Kelly’s ‘blackface’ remarks stir Halloween costume debate
Diversity of today’s fictional characters challenges parents
PHOENIX — NBC talk show host Megyn Kelly’s comments about blackface on Halloween have reinvigorated a debate over costumes that cross racial lines and what’s appropriate at a time when diverse movie and TV characters like “Black Panther” have become hugely popular.
The issue has reverberated across social media, from magazine articles about whether “Black Panther” is an OK costume for white children to protests against costumes that perpetuate Native American stereotypes. Social media debates have focused on whether political correctness is spoiling the spirit of the holiday.
The fallout was swift for Kelly, who questioned on her show why dressing up in blackface for Halloween is racist: NBC said Friday it was canceling “Megyn Kelly Today.” She found little support from her NBC colleagues, including Al Roker who called on her to apologize to people of color nationwide. He later was asked on Twitter if a woman’s white son was OK to dress as his idol, “Black Panther.”
“Sure he can. Just don’t try to wear dark makeup on,” Roker wrote.
Others chimed in on the thread, including Jeff Schwartz, whose white 7-year-old son also wants to don the Marvel character’s vibranium suit.
“We should encourage our kids to have black heroes whether they’re white or black kids. That’s healthy,” Schwartz told The Associated Press.
Some articles warn white parents away from such a choice, arguing that Black Panther’s race is essential to his identity.
Elise Barrow, a black mother of three in New York City, said she and her husband tried to persuade their 5-year-old son to be Black Panther, but he opted to be a dinosaur instead.
“Kids want to be what they want to be. I’m not going to prevent them,” Barrow said. “If my son wants to be Captain America, I’m not going to say no.”
A similar issue cropped up in recent years with the animated features “Moana,” set in ancient Polynesia, and Pixar’s “Coco,” which centers on a Mexican boy and his family. A few months before “Moana’s” November 2016 release, Disney pulled a costume based on the character of Maui, voiced by Dwayne Johnson. The ensemble included a brown bodysuit with Polynesian tattoos and a faux-grass skirt. Some argued that it was off-putting to have a child wear the skin of another race.