Another Kardashian transgression to add to the (growing) list: E! Online posted this pic of the Jenner girls with Kourtney Kardashian and Mason, taken at Mason’s 2nd birthday party back in December. Looks like they were uber creative and went with a “Cowboys and Indians” theme. Wow. Adding insult to injury is the fact that E! used the headline “Cute Alert!“–I, personally, don’t find racial drag “cute”.* If little Mason and his mama were sporting some blackface, would that be “cute”? (Answer: no. A Cowboys and Indians Party is just as bad as a Blackface Party)
Here’s how they “came up” with the theme (via an interview in OK! Magazine):
How did you come up with the Western theme for Mason’s party?
Kourtney: Actually, Scott came up with it. We were just walking in the Hamptons, and he said, “Let’s do cowboys and Indians.” I thought it was cute, so I made Mason a little cowboy.
So many points for creativity! ::eyeroll::
But there’s a bigger issue here. I really don’t know what the Kardashians have against Natives, or why they seem to be so obsessed. As a proud Armenian/Cherokee, I don’t appreciate one of my cultures denigrating the other. It creates confusionz in my head. But let’s list off some of the Kardashian fails in the past year or so, shall we?
October, 2010: Khloe sports a headdress and tweets the message “I love playing dress up!”
August, 2011: Khloe has a sexy headdress photo shoot, with an accomanying tweet “What do you think of my tribal look?”
October, 2011: Kourtney and Mason dress up as Indians for the Dancing with the Stars halloween episode
November, 2011: Kris Jenner uses the term “Indian Giver” on national television to signify that Kim won’t be giving her ring back to (other) Kris. (She says it at about 2:58 below)
December, 2011: Mason’s 2nd Birthday Party has a “Cowboys and Indians” theme
…and I rest my case. The Kardashians definitely make it to the worst offenders list.
Earlier:
Oh No, Khloe Kardashian
No Khloe, I do not like your “tribal look”
Kris Jenner uses the term “Indian Giver”
*Though my sister and I think Mason is adorbs…did you see the Kardashian Xmas card? His baby GQ pose! Squee!
Comments
Um, because they are vapid and have absolutely no creativity (and thus the ability to come up with their own ideas)?
Firstly, if they wanted to go with the western theme, why not just have a cowboy party? Second, I agree, Mason is adorable.
offensive people… on many levels.
Next years theme: Trail of tears party….
As an Armenian I’d just like to point out that for the majority of us the Kardashians are nothing short of the trashiest embarrassment we’ve ever seen. It’s sad to think that they’re the first thing that comes to many people’s minds when they hear the word “Armenian”; needless to say I’m pissed as hell that my culture and heritage has been hijacked by these fame-hungry circus freaks in the mainstream media.
Also, awesome blog. I didn’t understand the concept of cultural appropriation to begin with, but then I considered how people would react if (for example) it were fashionable to have ‘Jew parties’ in Germany and people dressed as crude racist caricatures, or if girls in Turkey wore Pocahottie-style Armenian ‘costumes’ to drunken parties. To think the same is acceptable in relation to Native Americans is almost surreal. Keep up the good work, Adrienne.
(side-note: Cherokee-Armenian? How did that happen? What a crazy mix! Brilliant!)