Is It OK For Kids To Dress Up As Moana?
It’s almost time for Halloween!
Redbook says, “It’s on you to teach your kid not to be racially insensitive. Maybe Don’t Dress Your Kid Up As Moana This Halloween?”
It’s mid-October, which means Halloween is just two weeks away, which means it’s way past time to decide on a Halloween costume for your kid. Chances are, you have a child that is enamored with all things Disney and wants to be all of the princesses. All of them! Especially Moana.
The New York Post recently highlighted an article on raceconscious.org about how that’s probably not a good choice if your kid is white, and revealed that “moms are freaking out” over the culturally appropriative costume. Needless to say, the Post’s coverage has only amplified the debate around what does, and doesn’t, constitute cultural appropriation. Last year, Disney came under fire for its Maui costume, which depicted the demigod’s painted brown skin. The company ultimately pulled the costume in response to the uproar, telling Entertainment Weekly in a statement that “The team behind Moana has taken great care to respect the cultures of the Pacific Islands that inspired the film, and we regret that the Maui costume has offended some.” The Maui question may have been settled, but this year, there are plenty of tweets out there asking the internet (and Lin-Manuel Miranda) if it’s OK to dress as Moana for Halloween. Read more at Redbook.
