Recently, the McGill University student union issued an apology for photos on their Facebook page featuring students who had blackfaced for Halloween. Regardless of your own race or culture, it’s important to look at the historical background of another group when you’re dressing up.
Blackfacing is the practice of someone who is not black painting their skin to appear black, which began in the entertainment industry. Before black people were allowed on stage, white people would paint their faces black and imitate black people in racist portrayals. Every Halloween, at universities all over Canada and the U.S., people dress up as blacks, aboriginal people, and hispanics. Dressing up as another culture, and trying to imitate their cultural identifiers, is racist. Even if you don’t intend it to be racist, it doesn’t change the fact that it still is.
Today aboriginal women are 3.5 times more likely than non-Aboriginal women to be victims of violence. A white girl dressing up as a “sexy native” is not just insulting, but makes a mockery of the sexism and racism faced by aboriginal peoples in history and today.
Although any costume that imitates another race should be avoided, a white person imitating a cultural group that has been the victim of colonization or racist policies from white folks carries a huge weight. Even if you don’t think its racist, is it really worth wearing that costume if you’re going to be offensive?
You probably dressed up like Kanye West because you think he’s awesome. But maybe think twice before you paint your face black, yellow, or red.
