? Perhaps the numerous other issues we have, the thousands of racist white consumes no one wants to wear?

I've seen white trash costumes. Sometimes they are funny.

[Seres]

that native guy doesn't look native.

[Torcularis Septentrionalis]

No, I knew there were going to be people disagreeing. I just thought I remembered NSG being a lot less rude.

Maybe you've never been so blatantly wrong before...
*shrugs*

Yes, how dare I consider the feelings of others.

[Treko]

Dressing up as a S. American guerrilla fighter isn't racist, is it?

It might be insulting to the S. American guerrilla fighter, or anyone who has experienced some strong emotional contact or experience with one.

Politically, its not illegal to insult someone. There is nothing in the constitution or American law that forbids offense. The reason why racism (and supposedly racist behavior) is stigmatized in our (American) culture is because the law-making members of our society have decided that unmediated racism can effect the fundamental well-being of a group of people - for example, through misunderstanding and marginalization of a people by the masses.

An interesting thought experiment is to try and put yourself in the perspective of the person that your costume is a representative of, or can be considered a representative of. Try to understand what their culture and identity has been through, their hardships, their triumphs, their failures, and how your costume relates to that. Then try to understand that the same thing can be done of your culture. I can very easily think of a few costumes that would offend the majority of people in the United States (which will not be illustrated here for consideration).

Why don't we all just err on the side of caution, and sacrifice a perhaps very good (and fun) costume for the sake of sparing someone else the emotional hardship.

If they can't handle it, they need to grow up. Also, looking it over I have no reason to believe a S. American guerrilla fighter is racist if he is fighting for his views and beliefs.

[The Lone Alliance]

Dressing as a knight would offend Muslims and Jews because of the crimes caused by crusaders.
Just like dressing as a pirate would offend people because of the crimes of pirates
Dressing as royalty would offend peasants.
Dressing in drag would offend Trans
Dressing as a Soldier would offend Hippies and Soldiers
Dressing as a Hippie would offend Hippies and soldiers
Dressing as police would offend criminals
Dressing as robots would offend Luddites
Dressing as a farmer would offend farmers
Dressing as a businessman would offend Communists

Basically anything could be offensive to SOMEONE.

Halloween is also a night of mischief, wearing an outfit seen 'offensive' is part of the entire thing.

[Coherent Imbeciles]

NSG...less rude. What threads have you been reading?

Apparently the ones where people don't get their dick in a twist just because someone want you to give a little thought to something without jumping straight on the "Ur just butthurt lol" train.

We've given lots of thought to the subject.
That doesn't mean that you aren't just feeling crack crippled, or rump ravaged, or fanny flustered.

[Vadia]

This is bothering me quite a bit, do you seriously think this is okay? Like say if they dressed up in say..."white trash"? Perhaps the numerous other issues we have, the thousands of racist white consumes no one wants to wear?

What do you mean?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_c-ev0rhc_Nc/S ... 0_1922.JPG

A white guy is wearing it, that cancels it out. It would be like if a Italian made fun of himself.

[Cinderfell]

that native guy doesn't look native.

What do you think native guys look like? All of them have long, braided hair and wear headdresses?

(written by a native)

[North California]

Would my Barack Obama mask by considered racist? I personally do not think it is though.

Depends, can you post a pic? i don't think it would be unless it went pretty fucking far...

It's an Obama version of a Nixon or Reagan mask. It actually does a good job of looking like Obama. They even have that mole he's got on his cheek by his nose.