“Little Spanish Bandito Dog Costume”
From Diana Nguyen and Jen Wang at the Huffington post, via Alas A Blog.
Can We At Least Agree That It’s Racist To Dress Your Dog Up Like a Racial Caricature?
Comments
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Yin
That is not even a fucking kimono! It’s a qipao! /indignation
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Elena
And if we’re technical, a Spanish bandolero would look like this… or Curro Jiménez.
(* Note: Luis Candelas was a famous real life bandolero. Curro Jiménez was the star of a TV series in the late 70s and has been voted the most iconic character in Spanish TV. Find the opening credits on YouTube, they’re cool)
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K
If you follow the link for the second costume, you’ll see that it’s listed as a “geisha dog costume,” but described as a “Chinese themed dog dress.”
Do they think that “geisha” refers to pretty Asian women in general?
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K
I’m replying to my own post, but…
Doesn’t “geisha” have strong sexual connotations in the West? What an odd costume for a dog.
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karinova
As I noted downstream somewhere, the website selling the cheongsam costume has titled it “Geisha Dog Costume,” but the URL for the page describes it as the “Chinese Cutie Dog Costume.” So, yeah.
Not only are they confused as to where geisha come from, but yes, apparently they intend for it to be some sort of “sexy generic Asian female” costume. For a dog.(Should I say it? Here goes: I fear that on some level this is supposed to be basically an “Asian Sex Worker” costume.)
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Natalie
Those were my thoughts as well! I’m sure you’re right about the sexual connotations. To then attach those to a dog seems… unusual, and a little disturbing, to my mind!
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Quijotesca
Rasta cat wig: http://bit.ly/4i9A8d+ (Can’t link to anything but a pic because Petco decided Halloween was two or three weeks ago and took their stuff down)
Also, I assume the Jewish dog stuff is supposed to be for Jewish families. I spotted all sorts of Chanukah dog stuff at Target, which was weird given I could find very few Chanukah things for people. Searching “Chanukah” on the web site turns up very little, “Hanukkah” turns up pages and pages of luggage. Uh…OK.
While checking the Target web site, I ran into a “Jewish Rabbi Costume” for kids: http://bit.ly/2XfvRu Um…OK.
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K
Wow. Unlike the “Shalom Pup” costume, the “Jewish Rabbi Costume” represents an othering caricature of Jews! That doesn’t even have anything particular to do with rabbis.
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Quijotesca
Yeah, that’s why I didn’t have anything coherent to say about that costume. It’s like they’re not even trying. Why doesn’t it have at least a terrible fake beard?
All I know is when I was looking for Chanukah stuff, “Jewish” showed up as a suggested keyword, so I clicked on it and that’s what showed up.
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bobsfrankenbeans
Holie crud! Is that a smoking jacket? I’ve found that it’s best to investigate the ‘world,’ or ‘ethnic,’ aisles at Meijer and look in the Dutch section for anything remotely Jewish…
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Deaf Indian Muslim Anarchist !
I agree. Again, people, STOP MAKING FUN OF MINORITIES AND STOP MOCKING OUR CULTURES.
I swear, I will physically attack anyone tonight if I see them wearing an Indian outfit and making a mockery of my culture and heritage.
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Vettekaas
last night I saw somebody wearing an Indian outfit dancing with somebody wearing a Mexican outfit. it made me feel sick and sad… even more so that my so-called open minded friends didn’t see what was so offensive about the spectacle.
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bobsfrankenbeans
Curious – would you have felt differently if a Mexican was in the Mexican outfit and a Native American was in the “Indian,” one? Is it still racist or prejudice? I mean, it’s clearly still a mockery… but of their culture or of the perception the dumb old corporate white people have of their culture- and either way, is it more okay?
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Elizabeth
The “Indian” costume is supposed to be Native American. Which makes it even worse.
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Reanimated Horse
I’ve heard that many Native Americans prefer the term Indian. I can’t remember where I heard that, and I doubt it would be a popular perspective among readers of this blog. But does anyone know what I’m talking about? Or did I watch Smoke Signals once and take it as a documentary by accident?
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Nataly
I’ve heard the same thing, but it’s one of the time I err on not going with what the minority wants to be called, because Indian=person from India. It’s just a question of accuracy!
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Village Idiot
I’ve been told the same thing on several occasions by “Indians” themselves (Native Americans).
I guess Columbus was the one who started calling the natives “Indians,” but indígena in both Spanish and Portuguese means “indigenous” or “native” so the term may not be politically incorrect after all.
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Jeremy
While the Spanish did call them ‘indigenas’, or natives, they were also called ‘indios’, or ‘Indians’. Fray Bartolome de las Casas wrote a few books in defense of the ‘Indians’, ‘Historia de las Indias’, and ‘La Brevísima relación de la destrucción de las Indias’. There’s no etymological relation at all.
Here in Japan I see dogs dressed up in kimono and yukata all the time. I consider dressing your dog in anything to be demeaning, but I suppose it’s not so bad here if the Japanese do it.
I wouldn’t consider these pet costumes to be racist unless the costume is one that was used to demean the group in question. It’s not like there’s ‘blackface dog’ or the shalom pup has a big prosthetic nose. It’s kinda strange there’s no ‘priest dog’ costume, though. You’d think a reverend’s collar would be at least as popular as the Jewish one.
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wendelwall
The side of my family that is Indian/Native American always refer to themselves as Indian.
I’m read as white so can’t comment on a preference personally. If I’m talking to my family I say Indian, but otherwise I often say Native American for clarity.
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thewhatifgirl
I’ve known quite a few Native Americans and while I wouldn’t say they “prefer” the term “Indian”, my Native American friends do use it a lot more often than “Native American”.
That said, I still say “Native American” until the person I’m talking to indicates somehow that they are okay with “Indian”, and I try to call them by their tribe more than “Native American”. Each individual is different, after all.
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bobsfrankenbeans
We were told in my human origins class that those old anglos called native american’s “indians,” because of there presumption that they originated from south east asia – around India(ish), which has ‘proven,’ to be historically accurate… if not socially shunned. Then again, when you’re whole educational system is based predominately on highly educated white males (presumable christian) writing books about history and other cultures….
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I.AM.UNEDUCATED
I am extremely confused. To wear a traditional Indian outfit is wrong? Is your heritage not worth celebrating? In Canada, I know the government subscribed to your psychology and suppressed everything that to do with Native culture in the 20th century. The implications of that have caused a massive hole in the contemporary Native society.
I say, as long as there are good intentions, what is wrong with me, a caucasian, donning a traditional Indian costume during Halloween? Should I ‘physically attack’ any visible minority wearing a traditional European outfit? If you were to dress up as a Scotsman in a kilt/traditional Greek/western king/any other generic European Halloween costume, are you mocking my heritage???
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karinova
Seriously?
How is this a celebration of culture?
They’re just the traditional ignorant-caricature kids’ costumes, but applied to dogs. What are the “good intentions” there?I’ll grant that they’re probably not intentionally mocking these groups. But they’re just so shallow. It’s like, “Native American” just means “suede and feathers; how fun!” while ignoring the not-so-fun bits. As usual.* (I guess “What are you supposed to be?” “I’m a Cherokee who died on the Trail of freakin’ Tears. Aren’t you horrified?” would be kind of a downer.)
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* Which reminds me of those clueless people who tell me they “wish” they were my color. Because to them, being brown means one thing: never having to sunbathe. They’re like, “You’re so lucky, cuz you look really good in white clothes!” It’s just so… poorly thought through.-
karinova
Wait, how could I forget?
Better example:
Those people who tell me they wish they were Jamaican (like me) so they could sit around and smoke weed all the time.It’s that kind of shallowness.
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bobsfrankenbeans
Hey, at least you know they’ll have a wonderful dose of skin cancer when they’re older! (:/)
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Travis
No one. Seriously NO ONE wearing an “Indian” costume for Halloween is wearing anything traditional or authentic.
And even if you were to make 100% historically accurate clothing, IT’S NOT YOUR HERITAGE TO CELEBRATE.
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Reanimated Horse
I agree with your first point. But the second bit doesn’t sit right with me but I don’t know why. I mean, I do hear what you’re saying and I think it’s an important point to make. But then, how can we find harmony if we don’t celebrate each other’s heritages? Obviously a costume isn’t the same as celebrating heritage, not by a long shot. But… something seems sad to me about what you’re saying.
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I.AM.UNEDUCATED
It isn’t my heritage to celebrate? So when it comes to such cultural celebrations such as Chinese New year/Native Potlucks/etc, am I not allowed to participate? And should we extend that logic to places such as cultural community centres?
Each and every single one of us has a unique and beautiful heritage, none is superior or inferior to the other. CULTURAL HISTORY/CULTURAL TRADITION ARE NOT OWNED BY ANYBODY. It is wrong to bar one person from such things and allow another based on someone lineage. That is a form of discrimination. Is it not?
I am in agreement that there are many people donning these costumes with the wrong state of mind, with the intent of mockery. That being said, I am wearing an awesome ‘Native’ outfit this year. I, like many others are wearing ’semi-traditional’ costumes for the simple fact of how fascinating the specific culture is. Who/how are we to distinguish between the two by just a mere viewing of the costume?
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Alyssa
I think you may have just answered your own question. We can’t distinguish between the two with a mere viewing of the costume.
Most of the time people put on these types of costumes because it’s funny (to them) to wear a big sombrero and an oversized mustache, or a rasta hat with dreads, or suede fringes and some feathers, etc. Because of this, when others see you (especially minorities), they tend to assume that they are seeing what they usually see: just another person who thinks it’s fun to dress like those funny brown people.
Remember people can’t see your intentions, so your good intentions really don’t count for much. Like you alluded to, we can’t can’t tell the difference between those with good intentions and those looking for a laugh. So don’t be surprised when someone assumes (and treats you like) you are part of the group looking for a laugh.
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Nataly
There’s a big difference between mocking a dominant group (Christians), and a bunch of minority groups. You could make the argument for the Pope, because Catholics did face their bit of persecution, but as for regular Christians? A well-natured satire might be sacriligious, but it’s hardly the kind of dehumanizing offensive that these pet outfits are.
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I.AM.UNEDUCATED
So Christians are allowed to be subjected to mockery of their heritage? Who has the right to ‘Okay’ one culture and then protect the next?
Although I do not believe these costumes are offensive in any way, I will say this reference to your comment:
There is no such thing as reverse racism. Racism is RACISM. Not a single culture should not be the victim of racism for the actions performed by their ancestors. This prevents any progression within society!
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bobsfrankenbeans
Good point,
Jesus costumes are all the rage.
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bobsfrankenbeans
Also… I agree with the backwards racism comment… that phrase is totally racist in its own right. But making fun of Christians is hardly racism (only in that it’s not a ‘race’…).
Then again, what do I know, I had a kid tell me to go jump in an oven in the middle of a political debate in HS… and he was ‘just kidding,’ (I’m Jewish).
So what qualifies as acceptable tom foolery?
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cosmicdenmother
Racist, yes but don’t forget stupid and cruel.
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K
If you mean that it’s always cruel to dress dogs in clothing, I’d have to disagree. A lot of dogs enjoy the attention.
Plus, dog clothing can be practical if, for instance, a dog has sparse fur. My dog’s tummy is almost bare, and she clearly loves to wear her sweater in cold weather.
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Reanimated Horse
My dog being cute is one of the last joys in life that hasn’t been completely destroyed by my knowledge of how it affects culture. You can’t have him, sociology!! He looks precious in his birthday hat!!!
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Scapino
My dog will shake when he’s not clothed, from September through to about May. Dogs bred in warmer climates aren’t adapted to Ohio weather. He will excitedly bark and practically jump into sweaters/shirts when it’s cold outside.
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Linda
the only way they would see what you mean is if you dress a dog like the pope.
also, have you seen this one?
it’s beyond offensive.
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/80463467/-
Beelzebub
That’s hilarious. I think my favorite was when that sort of thing was done with with the political scene in Washington. I think there was one done for Greek mythology and also Shakespeare, too. It was awesome.
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Leah
The Aeneid facebook face is brilliant.
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Joe Marfice
If by “beyond offensive” you mean, “clearly intended to skewer with unsubtle attempts as offensiveness”, yep.
OTOH, my concept of a Supreme Being simply isn’t insecure enough to care about it.
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Village Idiot
the only way they would see what you mean is if you dress a dog like the pope.
Well, that’s the only way catholics would know what you mean. I’d just think it was slightly amusing but I also can’t help but wonder how such an indignity would make the dog feel.
And thanks for the link to God’s Facebook page; that was pretty funny. I guess if God doesn’t like it, He can take it down.
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I.AM.UNEDUCATED
That is pretty clever, I must admit.
I am boggled as to how anyone could be offended by such a well thought-out meme. It is a Facebook thread outlining ‘Genesis’. How is applying the Christian story of creation in a form that the youth identify with?
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caity
the only way they would see what you mean is if you dress a dog like the pope.
Ask and though shalt receive. (apologies to anyone offended by that)
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Joe Marfice
Can someone explain to me why “wearing traditional clothes” equates to “reinforcing stereotypes”?
If one dressed one’s dog in a polo shirt and faux jeans, and claimed he was a Mexican, the costume would require explanation.
OK, so maybe an inference at all to national identities is inherently offensive to some. Why? If a dog/child/grownup dresses in a lab coat with spiky hair, it’s a generic Mad Scientist costume – is that inherently disrespectful of scientists? If they dress in OD green with a weapon, are they encouraging discrimination against the military?
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Cynthia
The part of offensive that is difficult to discern is the intent. Someone could be mocking a culture in a costume — and someone else could think it was great and enjoying pretending to be of a different culture for one night. Just because they don’t know enough to do it well doesn’t mean they are intentionally being jerks.
I have a cultural heritage which is often poorly-represented in Halloween costumes. I could go on at length about the shortcomings of the costume versions, but I hope instead that some of the people using them might end up liking it and actually doing some reading in the future.
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Elena
If one dressed one’s dog in a polo shirt and faux jeans, and claimed he was a Mexican, the costume would require explanation.
Since they’ve dressed a dog in a stereotypical Mexican costume and called it Spanish, you’re not that far off. Same for the Chinese changshan trying to pass as a “geisha outfit”.
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karinova
Yeah, they’re pretty militantly confused.
The “Geisha Dog Costume” is then described as a “Chinese themed dog dress!” on the website. Oh, and: it’s referred to as the “Chinese Cutie Dog Costume” in the URL.I can’t believe they didn’t go for the hat trick and work “me love you long time” in there somewhere.
So cuuute!
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karinova
This is what I call the Artificial Flavor Fallacy.
You know how artificial grape flavor tastes nothing like grapes? It’s a super-concentrated, kicked-up version of real grape flavor (the chemical “highlights,” if you will) emphasized to the point where it’s not even realistic. But it’s a totally standardized, widely recognized representation of the concept of “grape.” Some people even prefer artificial grape to the real thing, which is kind of odd, but whatever, because fruits don’t care if their caricatures are more widely portrayed/recognized/preferred than they are.
Mexicans, who frequently wear polo shirts and jeans, do.
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I.AM.UNEDUCATED
Long time reader, first time commenter. Hahah.
I am absolutely appalled with your continuous over-analysis of traditional ethnic Halloween costumes.
A costume is a costume. Of course they are shoddy representations of the authentic traditional outfits, but so is every other pre-made Halloween costume. If people were willing to spend a couple hundred dollars on a costume, then perhaps it can be argued that the manufacturer of those cheaply made Chinese wigs should step away from the crummy-looking synthetic hair and push for a better quality representation of the traditional pony-tailed Chinese wigs. But given the current costs of generic Halloween costumes, authenticity is inversely traded for quality.
As for the pseudo-ization of the hundreds of North American Indian tribes into just a small selection of Halloween outfits, once again it is an economic issue. Are we to expect the manufacturers to research the vast/diverse culture of the Native Americans individually? Are they to expand their variety into 500 different outfits? Is this not an impossible task to expect from a costume manufacturer?
As well, I would be superbly impressed if even you (unless you have a degree in Native American Anthropology, in which case I apologize for my challenge, Haha), the writing staff can distinguish between the Northwest Coast Natives and the Great Plain Indians. The differences in dress, are minor. THIS IS AN EXACT PARALLEL TO THE GENERIC EUROPEAN MEDIEVAL COSTUME! Should I be offended that there are no distinction between any of the European cultures during this time? Does your psychology of feeling anger towards the pseudo-ization of the diversity of the Native American people warrant me to be upset that every European culture from the medieval ages has been reduced to a single culture?
Would it not be considered more racist to ignore the genre of traditional costumes? Should we sImply remove them from our society’s single day where we ‘dress up?
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Joe Marfice
I think you said it better than I.
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Village Idiot
Well, one thing that sort of stands out among the caricatures is that they are of cultures that the U.S. has either conquered or destroyed (or nuked), making them a bit like war trophies. We took what we found amusing about your country or culture and discarded the rest…
I’d be curious what the response would be if some Native Americans made and sold similar caricatures of white Americans or Western Europeans. My guess is there would be a lot of angry letters to editors of newspapers and blogs written by people who dressed their dogs up as a “Little Spanish Banditos.”
Stereotyping medieval Europeans may not be any less offensive than any other stereotype, but few people are likely to care since European culture (along with it’s troubled stepchild; American culture) unambiguously dominated the others. They ‘won,’ so it’s ok to make fun of them.
The whole issue also gets kind of messy because of the kind of relationships Americans have with their dogs. They are America’s Sacred Cows, but at the same time a metaphor for dirty, lowdown, depraved, etc. So, putting a dog in religious garb can be an insult to someone of that faith or it can be an indicator of how much someone of that faith loves their dog. Since discerning the intent of someone who dresses up their dog is difficult (though it’s safe to say they’re slightly nuts), it’s hard to say if it’s offensive in any objective sense. Then again, there’s no such thing as ‘objectively’ offensive so I guess we’ll continue projecting our own interpretations on to these kinds of things and the perspective that will prevail is a function of the dominant culture at the time. When that changes, so will the caricatures.
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I.AM.UNEDUCATED
You present a very formidable argument. I appreciate It is understandable how one can perceive these costumes as some form of a trophy, which itself is a very offensive perspective.
However, the ‘Little Spanish Bandito Costume’ represents the Mexican culture which has its origins in Europe. So to say that they were conquered/destroyed is false. And yes, Japan was nuked, but they have never lost their cultural sovereignty. As for the ‘Pup Shalom Dog Costume’, in history they were persecuted but through their tribulations they have evolved into one of the ‘big three’. To me, that persistence IS worth celebrating (Although I am not sure that dog is necessarily Jewish, Hahah).
Obviously, the ‘Indian Dog Costume’ has connotations fall under the argument you presented. To have 90% of the Indians wiped out by Europeans will go down as one of the darkest actions ever performed by humans, ever. But to keep their traditional costumes out of the festivities of Halloween, is an ignorant act. Why should we not allow the presence of their culture during Halloween? Of course, the representations of their culture via generic tacky halloween costumes are not whole in their traditional sense, but I truly believe wearing these outfits are an act of recognizing their culture.
Of course, there is a large difference between the signifier and the signified (that is the premise of this website after all) but finding these traditional outfits in costume shops is still much better than them not existing at all. These cultures, regardless of their current form, have beautiful histories worth celebrating.
Perhaps something else that should be included in this argument is the ‘Hippie Costume’, one the most generic/tacky/overused costumes we have today. The strong concepts attached to the Hippie movement (which possessed no racial barriers but was primarily white) such as Peace/love/anti-war have been stripped away from these outfits in the same sense the traditional outfits have lost their meaning. But why is the acceptance of the Hippie costume so widespread? We can even use this argument to popular costumes such as soldier/witch/farm animals which have all felt oppression/mistreatment at one point or another. Why is this strictly a racial and religious argument?
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katyhalo
Wearing a cheap, tacky stereotype costume counts as ‘recognizing someone’s culture’??
For one thing, why the f*** should minorities be happy to have ignorant white people supposedly ‘recognizing their culture’? Do you realise how incredibly patronising that sounds? I’m sure Native American/Indian people can get on with their lives and their real cultures just fine without white people exoticising and reducing them in the name of ‘recognition’. That’s as idiotic as one of you Americans putting on a bowler hat and a Union Jack tie and claiming that you’re ‘recognising’ my culture.
And another, how on earth are stupid and false stereotypes at all helpful in enabling people to actually engage with other cultures in ways which have real social benefits? Putting on some suede and tacky beads is just another way for white people to comparmentalise Native American culture into a cartoonish little box; it in no way enables actual engagement. Listening to people who are actually from a minority when they say ‘that thing is ignorant and hurtful’ and not telling them not to be angry about it or that it isn’t really hurtful is a way to start genuinely recognising someone else.
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nahui
I do not, obviously, speak for all mexicans, nor mexican americans (nor do mexicans and mexican americans always speak for each other)–
But. I’d be thrilled if americans had never bothered to “recognize” my culture by deciding to wear a wildly unrealistic caricature of me, derived from previous caricatures in the media, and not from any real, nuanced knowledge of the country that’s *right next door*. I’d love it if instead they gave it actual recognition, by learning enough about it to know that it does not have “its origins in Europe” in such plain terms.
Many aspects of mexican culture come from spain’s catholic, european identity, and others from spain’s time under muslim rule. Other important aspects of mexican culture come from the indigenous peoples in our territory, both the historic pre-columbian cultures and the ones currently living, breathing and evolving. Others come from africa, and have become part of our national identity after nearly 500 years of literal and cultural miscegenation.
Granted, in a sense you are right. Modern, spanish-speaking western-mindset mexico *is* like europe; it does dominate other cultures in its territory. and if today I had seen anyone partying dressed as a “huichol shaman” or “tarahumara warrior” I’d be as angry as I would be about seeing a “spanish bandido” costume on a college kid in the states (let alone a dog).
In another sense, you are wrong. The damage american intervention has done in latin america could make for an excruciatingly long(er) comment and plenty of debate, but the discrimination and exploitation that mexicans and mexican americans face in the united states is a lot harder to argue.
I wouldn’t demand that these “culture” costumes be stricken from existence and forbidden hereafter, but I can’t let them go uncriticized either. Even if the costumes were authentic, a real charro, a real china poblana, it wouldn’t erase the implication that my culture is something you can drape over yourself for a day, just for fun.
That’s also why, I think, “subculture” costumes like “hippie”, “goth”, or “punk” are less socially offensive. That look *is* something you can decide to wear for fun and take off for a job interview. They could still be *personally* offensive, if you run into an individual who is invested in the subculture, wears the clothes with pride and authenticity, and would not tone it down for a job interview; but that makes a better barroom debate than blog post.
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Reanimated Horse
I like your point about heritage not being a choice. Many costumes are based on lifestyles that are choices – and are often based largely on the way people choose to modify their appearances to reflect a point of view. Obviously, race and heritage are not choices, and as such “playing dress up” can be an intensely personal trivialization of these qualities.
It also strikes me that dogs in particular do not have a voice of their own. So in that way, it feels equivalent to the way women are often used as displays for clothing or points of view in ways that silence their voice or turn them into inanimate objects. For that similarity, I am saddened over the costumes.
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Matt K
So, in other words, “it’s the economy, stupid”?
“Does your psychology of feeling anger towards the pseudo-ization of the diversity of the Native American people warrant me to be upset that every European culture from the medieval ages has been reduced to a single culture?”
To put it simply, no. As VI put it, Western Europe won, historically speaking. There is just such a massive imbalance of power between European whites and most people of colour that trying to invoke the reverse scenario is absurd.
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Tim
White guilt is absurd.
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thewhatifgirl
As well, I would be superbly impressed if even you (unless you have a degree in Native American Anthropology, in which case I apologize for my challenge, Haha), the writing staff can distinguish between the Northwest Coast Natives and the Great Plain Indians. The differences in dress, are minor.
You don’t have to be an anthropologist specializing in Native American cultures to recognize that this: http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/brownbears/glacierbay/images/Tlingit_Haida_natives.jpg is a whole hell of a lot different than this: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/photos-nativeamerican/pawnee%20scouts.jpg Nor do you have to be an anthropologist to recognize just how flawed this caricature/costume of “Indian” is.
And it works the other way around. People really do think that that costume is what Native American people wear – assuming that they even realize there are still Native Americans alive today. My Native friends express to me all the time how sick they are of people assuming that they aren’t Indian because they don’t dress like that or live in teepees. And when you are dealing with a society with that level of ignorance – especially when it’s coupled with intrusive questions, being treated like a museum exhibit rather than a human being, and being told that you aren’t really what you say you are because you don’t fit someone else’s ridiculous stereotypes of what that means – costumes like the above are offensive, period.
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K
I can see how the Pup Shalom costume could be offensive, since it could be seen as disrespectful toward Jewish religious apparel. However, I just don’t see how the costume is an anti-Semitic caricature. It makes no reference to stereotypes about Jews. I get the feeling that the costume is mainly marketed to Jews who think it’s cute to dress up their dogs for Hanukkah parties or Passover seders.
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maljax
You said that better than I ever could have. I think you’re absolutely right.
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Edie
I think these are ridiculous and they make me want to put stuff on my cat. Not anything relating to anyone’s ethnicity or cultural heritage, just y’know, ribbons and stuff.
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Reanimated Horse
Me too. But in my case, cat = beagle.
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Jeremy
I’d say the mis-labelling of the costumes is the worst part of the whole ‘traditional costume’ part.
Just out of curiosity, would lederhosen be considered as bad as the ‘Indian’ outfit? Modern Germans don’t wear lederhosen any more than Mexicans wear ponchos and sombreros.
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Mona
Lederhosen are not comparable.
There is no racist element because its people are white and not a visible/exoticised/Othered minority in Anglo-Saxon countries. On a cultural level, what’s now Germany has not as such been conquered or oppressed (at least not since the Roman times, and only west of the Rhine, then) but constitutes a Western nation of certain power. There are further aspects, which others are welcome to point out.
I’d still roll my eyes at anyone who wears Lederhosen out of context and without awareness of the culture of the one region out of the sixteen Federal States it represents. But that doesn’t make it “as bad,” not by a (very very) long shot.
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Emma
Present-day Germany has never been opressed? What about the country being *split in half* for several decades by the conquering forces after WWII – what about the Berlin Wall?
I’m not convinced about your argument – when lederhosen are referenced by non-German Europeans, it is nearly exclusively as a form of ridicule – because, oh my god, the Germans are so incredibly unsophisticated, as the stereo-type goes. Germany is often characterised as being very low-brow, peasant-like, and unable to produce refined culture, and the lederhosen plays into that. There is a class issue as well, because high-class urbanites will often share the contempt for articles like lederhosen, ‘Heidis’, etc.
I know many Germans who are sick and tired of this form of mockery and of people who are like ‘omg, I can’t believe people actually wear lederhosen, that’s so funny, haha’.
All the horrible history and present-day power relations between Europeans and non-Europe aside, there’s also issues of ‘othering’ and cultural offense going on between Europeans themselves.
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Mona
I was waiting for someone to come up with World War II…
Your points are valid per se but do not detract from my argument, not to mention that the last one is de-railing the conversation (whether on purpose or not).
Or do you honestly want to compare very recent forced political and cultural re-adjustments after lost wars – not even to the ultimate detriment of the country in the last instance, I may add – to centuries and centuries of genocide, imperialism, and structural violence?
Because then, I’m afraid we have no basis for discussion.
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Elena
centuries and centuries of genocide, imperialism, and structural violence?
That’s incidentally a good description of the last three or four millenia of European history.
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Joe Marfice
Elena:
> > centuries and centuries of genocide, imperialism, and structural violence?> That’s incidentally a good description of the last three or four millenia of European history.
That’s incidentally a good description of the last three or four millenia of European, Asian, African, North American, and South American history. (I doubt we’ve been on Australia that long.)
Let’s not romanticize the innocent, noble savages/non-whites.
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Village Idiot
i>Present-day Germany has never been opressed? What about the country being *split in half* for several decades by the conquering forces after WWII
Well, the Germans brought that one on themselves. The bully doesn’t get to suddenly be the “oppressed” party just because their victim fought back and won.
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Jeremy
Umm, generalize much? Most Germans weren’t alive then and if they were, certainly weren’t of an age to do anything about it.
Like I said before, the labelling to me seems to be the biggest problem. The costumes would have to be judged on a contextual basis. If I (raised Protestant) buy the ‘Shalom pup’ gear for my dog, that’s probably a bit odd, but not outright offensive. If I start doing more with it, like chastising it for being ‘cheap’, as one of the commenters below said, that’s offensive. If I’m Jewish and I put that costume on my dog, should I be accused of anti-semitism?
As well, I’m a white American but I live in Japan. If I put on a men’s kimono for something, am I mocking the Japanese? I think you’d be hard put to say yes. If I take it back home and wear it to a halloween party there, should I be called out for it? What if I say I’ve lived in Japan and thought it would be fun to wear an outfit I can’t normally wear.
A lot of these costumes reference traditional clothing worn by various cultures. I’d say that unless people are actively being offensive, the costume itself should be considered neutral, aside from the obvious idiocy of dressing your pet up (I know, chihuahaus can get cold, that’s acceptable).
As well, a dog in lederhosen would be funny.
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Elena
I spent one academical year in Munich, and yes, you see the odd middle-aged person randomly wearing trachten in the street… although they’re the very subdued, practical everyday-wear dirndl, and the men usually skip the lederhosen and keep to the loden wool jacket with a matching hat.
Of course, people outside Bavaria don’t wear Bavarian trachten, and every region has its distinctive traditional costume. So assuming your average Berliner wears a lederhosen would be hilariously wrong, too, something akin to dressing in a Texan stereotypical cowboy costume and saying you’re a New Yorker.
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angie##eiggA
Yes, these are perhaps cheap and ignorant ans not so serious portrayals of how some people in USA might feel about cultural stereotypes.
But honestly, how is a cultural stereotype in relation with race itself? Cultural does not equal racial. Or are the dogs itself supposed to represent people of different races? Would that black dog dressed up as a “jew” portray a black Jewish person, for an example?
Actually, the only one of these pictures that really bothers me is that “jew” puppy because it associates religious symbolism with dogs.
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karinova
I find it kind of interesting that when it comes to the classic tacky Halloween costume, everyone reverts to “Indian” instead of “Native American.” Someone mentioned above that “Indian” may in fact be preferred, but I hadn’t gotten that memo, and I doubt many others have. So I’m surprised the manufacturers would “risk” it. But they seem to, every year.
To me, it makes it hard to miss the throwback nature of the costume itself.
It’s a total anachronism. It’s “Indian,” as in “Cowboys & Indians.”
As in, the Indians are the bad guys; bang bang.I would imagine that not everyone is nostalgic for that.
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Brian
Context of the speaker is really important, though. Indian is certainly the correct-est term in Canada; Native American is a non-starter because American connotates “from America” not “from the Americas”; legally, a status Indian is a member of a recognised Indian tribe as recognised by the Department of Indian and North Affairs under the authority of the Indian Act. First Nations is used to denote Indians, Inuit and Metis as a group, so some’ll substitute it when they mean Indian, but the terms aren’t interchangable.
Similarly, Eskimo is the preferred term in the States; as a Canadian, I wouldn’t touch it with a 3.3 metre pole.
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Jenn
See, I could see how these could fail to be racist. I’m a Jew, and if I wanted to dabble in animal cruelty and stick my cat in a skullcap, it would be funny in that kind of in-joke way. “Ha, I’m Jewish, and now my cat is too. Sweet.”
But this isn’t an in-joke. This isn’t people dressing up their dogs so as to insinuate that they have a similar identity to their owners. This is wholesale cultural appropriation and trivialization, plain and simple. I expect someone dressing their dog as a Jew for Halloween to make cracks about it being “cheap” when it snaps at other dogs trying to take its bone.
The Jewish one is probably the least offensive of the lot, even though it’s a pretty sad misappropriation of holy religious attire to the clothing of animals. The rest of the costumes feature ethnicities that have been ritually destroyed, plain annihilated, or plainly prosecuted in some point, or for all of, American history.
I mean, if I think about people who are the offspring of people who oppressed Jews, who still oppress Jews, and have carte blanche from society to oppress and villianize Jews dressing up as Jews for fun, I’d see red. Shit would hit the fan and people would be sorry. Think of a bunch of totally unrelenting Antisemites putting that shit on their dogs. Shit, think of Ahmadinejad. Now tell me that you think that is appropriate.
As someone who lives in Arizona, I’m pretty much aware that the land I live on was once owned by either a Mexican or a Navajo, and the reason they or someone like them still doesn’t own it is because Americans did some genocidal or war shit. So me, dressing my dog or myself up like a Mexican or a Native American, and a totally insulting stereotype of them, is just beyond pale. It’s way out of line, and totally insensitive.
Seriously, anyone who fails to see how utterly offensive this stuff is blind. Whether or not I choose to be offended by it is immaterial. Even if I cashed in on my privileged and pleaded ignorance, doesn’t change the fact that this is racist and offensive. Because unlike some, I’d aware of the fact that what makes something offensive and racist doesn’t begin and end with my self-centered ass.
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Village Idiot
But this isn’t an in-joke. This isn’t people dressing up their dogs so as to insinuate that they have a similar identity to their owners. This is wholesale cultural appropriation and trivialization, plain and simple. I expect someone dressing their dog as a Jew for Halloween to make cracks about it being “cheap” when it snaps at other dogs trying to take its bone.
Interesting. I don’t see that at all, and I’d expect most if not all of the people who dress their dog up in that Jewish costume to be Jewish and think it’s absolutely adorable. If someone really does want to be offensive to Jews AND they love their dog, I’d expect them to dress their dog up as Hitler since that would be totally unambiguous.
As someone who lives in Arizona, I’m pretty much aware that the land I live on was once owned by either a Mexican or a Navajo
Mexico was a conquering State just like the U.S., but the Navajo never owned any land in North America. They certainly lived on the land and had for many generations, but the concept of ‘ownership’ of land in the sense that we understand it was not part of Native Americans’ traditional culture. That’s a subtle but important point that bears on the ease with which native tribes were separated from the land they occupied. And “Navajo” is an arguably offensive term, btw. They traditionally called themselves “Diné” but somewhat reluctantly go by “Navajo” (when speaking English at least) since few people seem to care about what other cultures prefer to call themselves.
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Fangirl
My intent is not to derail the conversation at all, though I am going off topic, but I would like to point out that the “blind” metaphor is ableist (something that’s come up on this blog before).
Okay, back on topic.
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Jenn
Man, that’s not derailing, that’s my fail. I apologize. I never even considered that, and that’s utterly my fault and my privilege talking.
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angie
[quote]Seriously, anyone who fails to see how utterly offensive this stuff is blind. Whether or not I choose to be offended by it is immaterial. Even if I cashed in on my privileged and pleaded ignorance, doesn’t change the fact that this is racist and offensive. Because unlike some, I’d aware of the fact that what makes something offensive and racist doesn’t begin and end with my self-centered ass.[/quote]
I would say that things like this are profoundly offensive. But when it comes to claiming that this racism I tend to disagree to some extent. The things that these costumes portray are not necessarily about actual racial qualities of people but more like cultural stereotypes. Personally I am a bit bothered by this who race thing because in order to make a deal out of it you need to classify people in “races” based on some pseudo-scientific criteria such as colour of skin or whatnot.
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Village Idiot
Jeremy: Umm, generalize much? Most Germans weren’t alive then and if they were, certainly weren’t of an age to do anything about it
Sure, I generalize all the time just like everybody else.
And I guess there was some confusion about what constitutes “modern day” Germany; as far as I know there were a whole lot of Germans alive in Germany during WWII and though many certainly did try to oppose the Third Reich the whole country still gets the blame, fairly or not. I didn’t invade Iraq and I opposed the war before it even started, but as far as the rest of the world is concerned “America” invaded and I’ve never seen a footnote naming all of us who didn’t want “America” to do that. So it goes.
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Terry Stone
When you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail. You want to see disrespect, that’s what you’ll see, and I can’t help what going on in someone else brain. I can tell hate when I see it and this wasn’t hate – not by a long shot. Silly, funny, trival, yes. Mean, cruel, dissgusting – NO.
We’re ALL minorities!!! Every single one of us. We need to get over ourselves and see the love and joy in life, not hunt and peck for possible slights. The pictures of the dogs were sweet. They didn’t look disrespectful. (If you wanted to dress up your dog in a respectful manner, how would they look any different?)
Geeze, I’m a screaming, bleeding heart liberal, have been for 50 years, but this is just a bit to trival! Isn’t there anything more urgent to focus our engeries on?
If you’re a hammer, every thing looks like a nail.
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Village Idiot
Uh, I think it’s the commodification of reducing other people’s culture and/or heritage to a caricature that merits analysis more so than any one of these particular costumes. For example, “disrespectful” is relative and subjective, and so may be worthy of discussion as opinions may differ.
Speaking of commodities, I’d like to know where you bought the rose-colored glasses you see the world through. Saying “we’re ALL minorities!!!” sure resolves a lot of issues rather tidily so I’d like to be able to see things that way too.
Anyway, nails don’t have much say about what happens to them sort of like people who lack much (or any) political or economic influence. I doubt you’d argue against the fact that such people exist, and we generally refer to variously-defined groups of them as “minorities.” If the dominant group in a society can be called the “hammer,” I’d imagine it’d be a bit insulting to the nails if they not only had to endure being hammered all the time but then on top of everything else also have to watch hammers dress up as fake nails (or even better, dress up their dogs) and laugh about it.
The wisest Professor I ever had once said “A liberal becomes a conservative in twenty years without changing a single idea.” I not only thought it was a nice play on words, I’ve also seen it to be true. Life’s really sneaky that way.
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