When it comes to dressing up for Halloween, children normally like to dress as someone they look up to. Some want to be super heroes and others want to be princesses, but what happens when their parents say it is "not appropriate" for these kids to dress as one of these characters?
I recently read an article on Cosmopolitan about how it is inappropriate for children to dress as characters like Moana unless they are from that descent. Can we talk about how ridiculous this is? That is like me saying you cannot dress up as a cat for the fifth Halloween in a row because it is offensive to a cat.
When a child wants to dress up as a character like Moana, it is because they look up to that character. If you ever watched the movie, you would see that Moana is one of those Disney princesses that is not afraid to get dirty and make a name for herself.
Isn't that the type of person that you want your daughter to look up to?
I would much rather my future child look up to a character that will teach them to be strong and independent than to depend on someone else. I would want them to know that they can do anything they set their heart to, even when people tell them no.
Why would you want to interfere with that?
The discussion of these costumes is around race. To be honest, race should not matter. If a little girl wants to put on a headband, skirt and top to look like Moana because she adores her, let her do it. Not everything in this world has to be a race issue.
Instead of telling her that is "inappropriate" for a reason she cannot control, tell her that that it is ok. Tell her that it is a great idea to dress up as such an empowering character.
Before you know it, the person she chooses to dress up as at Halloween will be the person she becomes.
