Paris Hilton dressed as a “sexy Indian warrior princess” for Halloween at the Playboy Mansion.
It’s hard to stop the rush of thoughts careening through my head at this moment. I can say the first thing that came to my mind was Andrea Smith’s book, “Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide.” Here’s an editorial review of that book:
In Conquest, Smith places Native American women at the center of her analysis of sexual violence, challenging both conventional definitions of the term and conventional responses to the problem.
Beginning with the impact of the abuses inflicted on Native American children at state-sanctioned boarding schools from the 1880s to the 1980s, Smith adroitly expands our conception of violence to include environmental racism, population control and the widespread appropriation of Indian cultural practices by whites and other non-natives. Smith deftly connects these and other examples of historical and contemporary colonialism to the high rates of violence against Native American women—the most likely women in the United States to die of poverty-related illnesses, be victims of rape and suffer partner abuse.
Essential reading for scholars and activists, Conquest is the powerful synthesis of Andrea Smith’s intellectual and political work to date. By focusing on the impact of sexual violence on Native American women, Smith articulates an agenda that is compelling to feminists, Native Americans, other people of color and all who are committed to creating viable alternatives to state-based “solutions.”
Damn. The Paris Hilton Halloween fiasco set the stage for every imaginable Indian stereotype and insult, ranging from this Paris Hilton video noting her “feathery outfit doesn’t weather the powwow,” to “red Indian witch” to…. I need not say more.
So, here’s my thoughts before I close. Anyone with a voice, a computer and a commitment to ending violence against American Indian women should make it clear to Paris Hilton that it was a bad idea to dress as a “sexy Indian warrior princess,” as described by Us Magazine.
Let’s end the violence.
Jodi Rave
