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Post by shanni on Oct 28, 2014 14:37:06 GMT
I was searching for costumes for my teen daughter and came across a "Soul Surfer" costume. For those who don't know, Soul Surfer is a movie based on a young woman who was attacked by a shark while surfing. She lost her arm in the attack, but survived it and is quite inspirational in how she has handled it all. Is it just me, or is this costume in poor taste? I was pretty surprised when I came across it, but there are several versions of it, so I'm wondering if I'm just being a prude/too sensitive about it? What say the peas? Here's the costume in question:  |
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Post by Zee on Oct 28, 2014 14:48:29 GMT
Is that young girl in the picture also missing an arm? If so, maybe she's just dressing up like a hero of hers. If they just put her arm in the suit, then yeah, I don't know about that.
I guess it also depends on the intent, whether it's supposed to be "funny" or whether it's supposed to be a tribute to a really brave role model. Since it's not obvious which, I'd tell my kid to think up something else.
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Post by whopea on Oct 28, 2014 14:54:34 GMT
In poor taste. It needs the surfboard to make it work and how in the world are you supposed to hold out your bag and get candy while holding a surfboard?  |
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Post by moveablefeast on Oct 28, 2014 14:56:19 GMT
If it's "I want to dress up as Bethany Hamilton because she's awesome", thumbs up from me.
If it's "I just want to dress up as that chick who got her arm bit off" or "I want to be a surfer who got bit by a shark", I'm not as comfortable with it.
Do you think people would get who that is?
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Oct 28, 2014 14:56:55 GMT
I tend to think of the intention. There are a lot of young girls really inspired by this movie. The 8-11 year old girls at my church really look up to Bethany; I bet it has come up in conversations (and not about the Amazing Race) four times in the last two weeks within my ear shot. They also mentioned her on Girl Meets World last week. I much prefer our kids dressing as a real life hero than a zombie or vampire.
That said, I think this would be in better taste if it wasn't presented with the shark-eaten board. Same costume but with a full board to show that she is still surfing.
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Post by shanni on Oct 28, 2014 15:07:32 GMT
Is that young girl in the picture also missing an arm? No. Sorry, I should have clarified that. In the costume description the mom says that the daughter just tucked her arm inside the shirt, holding it behind her back. |
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Post by ChicagoKTS on Oct 28, 2014 15:19:11 GMT
I think this is one of those that could so easily be taken wrong and be offensive. The costume might be intended to be emulating a real hero and meant in a very nice way or come-off as being in very poor taste. Why go down that road?
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Post by scrapcat on Oct 28, 2014 15:20:11 GMT
I agree with Jennifer, could be like idolizing her.
This morning I saw an article which pictured a young kid (maybe 5/6?) with a Ray Rice football jersey on and holding onto a doll by the hair. I can't imagine how one parent could come up with that, let alone possibly two or more people letting a child out of the house. It looked as if he was outside at a halloween parade or contest.
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Post by anxiousmom on Oct 28, 2014 15:33:44 GMT
In watching Bethany in the Amazing Race, I am so impressed with her. She been handed what could have been a devastating loss, and turned into something awesome. She seems not only physically strong, but she appears to be kind and resilient. The Amazing Race tends to show true personalities, and to this point, she seems happy and treats people well.
So I don't know about the costume. If it is meant to be a tribute? Then yes. But the shark bitten surf board kind of makes me think it has been taken in a direction that feel more parody than tribute.
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Post by shanni on Oct 28, 2014 15:33:44 GMT
See, and this is why I asked. I love the different perspectives here. I would most certainly prefer that my daughter emulate Bethany than say, Katy Perry. I just am very uncomfortable mimicking the disability, KWIM? It just screams poor taste to me. It would be different if the girl was actually missing an arm, but to pretend to be missing an arm? It just feels wrong to me. I am, however, willing to give the mom and daughter the benefit of the doubt that their intention was good, and that the girl just wanted to dress up as her hero.
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Post by shanni on Oct 28, 2014 15:35:04 GMT
This morning I saw an article which pictured a young kid (maybe 5/6?) with a Ray Rice football jersey on and holding onto a doll by the hair. I can't imagine how one parent could come up with that, let alone possibly two or more people letting a child out of the house. It looked as if he was outside at a halloween parade or contest. Wow. My jaw dropped on that one. That is horrible. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2014 15:36:00 GMT
I'm sort of torn. At first thought, it doesn't bother me, although it is not a costume I'd let my children wear.
But I can see how it could be perceived to be mocking or making fun of someone.
Now, if she had a shark prop, and blood all over her -- that would definitely put it over the top for me.
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Post by myshelly on Oct 28, 2014 15:52:56 GMT
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gina
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Post by gina on Oct 28, 2014 15:55:49 GMT
She has a bitten surf board, and to me, that kind of is the same thing (re: shark prop).
I wouldn't let any of my kids wear it.
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Post by myshelly on Oct 28, 2014 15:56:31 GMT
There is no doubt in my mind that the Rice costumes are beyond offensive.
The Soul Surfer I'm torn. I think the conflict comes from the fact that on the one hand you shouldn't do anything that could be seen as mocking a disability, but on the other hand Britany is an amazing girl that lots of little girls legitimately and with good reason look up to. I can see how the little girl wearing that costume genuinely thinks it's a compliment to someone she idolizes. I think her intentions are good and therefore have a hard time finding it offensive.
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Post by anxiousmom on Oct 28, 2014 15:58:33 GMT
I am sorry, but there is NEVER an okay time to go in black face. Ever. I am not okay with the Ray Rice costume on so many levels-the idea that domestic violence is okay to parody, the black face...it disgusts me.
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bethany102399
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Post by bethany102399 on Oct 28, 2014 16:05:49 GMT
This was my gut reaction too. It's all in the intention. As someone else said if it was gory it would be falling to far into parody, but as it is, I wouldn't find it offensive, but can see how others would. It's a fine line.
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Post by bc2ca on Oct 28, 2014 17:05:10 GMT
I think Bethany is a great role model, but the costume is in poor taste.
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Post by momstime on Oct 28, 2014 18:03:38 GMT
I wouldn't dress EXACTLY like Bethany, but a shark victim would be the perfect Halloween costume for me. Halloween is about nightmares. Getting attacked by a shark would be my perfect nightmare. I don't think I could go without a limb all night, but some serious make-up bite marks on my legs and arms would be amazing. I'll have to remember that for next year. For the record, I never put my kids in scary costumes...well, besides the gorilla costume me oldest wore in fifth grade. He looked real and scary. They are all adults now.
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Post by red88 on Oct 28, 2014 18:52:59 GMT
I love Bethany! But this costume is just stupid. As for the shark....my 3 year old grandson is going as the coolest shark I've ever seen! His trick or treat bag is a bucket I made that says 'chum bait'. I hope that doesn't offend anyone  |
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Post by krc11 on Oct 28, 2014 19:24:02 GMT
Poor taste. But then my DD said she wanted to go as an ebola patient. I told her in no uncertain terms, no.
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perumbula
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Post by perumbula on Oct 28, 2014 21:26:39 GMT
Borderline. I think it can be done for the right reasons and if I saw one out and about I would give the child and her parents the benefit of the doubt.
But who the heck destroys a boogie board for a costume? Those suckers are expensive. I guess a surfboard was too expensive to destroy so they had to make do with what they could find?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2014 21:45:22 GMT
Why not just dress as a surfer instead of a particular person?
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Post by jumperhop on Oct 28, 2014 22:02:49 GMT
Aweful
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Post by workingclassdog on Oct 28, 2014 22:23:21 GMT
I can see both sides... here is a little story I have shared before... my six year old loves the movie Soul Surfer and enjoys seeing her on Amazing Race.. that said... she likes to play Soul Surfer in the bathtub... CRAZY I know, she likes to lay on her tummy and swim with 'one' arm... I have no idea why she does this (although at her age she doesn't 'get' how bad the real thing was)... but she thinks Bethany is awesome and I guess this is her way of showing it.. (although I laugh my head off when she isn't looking)...
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Post by hop2 on Oct 28, 2014 22:53:57 GMT
Ok, so if the costume wearer is actually missing an arm of their own...I'm certainly giving them a pass. I'm with beach gurl. If the costume wearer is missing an arm i'll give them a pass otherwise, very poor taste. But theres usually at least one with poor taste out on halloween, never fails. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2014 23:05:19 GMT
On the costume website in the description for that particular photo the child's mom states that her daughter chose to dress up like Bethany Hamilton as a tribute to her. Not sure if the intent makes a difference. The Ray Rice costume is in appallingly bad taste  |
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Post by Erica on Oct 28, 2014 23:18:46 GMT
That is in very bad poor taste.
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Post by melanell on Oct 28, 2014 23:24:52 GMT
The Ray Rice ones are just awful.
The Bethany one I can definitely see being done out of sincere admiration for her. But I definitely think people could take it the wrong way, and I think the shark bitten board tends to make it leans closer to the "wrong" way in my own mind.
I think if she went in that same outfit with a full board, people who knew of Bethany would absolutely know who she was.
If, say, my child had to dress up as someone they admired for a school project, I would be totally okay with her hiding her arm to portray Bethany, but I would tell her to skip the bitten board.
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Post by Charlotte on Oct 29, 2014 0:21:29 GMT
Speaking as the the only Pea (I think) with one hand, I find absolutely nothing wrong with this.
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