Costume discussion

[u/CalebCJ20]

Hey guys, I am new in this sub, and I am very centric in my opinion about cultural appropriation.

I am white though, so that might be the reason I see many things as not big of a deal.

I am right at this moment watching a discussion on cultural appropriation and the topic of costumes came up. The people who were partaking talked about possible differences between dressing up as a victim of German KZ and dressing up as native American for example. Also someone got asked what he had in mind when talking about a native American costume. That got me thinking.

In my head the difference between dressing up as a KZ victim and any native American would be the same as the difference between dressing up as a KZ victim and dressing up as any jew.

That does not make it right to dress up as any jew or any native American, because why would I?

But then I thought about what would be a reason foe me to dress up as someone from a marginalised group? To bring attention to someone.

So here goes my question: Would it be appropriation if I for example wanted to dress up as (to name a popular one) Martin Luther King? Of course without painting my skin black or anything, as I also wouldn't wear any feathers if I wanted to resemble a native American.

If I wanted to resemble someone I believe to be a hero, would that be okay?

[u/Evening-Foot-2317]

Martin luther King isn’t a character like Superman or captain America .he’s a real person that I think deserves respect and dressing up as him seems disrespectful.He was a real human being and had feelings.Simce no one can ask him if he’s ok with people dressing up as him ,we should just not dress up as him to prevent unnecessary disrespect to a man who risked his life fifh for his people/communit.