Is it racist for a white person to go to a fancy dress party as a black celebrity?

[Wimbledonwomble]

For example - Michael Jackson, Prince, Tina Turner, Scary Spice? Fab costumes for most of these are widely available on line so clearly popular. I have to admit it didn't even cross my mind when discussing possible costumes with a friend, I just thought they were good costumes, but she thinks it could be seen as racist and inappropriate. I'm really not sure tbh!

Of course it isn’t racist. If you were to blacken your face, or whiten your face, then that would be tasteless, obviously

Will you've be "blacking up" up too?!

Probably not the wisest choice of costume when there are many others available. Interesting question though. Be good to see what others think.

Either way it's risky....

No because you are impersonating a person I.e. MJ and not his general race.
Blacking up to represent black people in general is focused on race.

I think people/society are going OTT with regards to 'cultural appropriation' and most just jump on the bandwagon without understanding the context.

As an ethnic 'minority' myself i've dressed up as 'white' characters and no-one bats an eyelid.
I've played 'white' character roles in drama and never been accused of cultural appropriation.
The whole point of costumes is that you're playing a character, it's not an attack on any race.

See now, we went to a fancy dress party as characters from Moana. I greened up my face for Te Fiti and that was fine apparently, but a white person can't tan themselves to better resemble the other Polynesian characters in that film without being racist apparently. We steered clear of doing anything potentially controversial. Our toddler went as the chicken.

I don't really understand it to be honest. Not going to lie.

MJ doesn't even need blacking out. As long as the costume is nice and done right you will be fine. Same like millions of people who dress up as native americans.

This question came up at work recently. I thought it was fine as long as you don’t try to change your skin colour, and as long as the dressing up is done with a level of respect. Eg no exaggerated aspects that could be taken as racist stereotyping. I wouldn’t say I’d try to strongly defend that position if pushed, though, and I’m very interested in others’ views.

I think it’s fine, but there does seem to be a weird voice of opinion that sees it as wrong somehow to pretend to be of a different race

Me wearing a Tina Turner wig and sparkly mini dress = fun.

Me doing the above but blacking up = a bad sketch from a dodgy 1970s teatime variety show. Not fun.

Is there not a dynamic at play whereby dressing up as an oppressed race, when you are from the oppressing race, is different compared to dressing as something completely different?

Not sure of that makes sense, I'm just thinking along the lines of the views of some radfems in relation to drag acts.

it's the history attached that makes blacking up so vile.

Nobody seems to say the same about the film white chicks.

I suppose it depends on context, OP. If you’re simply dressing up as a character, for a party, then I don’t see how it can be regarded as racist. We would have to ban so many costumes for white people, it would get silly. No Aladdin in case it offends the Chinese, no Ali Baba in case it offends Arabs, no Pocahontas in case it offends native Americans, no Gandhi in case it offends Indians, no Zulu warrior outfits, no Mexican sombreros- where do you stop? All costume is imitative, and can be labelled cultural appropriation by those determined to be offended.
I only think they’d have a point if you were going for an offensive stereotype - eg blacking up as a minstrel or golly, and using exaggerated or stupid mimicry to mock them.
I wouldn’t be offended if an African “whited up” to play Florence Nightingale at a fancy dress party, for example- why should the reverse be an issue.

I think it’s fine as long as you don’t black up or wear culturally appropriative wigs / outfits. But it’s a fine line...

My two penny worth.

If you have to ask is this costume racist, people at the party are going to ask themselves the same question.

Even if it is not actually racist, who needs that hassle.

I greened up my face for Te Fiti and that was fine apparently, but a white person can't tan themselves to better resemble the other Polynesian characters in that film without being racist apparently.

You can't see how painting yourself green is different to painting yourself as a different race? You wouldn't expect a black person to paint themselves white if they were dressing up as Sleeping Beauty or something so why on earth would white people darken their skin for a character? It's just terrible; you don't need to impersonate their race for fancy dress because their race isn't to do with their character.

A black guy I went to uni with went to a fancy dress party as Mrs Doubtfire. It was amazing- had no idea it was him.

Power differential and history is a bit different though

No Aladdin in case it offends the Chinese

no Gandhi in case it offends Indians
Why on earth would somebody dress up as Gandhi for a fancy dress party

those determined to be offended.
Well if you go around saying what you've said here it's not hard to imagine why people are getting offended

No?! Why would it be
Wearing a costume doesn't make you prejudice. Why shouldn't iconic black stars be celebrated by white people?

For fucks sales.

Wearing a costume = fine
Darkening your skin to impersonate another race = not fine

Why? Horrible history that I suggest you educate yourself with.

Are you going to put tights over your head with ping pong balls for eyes?
(I hope you’ve seen Psychoville)

Why do people start posts trying Incite people to make racist comments then act faux naive.
Any black person who says they are offended will then be accused of being a “snowflake” or having a chip on their shoulder. Next up will be the person claiming to be black (we have no proof) who states I loved watching the minstrels Al Johnson is my role model!
Okay I’m exaggerating a bit but honestly OP have you nothing better to do on Saturday afternoon then trying incite racism.

yes you can dress as an iconic black person, no you shouldn't 'black up'. Also, aladdin was chinese? Was he not arabic?

"Power differential and history is a bit different though"

I think this is mostly why it would make me cautious. It's a bit like the Radfems view that drag is misogynistic. It isn't the mimicry itself, it's the fact that an oppressed segment of society is being being copied by the oppressor. As such black dressing up as white isn't going to be as potentially offensive as white dressing up as black.

Assuming the choice of costume operates in a vacuum is great idealistically, but in practice I think a bit naive. Even if there was no negative intention.

I don't think its necessarily racist but blackface is very poor taste imo