Hey Gang!
I just gotta hop in real quick and be a little blunt with you guys. You probably aren't guilty of this claim, because I try to surround myself with individuals that are open minded and try not to offend anyone. I will admit that I love dressing up, I absolutely love Halloween AND Cosplaying, but there is a line that should not be crossed.
There are different cultures all over the world, and they all should have the respect that they deserve. With the issues of representation battling it out in the realm of Film and Television, one question that is brought up the most should be, is this respectful? Unfortunately, there are still a lot of people that don't quite get the importance of representation.
One of the biggest reasons Representation is so important, is that there are so many people that are not represented on television. Asians are only 3% of who you see onscreen, Native Americans only 1%, Black men are more likely to be featured on the screen than Black Women, and you can name the amount of oscars won by people of color on your fingers. Lets think about that for a minute. The amount of winners of Oscars for people of color can be counted on your fingers and toes.
Just like Olivia's Speech, you can't win awards for roles that are simply not there. They aren't there because they aren't being written, its not because there aren't suitable actors available to fill the role. If the role is not available, it can NOT be filled. That is the issue with representation. Everyone deserves the right to see themselves on the screen.
The reason, that I'm hashing this out again! Is Disney's Moana animated film. The character design is adorable and many people want to wear them as costumes. Being a Disney film, it is bound to be popular and widely available. The issue with the costumes that are available now, is that they come with a brown skin. The fact that is comes with a skin should aggravate many a people. My issue with the costume is that its deplorable. Just like with White Cosplayers who feel that they have the "right" to wear blackface in order to "look Like" their character. The issue is that the skin color, the culture that comes with their bodies, and their families and their lives. They are not a costume for you to wear. Their culture is not something for you to purchase for 20 dollars, to wear one night, and then to hide in the back of your closet when you are finished having your fun. Their culture is not a trend, and its not for you to use and abuse whenever you feel like it.
It saddens me that I have to make yet another post like this, but with Trump as a "viable" Candidate for President, I only fear that it is going to get much much worse. Just think about it like this, if someone is going to get offended? Then you probably shouldn't wear it. It's pretty damn simple.
Until Next Time,
Stay Nerdy,
~Spokhette!~
