Halloween dress up

[TinyPawz]

Not sure if I am being overly sensitive but do you think it is appropriate for a white child to dress up as a black celebrity for Halloween?

My nephew wants to dress up as Michael Jackson but my partner is black and daughter is mixed race. I don't think it is appropriate but my db and sil are saying that I am making a big deal of it.

I don't get celebrating Halloween. To me it's about at worst evil & the occult. At best about death and being frightening. I'm not religious, but really hate this big Halloween thing. Getting small children involved in it at all just doesn't sit right at all with me.

But apart aside from it being Halloween I don't think dressing up as someone of a different skin colour is really a big deal for small kids.

If he's planning to black up, then it's not appropriate. If he's just planning to wear the clothes, because he admires the person, then that's fine.

'Blacked up' toddler with fake fro = bad parenting choice.

Thriller style Micheal Jackson costume on Halloween = nothing worth clutching pearls over.

I agree with sleepybunny

I agree that it's the blacking up that would be the problem - wearing an obvious Thriller costume or other recognisable Michael Jackson outfit from an iconic video seems the same as a black kid dressing as a while celebrity. That's my instant reaction but I'd be open to hearing from anyone who is against it.

That's the problem though, the blackface.

Of course it's fine for anyone of any ethnicity to dress up as Michael Jackson. He was recognisable from his stage costumes, it's not disrespectful or inappropriate to wear a costume. Obviously not using face makeup to change skin colour but just clothes/costumes is fine. IMHO.

Yes, blackface is inappropriate.

Are they really going to black his face up?

Blackface is a massive no no, for glaringly obvious reasons I would have thought.

Apparently so. And the most frustrating thing is that they don't see it as an issue.

Wearing a costume is fine. Blackface is inappropriate.

Omg I take it back. I thought you just meant costume. Black make up would be seriously inappropriate.