Is it offensive to dress up as Pocahontas?

[Anonymous]

I understand why it is considered offensive to dress up as a native American "indian" as a costume. Would it also be inconsiderate for someone to dress up as Pocahontas, as she is an actual historical figure and a disney character as well?
I personally feel like it would be okay considering you would be dressing as an actual character and person rather than just using an entire culture as a costume, but what's your opinion?

[EpicDweeb]

I don't think either one would be seen as problematic personally. I disagree with the notion that turning a culture into a child's costume is in some way demeaning. If anything it can be a teaching tool for children to learn about other cultures and the importance of them. In other words, it pays homage to them. Just as a child would dress up as Optimus Prime or Elsa for Halloween, in other words, as their favorite fictional characters who they love and are excited for, I see no issue with a child dressing up for Halloween as their favorite historical character or as someone from a culture they find fascinating. When people ask that little 3 year old boy "what are you dressed as?" He can tell them "I'm dressed as a Hawaiian warrior!" and show his appreciation for the culture. That's my view on it at any rate. Plus, I find it humorous the double standard that is set in place. If a kid dresses up in a kilt as a Scottish highlander there would be no outcry of cultural appropriation. But... if a kid dresses up as someone from ANY HISTORICALLY NON-WHITE culture... well that's a horrible thing that should never be allowed and the child should be ashamed for cultural appropriation... I know I'm exaggerating but you get the point, it seems a little silly to me.

[EpicDweeb]

Thanks for the MHO :)

[OlderAndWiser]

Are you talking about dressing up like this woman?

I don't understand why it is offensive to dress up as an Indian. No offense is intended so why is it fabricated?

[douchebag27]

lmao

[Jackp0t777]

Who is offended actually? Like Chris Rock said there ain't even enough Indians around to be in the Thanksgiving parade they have to use a puerto rican guy with a feather in his head.

[Anonymous]

I can’t speak for Native American people, but I think it would be ok. Pocahontas is a historical figure, but also an iconic Disney character. Just make sure that it’s clear that your costume is based off of the love of the character and not appropriation of Native American culture. “Indian” costumes are offensive because often times they include headdresses and make of mockery of important traditional objects. The fact that they are called “Indian costumes” is insulting in itself. Don’t add a headdress, don’t put on brown or red makeup, don’t imitate Native American dances, don’t add feathers or anything like that. Stick to the Disney design, act like you have some sense, and enjoy your costume.

[Wonderer89]

I just can’t get behind this cultural appropriation hooplah being spun these days. I don’t see anything offensive about dressing up or using a style that has historically been attributed to a specific race or culture when it’s done positively/respectfully.
I saw something on social media the other day, like a how-to where a white girl was removing her dreadlocks and oh. my. god the comments were a joke. The literal outrage people had, both for the fact a white girl was wearing them in the first place but the also to call them dreadlocks? The horror! 🙄

[cavmanier]

It's amazing where they get that crap from. As like a 3-5 year old I thought "cowboys and Indians" were like my favorite thing. I had a birthday party themed that way where we all dressed up. I would have never guessed people would be offended by this. By their logic why are modern day clothes only allowed to be worn by whites since they came from white culture? It doesn't make sense. I'm surprised society caters to the 5% of imbeciles that are offended by this.

[SapphireFox]

I think a lot of this overly pc crap is BS! My family comes from Austria and I wouldn't care if you put on a dirndl or leiderhosen. I think overwhelming people don't care, but there will always be an overly sensitive person who is offended by everything. Hell, if we didn't dress in ways that were inspired by different cultures, we would be incredibly limited in our clothing options. I think a lot of times it's a form of flattery or love of a different culture to mimic their traditions and fashions as long as they are being used in a positive way.

[cavmanier]

The "progressives" that feel this way tend to have very pessimistic views in general so it's normal that they assume the worst of the intentions of those wears the clothes.

[MlleCake]

She was a real person, not a Disney character. Yes, quite offensive.

[SjE78]

no it's only offensive if you mean to poke fun at cultures or historical figures... if you are doing it for a party or reenactments or to show respect for certain people/periods/events then it is not offensive...

tbf people get offended over so much these days... do what you want and as long as you dont intend to mean offence to others or harm then ignore those who have an issue

[Spiritwander]

Ummm... okay, I'm sorry to whoever made up her name in the first place, but I can't sit by and watch this kind of stuff anymore...
(I have a hobby of neurolinguistics, and I noted in the story of Pocahontas, that her name - presumably given to her by the white men - didn't match any of the labials of the actual Native American languages dominant at the time (Crow and Blackfoot)...
Then finally I figured it out... (but it won't make you happy to hear)

Poc (Poke)
a
ho
(YES, that IS "Poke a ho")

NT
(= new transfer)
AS
(= astral servant)

"Modernized" Translation: "We picked up a new girl and made her our bitch."

Now do you understand why I hate Disney for making little girls want to be like her?😡

[_Jay_]

please kill yourself

[Spiritwander]

Sorry. "Suicideproofing" was my elementary school.

(But about now, I'm guessing there's a cadre of people intensively studying your poor choice in wording and all of your associations)

Because I have a secondary hobby of teaching machines how to identify hostile intelligences - which is literally the easiest job in the world.
It literally writes itself... Thank you for your time! 😉

[_Jay_]

So you admitted to being stupid?

[Spiritwander]

Only if you're looking in a mirror.

[_Jay_]

Sorry i dont own a mirror. Some of us do actual work for monet that can't buy you mirrors xd

[Spiritwander]

... and waste company time on non-work related postings, I see...
(Should we see if your boss knows, too?) 😏

[_Jay_]

Im not at work right now... its half 8pm... i dont work 24 hours a day.

[Spiritwander]

😑 Lucky you. 😑

[_Jay_]

Lucky me indeed

[Spiritwander]

You'd have to be with manners that start out with "Please kill yourself"...
(Luckily, luck can be a fickle mistress)😅

[_Jay_]

... i mean you're a bit dense and stupid but like not hopeless so maybe get help instead of kys would've been better? My apologies.

[Spiritwander]

Well, I will admit to being dense...😅
(But why I am that way would take more than these internets to hold)
But what you think intelligence is is hardly consequential to anything.

And other than knowing what you're referring to with KYS (?), I'm *absolutely riveted* to discover what help your perspective would allow you to perceive of "my needs", let alone their states of address or deficiency...

But by all means, the writers love a good challenge making character where none exists, so by all means, continue! 😁

[_Jay_]

Wow thanks for the encouragement but i do get that often... so I don't know... say something new maybe?

[Spiritwander]

How about "maybe new"? (The double entendre alone expands the potential set)🤔😁

[TenderFantasy]

Nope! If I felt like dressing up as a beautiful Native American woman, and had the funds to buy an expensive costume like that that I'll most likely only wear for that one day (Halloween)? Then yeah why not! They wouldn't sell it in Costume stores if it was considered offensive. People are too snowflakey nowadays it's really sad!

[RickBardock]

As someone who has crafted a Pocahontas skirt for an ex-girlfriend, I would say it's perfectly acceptable. And as a cosplayer and role-player myself, anyone can be anyting they want to be in this world.

[UchihasLove]

The people that get triggered by such thing can be offended because they feel their culture is being disrespected or the culture is used for a coverup for innocent children who has no knowledge of the backstory of this character and the history.

Disney always portrays a happy ending to their films and main characters which is historicaly highly inaccurate. Many historical characters or fairytale characters actually die or been killed in the end.

Similarly Pochahontas was a native American who was a preteen many years younger than John Smith. Disney mentions none of the history that Pocahontas was captured in the colonial town for the ransom of the chief releasing colony captives and weapons and that she was converted to Christianity under her captivity.

[BobSansMal]

I think it's ok to dress up however you want. It's impossible to not potentially offend at least one other human. I do believe a polite person wouldn't pick a costume deliberately to offend, but I also think it's stupid to worry about inadvertently offending.

[GuidoThePizzaMaker]

I remember the whole point of costumes was to be something you are not for a short period of time

Depends on where you are going
If it's a Halloween party with friends and family no one will care

I kissed a girl dressed like Pocahontas 3 Halloween ago

[Porcelaine]

Yes those were the good times. Now everyone is so fcking sensitive

[GuidoThePizzaMaker]

@Porcelaine I think people will realize how ridiculous all this is and go back to normal

[Porcelaine]

Yes there was a trend where everyone got sensitive and enjoyed putting people ''in their place'' now hopefully a new trend is coming where everyone will point out how ridiculous that is

[InTimoreDei]

Nobody is asking if it is offensive to dress up as a leprechaun/irish person nor a German folk costume (lederhosen/drindl) yet people wear those all the time when they are not part of those cultures.

If those are ok then so should pocahontas.

[InTimoreDei]

Downvoter hates white people and think it's fine to appropriate our cultures for Halloween.

[VIVANT]

As Pocahontas specifically it is racist bc the story portrayed has nothing to do with her actual life. It’s fabrication that undermines what she and her people stood for and went through , created to put colonialism in a good light and turn a profit. They pimped her out posthumously. That’s it.

[DuskDanger]

If you are worried about a outfit such as a mexican or indian or something else usually offensive just make it extremly specific and its not offensive anymore. I want to be dressed as a indian then i research 1 specific chieftain and learn as much as i can about him.

[Miristheiss]

No.
If wearing costumes is occuring (a party), it is not offensive.
Only uptight, miserable people who live to be offended by everything find stuff like this offensive.
They fail to see the madness of "it is ok to dress up like person A, B or C but bad to dress up like D and E.

Just treating all people the same isn't something they understand.

[Atryn]

Everyone is offended by everything nowadays, but i don't really think dressing up as Pocahontas would cause any problems. Just go for it who cares what they think.

[winterfox10]

What you are saying is true, but the thing you need to remember about the Native Americans is that their ENTIRE CULTURE has been boiled down to a few characters, and white washed symbols used in the media. Who they are as a people has been destroyed. So you dressing up as Pocahontas is like taking that one last little thing away even more

[HomoFuge]

No not really. It's just a costume. People just want to get offended over everything.

[GreenGold1992]

people are way too sensitive these days, I think as long as you're dressing up by paying homage and respect, it shouldn't be considered offensive, even if you're a different race.

[motownplayer2000]

I don't think it's offensive per say, so a school play, or something where it's bring honor and dignity to the name of the person they are portraying. If they are using it for Halloween or something like that.. I can see it being more offensive, because that's meaningless and pointless. And not helping anyone learn anything about anything

[AtramentalIvory]

I think it would be fine to dress up as Pocahontas, as long as her race is not the costume (dressing up as Pocahontas -> fine, dressing up as a different race -> not fine).
You seem to have this down already, though, so kudos to you.

[lrichl]

Nope, let people wear things from other cultures. It unifies us.

[weasley8]

The issue is that the Disney story isn't accurate. It was fabricated by John Smith, and actively contributed to the oppression of Native Americans for years, as it still does today.