A blogger in the USA has hit out at parents who let their children dress up as Disney’s Moana and Elsa at Halloween saying they are causing huge offence.
Parenting activist Sachi Feris has written about how costumes of Moana are insulting to Polynesian culture, while dressing up as blonde haired, blue-eyed Elsa from Frozen promotes “white beauty”.
The matter was debated on today’s Good Morning Britain where British writer Radhika Sanghani said she thought Sachi was right.
She said parents and their children were “mocking” Polynesians by wearing their native outfits as fancy dress.
Speaking to presenters Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid, she said: “Moana is based on Polynesian cultures in the South Pacific who have faced oppression and discrimination.
“There is still racial discrimination against these people. To dress up in their native dress as a costume is mockery and offensive.”
Viewers were up in arms about the suggestion, with many taking to Twitter to say it was ridiculous to believe the costumes caused offence.
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Representing their view in the studio was Julia Hartley-Brewer who said she thought the whole thing was “insane”.
She said: “My ten-year-old daughter is white. If she dressed up as Moana it’s not her mocking or being disrespectful, it’s her dressing up as a brilliant, strong role model who is her favourite film character. She does not see colour.”
Addressing Radhika she said: “Most children don’t see colour and you’re saying they should.”
Richard Madeley, standing in as co-host for Piers Morgan this week, pointed out the contradictions in the arguments over what is offensive.
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He said: “If a white child dresses up as someone from a different race they’re told it’s offensive but they’re also being told if they dress up as someone of their own ethnicity with an Elsa costume, they are promoting white superiority.”
The matter was discussed ahead of Halloween tomorrow, where many children will dress up and go to parties and Trick Or Treating as the Disney characters.
Blogger Sachi urged parents not to dress up their children as Moana, writing: “If we are going to dress up a real person, we have to make sure we are doing it in a way that is respectful. Otherwise, it is like we are making fun of someone else’s culture.”
She also advised them to avoid Elsa costumes stating: “I feel like because Elsa is a white princess, and we see so many white princesses, her character sends the message that you have to be a certain way to be ‘beautiful’ or to be a ‘princess’.”