A city councillor in British Columbia says an online mob of “extremists” and “politically motivated hackers” is responsible for uncovering and publicizing a photo of him wearing a blackface costume to a Halloween party in 2007.
Colwood Coun. Ian Ward on Monday addressed the photo in a statement on his X account after the picture, which was originally published on a personal family blog, surfaced on social media in recent days.
Ward acknowledged he posed for the photo wearing a Washington Bullets basketball jersey, a gold chain and a wig, with his teeth coloured gold and his hands and face painted black.
Grew up in Virginia in the 90s and early 00s, and black face was definitely something people knew was racist.
However, my foster brother’s elementary school hosted a costume party for thanksgiving one year, where you had to dress as either a pilgrim or an Indian. :/
Yeah, Indians and pilgrams were more acceptable; and, tbh, I still think it could possibly be considered acceptable if handled correctly, however neither kids nor their parents would likely put the effort in to do it right, so maybe it’s for the better that “pilgrams and Indians” is dying out (I could also just be starting to get old and out-of-touch though, but I’m not that old; I’m trying to stay up-to-date I swear ;~;).
However, I also remember that painting your face to change your skin color for the purpose of imitating another race, regardless of your original color, was considered wrong (at least it was in my family) because it was a form of discrimination (this actually caused me a lot of confusion when I became aware of the idea that not all discrimination is equal, and that some discrimination is considered culturally acceptable if it’s “punching up” or meant to even the playing field between races, cultures, sexes, etc).
I don’t remember it too well, but I highly doubt it was handled well at all. On another occasion, I went as an Indian for Halloween one year*, but my parents were working that day, so I went to Awanas (a sort of church thing if you’re not familiar) for a few hours before trick or treating. Turns out, Awanas doesn’t allow costumes, but let me stay. As the only kid in costume. While the rest of them were super smug about not being in costume, and the main church dude spent the whole time talking about how Halloween is evil. No one even mentioned the racist ass costume I was in.
*Yes. With dark make up. I was 9. That was also the last year I ever dressed up for Halloween. My dad still doesn’t fully get why that wasn’t an okay costume. My mom didn’t understand at the time, but does now.
I was also a hobo one year. Maybe we should start vetting kids Halloween costumes. Or at least mine.