Dear Jane
While I’m sure many people would say, ‘If you have to ask if it is racist it probably is,’ but I’m going to ask anyway. We know Halloween costumes that use blackface, headdresses, or any other culturally appropriated gear is offensive. But can you dress up as a person you admire if you avoid those types of things? Is it ok for say a white lady to dress up as Janet Jackson—if she wears just the clothing from her favourite video? Or wear a robe and carry a copy of the constitution to resemble Sonia Sotomayor? Nothing satirical - just clothing and a willingness to explain said costume to anyone who asks? No makeup to change skin colour or change features to appear ethnically different to who they are.
A friend of mine loves Nicki Minaj and wore a gorgeous and colourful wig and long nails and bright pink lipstick and long lashes, and sang her songs at karaoke at a party. She was accused of racism but I didn’t see it. Had she put on too much bronzer or put padding in her underwear to enlarged her flat white behind I would have agreed—but she was simply imitating someone she admired. Am I wrong?
Signed,
Doesn’t hate but can sometimes be stupid