Viewing 10 reply threads
New Forums
  • Author
    Posts
    • #348263
      Anonymous

      So the simmering volcano of racism has erupted once again.

      Sad to see and hear, but we in The Great White North have it in spades as well, we just hide it better. Just three years ago some deranged Ottawa cops beat a confused man of colour to death in full public view wearing reinforced fighting gloves.

      Yesterday our increasingly shaggly coiffed and bearded leader, Justin Trudeau very rightly, honorably and solemnly noted the troubles to the south and then acknowledged our own less overt but manifold race problems here in Canada.

      My question is simple. Is is acceptable to crossdress in a style other than your ethnic or racial reality?

      Two halloweens past I dressed in a rather Japanese/asian stye, and another time in the traditional feminine folk style of my own heritage. I am half Ukrainian. (somehow this felt really right).

      Both times I got very rude and frankly racist comments.

      And in far too many instances confusion over my last name have provoked the insulting question “are you…..German?”.

      We are going nowhere fast.

    • #348315

      Let’s consider what we’re saying if we say it’s not acceptable to dress (crossdress or no) the way that someone of another race or nationality dresses. Because I’m white I should only dress like a white person. That automatically means that a black man should ONLY dress like a black man. There’s no way in you-know-what I’M going to tell Ben Carson this fantastic news. I don’t think I can run that fast any more.

      Because who gets to decide what the different races are and are not allowed to wear? Sorry Dr. Carson, because you’re black you can’t wear grey, black, or blue suits. But hey, you can wear all the eggplant colored suits you want. And sorry Dr. (Michio) Kaku, because you’re Japanese you can’t wear western clothing. Can I interest you in a nice kimono?

      There will always be small minded people out there who can’t accept anything other than what they know and believe. I like to joke that my father thought (not really but that’s what it seemed like) there were two ways of doing things: his way and the stupid way. When people like this show their true colors I like to vent that sometimes I hate my species. But then I remember that there are a lot more people who don’t like those kinds of people too. Then I’m glad I’m a human.

      I know what you mean about your last name. My name is Americanized Polish. My grandmother (born in NYC but raised in Poland) told me that my grandfather changed it from our older name because ours is as close as you can get in English to the original Polish name. It doesn’t end in “ski”. Only the last names of the nobility ended in “ski”. Too many times when I would tell people that my last name is Polish they look at me like I’m lying. More than a few have strongly hinted at that.

      I think that the big problem here is people these days are hypersensitive about too many things. I honestly think that if Dr. King was alive today his reaction would be “calm down people”. After all, and I’m sure if I tried I could find the exact quote, his comment on civil rights was pretty much “it’s not a black thing or a white thing, it’s a people thing”.

      Sorry, I know this reply is all over the map. I’ve seen buckshot more tightly grouped. But hopefully you understand what I’m trying to get at here.

    • #348415
      Amy Myers
      Baroness

      That I think is a nearly impossible answer to give. Offence is what the other person takes. If you are white, and are trying to appear as another race, someone might tale offence, but as Amber said, people seem to be hypersensitive about things.

      My take on it is, if you dress in a style you like, then why not? If you dress in a style to parody some other race or culture, then that could be considered offensive, perhaps rightly so.

      Our country and our neighbour’s countries, are supposed to be free. Of course that is such a relative term, none of us are free, we have to abide by various social norms to make our society work.

      You mention the increasing shagginess of our Prime Minister. He at least is setting an example by not getting his hair cut if the rest of us can’t either. However the exception seems to be the news presenters on TV, which male and female seem to all have nice haircuts. What do they know that Mr Trudeau doesn’t?

      Amy

    • #348426
      Anonymous

      Harietta,

      We are currently plagued by a PC culture which seems to be actively searching for things about which to be offended. I can’t explain it because I can’t comprehend it
      As for ethnic cross-dressing: If it’s for monetary or political gain, it’s wrong! If it’s a means to ridicule, it’s wrong. Otherwise, why not? It may be a form of tribute. Do we not emulate GGs because think so highly of them? Anything wrong about that?

      Bettylou

    • #348544
      Stephanie Flowers
      Ambassador

      I wasn’t going to get into this thread so all I’m going to say is,,,, enough is enough!!!!!grow up and accept the fact everyone is different but again we are all the same. We’re all human beings with each deserving their rights to be who they are,  in color,  in faith or even in our gender. So treat each other as how you would like to be and live everyday with peace and happiness. 🌷

      • #351749
        Anonymous

        Can’t argue with that, Stephanie.

    • #351757

      I am not an expert, but the short answer to your question is “no.” Unless you are a member of that culture it is wrong to appropriate elements of their dress or style. There is a reason for this obviously, as a White/Caucasian person we have privileges not afforded to people with slightly different names or even slightly different skin toned persons.

       

      For example, should someone of colour take elements of our fashions this is considered “fitting in” or “being modern” because of cultural imperialism. Our native culture is dominant worldwide to the point where it is expected business persons will wear suits and shake hands like we would anywhere in the world.

       

      When we copy or take elements of other cultures and incorporate it into our outfit or as decoration we do not include the social/cultural meaning associated with it. Many elements of indigenous or black culture are spiritual or reflect the history of oppression and suffering. Ignoring this is massively disrespectful and an exercise of our power as white people. If we complained they would have to stop, but when we do something that affects them they have to think twice about complaining to us to stop. This is the issue; what we do affects other greatly, yet they have no say in it.

       

      This is not to say we have not all suffered by virtue of our shared experience as cross dressers, or by virtue of other difficulties in our lives. Rather it is to say that certain groups as a whole experience negative things when we make thoughtless choices that do not affect us.

       

      P.S. Black/Brown face is not considered a “tribute” to a culture. It’s offensiveness is derived from racist minstrel shows in the 19th century that made jokes based on racist caricatures of people of colour.

    • #352540

      I make a distinction between cultural appropriation and cultural sharing. Granted the distinction may be hard to make at times and a certain degree of sensitivity, on both sides of the issue, is needed.

      The past 50-years in Canada has been a rather strained searched for a ‘National Identity’ beyond the Francophone-Anglophone divide that has resulted in the sense that what makes Canada different is the (supposed) acceptance of cultural diversity. It would seem that to share and even adopt aspects of other peoples would be cosmopolitan, unifying and beneficial.

      After all you do not have to be Quebecois to enjoy poutine. You do not have to be Scottish to wear a kilt (which is not all that traditionally Scottish actually). I do not feel that kimonos should be ‘restricted’ to the Japanese.

      As to feminine clothing I, for example, often wonder why we do not have the explosion of colour and patterns exemplified by African ladies. Fashion is something to be shared but not exploited.

      Araminta.

    • #353027
      Anonymous

      Rasism? – apparently this refers to a minority group if (rude) remarks made by one from a majority group?.. you find unfortunately rasism all over: when I studied in U.K many, many years ago, if you are not native in the country and speak with an accent you are frequently a bl…dy  foreigner, in France if you do not speak French properly (which was my case when I first come 40 years ago, some officials treated me like an “underdeveloped person”…), when working in Africa, then frequently cursed being white (specially in french speaking countries), if you read a travel guide to a big city in north east Europe it is recommended for a person of colour not to go out at night… and so on. Even today in many countries persons from an other area with different accent is not treated same way – have a home address which is not having a good reputation or a family name which sounds foreign (difficult to pronounce).  Fortunately when dressing as a female I have so far not experienced any problems having travelled as “Helene” in most European countries, although I always chose upmarket restaurants and hotels and try to “blend in” and avoiding crowd of youngsters!  So to conclude, rasism is not appropriate in my opinion whether related to colour of the skin, race, religious belief, the way one is dressed, accent when speaking, etc

      • #353068
        Anonymous

        Thank you, Helene! Although (sadly) there is too much racism in the WASP population, we by no means have a lock on it, as the mass media would have you believe.
        Despite being a son of the Old South, I was somehow spared from this curse. I did suffer other prejudices, but life as a CD has taught me that these are also unacceptable.

    • #353273

      Everybody has been so good at keeping their comments civil I thought I’d sum up my feelings with a little humor. I know it sounds a little mean at first blush but hopefully you’ll realize what it’s actually saying.

      Years ago I saw a  t-shirt in a catalogue that said “Prejudice is stupid. Especially when there are so many good reasons to hate somebody.”

      Not that I ever advocate or condone hate, mind you.

    • #353319

      Racism is never acceptable but it is also not an exclusive of people from a caucasian background.

      Whilst living in a predominantly Asian part of town I had messages spray painted in walls about how people liked my skin and wanted to touch it. That didn’t feel good.

      Not linked to the above, I will sometimes wear a niqab and hijab whilst driving as its impossible to identify who one is when all one can see of them is their eyes. I have to say, I quite enjoyed wearing the niqab – really comfortable and warm in the colder months.

      Take care girls.

      Anne-Marie.

    • #354035
      Stevie Steiner
      Managing Ambassador

      At first I read your question and think, of course racism isn’t appropriate.  Then I see the clothing part…..

      Sadly it’s  a society where we have to concern ourselves with that.  My opinion?  Fine.  I would be showing my respect for the culture by wearing their ethnic clothing.  I have pure German heritage and have no issues with people  joking about ” them krauts” or whatnot.  As long as there is no hatred in it.  That’s what I would be feeling anyway.  You know, imitation is the greatest form of flattery and all that?  Whatever happened to the honesty of that saying?

Viewing 10 reply threads
  • The forum ‘General Chat “Life as it Goes On”’ is closed to new topics and replies.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from Crossdresser Heaven.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Log in with your credentials

Forgot your details?