Russians in occupied Crimea have banned American superhero costumes for the holidays. The “leadership” of the kindergartens of the Ukrainian peninsula did not allow parents to choose costumes of Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, minions, etc., for New Year’s festive performances.
Educators suggested residents of Crimea “be inspired by the plots of Russian folk tales.” Parents are forced to choose images of Russian bogatyrs [strongmen] and Snegurochka [Russian Father Frost’s helper] for their children, writes the Crimean project of the Ukrainian service of RFE/RL Krym. Realii (“Crimea. Realities”).
“We are in kindergarten for the first year, but we were forbidden to wear all these Spider-Man costumes and the like for the festive performance. Only the heroes of Russian fairy tales. All our girls, for example, will be snowflakes,” a mother from Kerch said.
American superheroes allegedly do not fit into the leitmotif of children’s holidays and Russian folk tales, said one of the preschool educational institutions of Crimea.
In some kindergartens, the scenarios of the holidays provide that the girls are not just dressed in the images of “Russian beauties,” but their costumes should be stylized according to the type of Russian folk painting – gzhel.
“In certain gardens, that’s exactly what parents were told: not just a Russian beauty in red flowers, but in a blue gzhel ornament. And the boys are in old Russian blue collared shirts,” said the company that rents out suits.
Crimea’s occupying “authority” assures that no official recommendations were given to kindergartens, and preschool institutions allegedly made decisions independently.
Cover: сanva.com
