Controversy at Canadian university over use of sumo suits
Controversy over the use of inflatable sumo costumes:
Sumo suits, the plastic novelties that can transform a skinny sports fan into a comically unstable sphere for the delight of a stadium audience, are racist and dehumanizing instruments of oppression, according to the student government of Queen’s University.
They “appropriate an aspect of Japanese culture,” turn a racial identity into a “costume,” and “devalue an ancient and respected Japanese sport, which is rich in history and cultural tradition.” They also “fail to capture the deeply embedded histories of violent and subversive oppression that a group has faced.”
The Alma Mater Society yesterday published a two-page apology and cancelled a food-bank fundraiser scheduled for today, which was to feature two Sumo suits. The letter scolds the student government’s own executive for “marginalizing members of the Queen’s community” and failing to “critically consider the racist meaning behind [the fundraiser].”
Some do not agree that the use of sumo suits should be considered offensive. Of the two blog posts that came up on Google News about this topic, one called the Alma Mater Society a bunch of “PC Nazis” and the other said that they had “crossed the line” is becoming too sensitive.
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