A sincere question to our African American posters.

[musicblind]

There was one time, years ago, when I was at a nightclub. I saw a huge Tina Turner fan sing her songs live while dressed in drag.

He wore a dress similar to some of her iconic dresses and performed some of her distinctive dance moves.

He did not darken his face or hair in any way.

My question: How do you feel about someone dressing as a favorite African American celebrity if they do not darken their face or hair and are doing so out of deep admiration? Is this still considered blackface and, even if not, is this hurtful to you?

I hope that question does not offend. It is something I hadn't thought of until now, and I am asking it in humble sincerity, hoping to be better educated and informed.

[Afromania]

1. Go for it. An celebrity impersonation is fine without coloring yourself.

Ask this question. Is there any other group people feel the need to color themselves in for during dress up time as regularly as black folk? It's a general statement, not really for the OP exactly. In any case, the problem is the same as the n word, and the hate that spawned them. Just don't do it or try to defend it in others.

[DonCoquixote]

2. lil kim liked this costume miley did

http://www.mtv.com/news/1716628/lil-kim-miley-cyrus-costume-review/

because miley did NOT go blackface, but simply dressed in a way that was reognizable as Lil, kim. It can be done.

https://ew.com/article/2013/11/01/lil-kim-miley-cyrus-halloween-costume/

[Mike Nelson]

3. Interesting question...

… I've seen Tina Turner impersonated several times on TV shows. She is a favorite to impersonate...

[EffieBlack]

4. I have no problem with it.

[uponit7771]

5. I'm cool with no black face because over black face represented

[underpants]

6. Marking to see responses

Thanks

[JT45242]

7. Had discussion with my MAGA father in law about just this tonight -- surprising result

First, I am not an African American poster here. I am a white man who spent 15 years working in an integrated church going through reconciliation and anti-racism training with my African American brothers and sisters. I know about the struggle. I have worked with some great leaders in the Civil Rights movement like Dr John Thompson.

We were talking about this for about half an hour. My father in law has evolved into a MAGA. He voted for Carter and Clinton. But over the last 25 years, his love for shooting sports and the incessant blather of the NRA and Fox News have twisted a man who once stood up to racists. But we talked about this -- is darkening your face ever OK? He was originally trying to justify the Fox news woman who was Diana Ross for Halloween.

I stressed that even in costumes -- some things are so offensive that they can never be treated as acceptable: black face, Nazi uniforms, and KKK costumes being the best examples of items that are so infused with hateful baggage that under no circumstance would they be acceptable.

He asked, what if I want to show my support and admiration for Jackie Robinson? Is it OK to wear his jersey? Yes. Is it OK to wear the hat? Yes. Is it OK to darken my skin so that people know which "42" I am trying to honor? I am not talking blackface like a minstrel show, I am trying to look like him.

My response: "Nope. Under no circumstance is it OK to darken your face because the baggage of minstrel shows and all that black face entail are so heinous and so painful to be never acceptable."

He then asked, what about a halloween latex mask of an African American?

My response was that could show who you are being without the hateful history of black face. You are honoring without using something that was meant to degrade.

He said that it makes sense.

Unfortunately, my MAGA mother in law --- just said "I'm sorry I even brought it up."

You can reach some but not all. Remember that we are fighting ignorance -- sometimes willful and sometimes oblivious -- but there are MAGAs who can be reached. I say this knowing that this is probably the first time that I reached my MAGA father in law in at least 3 years.

I'll defer to others who have lived the struggle their whole lives to give a more definitive answer. But I thought this was something that the DU audience should hear.

[Polybius]

8. I went as Barry Bonds for Halloween once

I did not wear blackface, because it's racist. I did however wear a SF Giants uniform and hat, his trademark dangling cross earring, and carried a baseball bat. No one said anything to me about it being inappropriate.

[jrthin]

9. I have no problem with impersonation. Northan says he blackened his

face to impersonate Michael Jackson. Yet, during the eighties and early nineties lots of white kids imitated MJ, his gloves, his bedazzled shoes, etc. I don't think the black community gave it a second thought, they understood impersonation for what it was, an art form. Not a means of degrading and mocking a race of people. Those white kids didn't have to need to blackened their faces because they were showing their admiration for him as an entertainer.

[musicblind]

10. I want to thank the people who replied to this thread.

There are too many to thank individually, but thank you all so much for informing me.

I had truly wondered, and I got great answers.

I've always known blackface was deeply offensive and why, but I was not sure about the other scenario. I've always figured the best way to know something is to ask. Thank you for letting me ask, and thank you for taking the time to tell me!

PS. To the person who linked the Miley Cyrus costume. I loved that Lil Kim outfit. I remember seeing it live on TV as a kid. I gasped when Diana Ross reached out for Lil Kim's you know... lol That moment burned itself into my brain forever. It still makes me smile. Only Diana Ross could do something like that and live to tell the tale.