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Would it be cultural appropriation?
So I'm a white European (family is from Italy) and I heard that dressing up as a culture or religion is racist. Mainly minority groups but I've heard some about certain countries. Basically I want to dress up like I'm from the rennisaunse or medieval times at Halloween and I'm wondering since it's apart of my culture would it be bad?
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don't know where you heard that, but it sounds like you've run into someone, several someones who are spouting their own views and assumptions as if they're the truth or they are passing on the views and beliefs of someone else they heard it from. Some of the simplist easiest dress ups is to dress as the opposite of what you are sex wise and race wise. So my husband dressing up with all his friends as females for one Halloween would have been 'looking down on women? A costume a person wears for one day is not a statement of what they believe in their heart towards other people. We live in a world so scared of saying or doing something that according to society is considered inappropriate or breaking a law of personal rights, that instead in some areas we go overboard in being cautious to avoid getting caught up doing something distasteful to another person or race or religion. And thats what we have in your case.
Wear your medieval or rennaissance costume and enjoy it. Likely you are unaware of many big festivals near big American cities cross the country that are all about that time period and including anything about fantasy themes, so fairies and satyrs are part of it. These are called Renaissance faires and I have attended one each year in my area.
I am including a listing of the ren fairs from Wikipedia in case anyone gives you flack for dressing from the renaissance period.
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
The fun thing about such fairs that mostly occur during summer months, is everyone who attends comes in costume or buys a costume there to change into. Thats half the fun, people watching and taking photos. The majority of attendees are adults. If you enjoy dressing up in Renaissance clothes and want to experience it again, not just at Halloween, you might try looking for the closest Ren Fair to you and attend it next year and I think you'll soon see for yourself that the singers, the jousting and other handiworks are nothing more than a re-enactment of a long gone by time period and a fun way to spend a weekend.
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It's not being part of the culture that makes that okay.
It's okay because it's no living culture, and no ethnic group, places any importance on that dress or time period, so you will not be appropriating the practices of or reflecting stereotypes of any group.
The religious and cultural realities of the renaissance are gone. By dressing up like a generic 'renaissance' person you aren't punching down at someone who is trying to claim their culture or hold on to their religion or language. Most of the major religions and cultures are still going strong today, and they have no connection and place no importance on the clothes of the 15th century. That way of dressing is no longer anyones religious or cultural practice.
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Hi. I'm not sure if I entirely understand your question so if I am wrong in this please do let me know. If I understand you correctly though I don't think dressing up like someone from a specific era would be a problem. I have seen many people dress up in medieval gear for fancy dress and Halloween parties and it's never been an issue. I don't think any of this can be classed as being racist. The best thing to do is use your own judgement on how you dress up. For example, dressing up like some dictator from history may not go down too well and neither would dressing up as some religious figure - all these things some people or groups of people may find racist or offensive so it's just best avoided. Simply dressing up like someone from some era (medieval, renaissance, stone age, ancient Rome or whatever) in my opinion isn't racist at all and shouldn't really be a problem. If you have doubts then check with someone, like family, to see what they think.
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