Native Americans Ask Store To Remove Costumes

By Laurel Morales
Published: Wednesday, October 31, 2018 - 4:23pm
Updated: Wednesday, October 31, 2018 - 4:29pm
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A group of Native Americans recently protested a Phoenix-based lingerie store for selling a line of costumes they call dehumanizing.

Several people stood outside Yandy headquarters shouting, “People, not costumes!” Amanda Blackhorse, who is Navajo, delivered a petition with more than 25,000 signatures asking Yandy to remove 50 costumes including “Sexy Pocahontas” and “Tribal Trouble” from the online retail site.

Blackhorse, who is a social worker, said the fake buckskin fringe costumes are offensive because they perpetuate violence against women.

“Native women are 2 1/2 times more likely to be victims of sexual violence in their lifetimes,” Blackhorse said. “Most of the time the violence is inflicted by a non-Native. And so when we see these overly sexualized costumes of stereotypical Native women, that doesn’t do anything to progress us forward.”

Yandy didn’t return requests for comment.

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