Kilts and costumes

[gilmore]

To suggest that the kilt is a costume(on occasions eg Halloween)just shows ignorance of Highland attire.You will do what you will do with your kilt and that is your right.Please bare our sensitivities in mind and might I strongly recommend that you do not visit Scotland and tell us the kilt is a costume!

I agree with you completely. A parallel would be wearing blackface and tap dancing, and not understanding why African Americans might be offended.

[Monkey@Arms]

I agree with you completely. A parallel would be wearing blackface and tap dancing, and not understanding why African Americans might be offended.

I'm not so certain I buy into that analogy. Since you are discussing the issue in the abstract, not the merits of any particular costume, I think the parallel is between someone renting a kilt and PC to dress up as a "Scotsman," and that same someone dressing up as a German in liederhossen and a Tyrolean hat, or as a Frenchman in stripped t-shirt, beret and cigarette, or for that matter a European dressing as an "American Tourist," with loud shirt and camera. While all involve stereotypes (as do many Halloween costumes for sale such as "hippie" "goth" "punk" etc.) none carry the racial baggage, and history of discrimination, as a white person dressing in black face.

Since just wearing a kilt, would not be "dressing up" it would not work as a Halloween costume for me, but I did do the Braveheart-face-paint-sword-thing last year. By the same token, I respect Chef's views that the perception of kilt as costume is one of things that stands as an obstacle to its acceptance as daily wear.

Best regards,

Jake

[Roan Carter]

I'm not so certain I buy into that analogy. Since you are discussing the issue in the abstract, not the merits of any particular costume, I think the parallel is between someone renting a kilt and PC to dress up as a "Scotsman," and that same someone dressing up as a German in liederhossen and a Tyrolean hat, or as a Frenchman in stripped t-shirt, beret and cigarette, or for that matter a European dressing as an "American Tourist," with loud shirt and camera. While all involve stereotypes (as do many Halloween costumes for sale such as "hippie" "goth" "punk" etc.) none carry the racial baggage, and history of discrimination, as a white person dressing in black face.

Be real certain about the brutal history of Gaels and kilts before you commit yourself to that opinion. We tend to recall recent, local history more vividly.