Halloween has come and gone, and another season of festivities is among us. Some view this holiday as an opportunity to dress up as their favorite childhood characters, adorn their houses with spiderwebs or watch scary movies with friends.
With the presence of Halloween, comes the question of whether or not we dress up, and if so, then as what? While this year, I saw my fair share of the usual suspects (angels, cats, witches, etc.), I still saw sprinkles of ignorance when taking note of those who still choose to dress as ‘Native Americans’ or ‘Mexicans’ for Halloween.
It is important to acknowledge that each year, the statement ‘Wear a costume, not a culture’ circulates around Instagram stories, Facebook posts and even school posters. But what does this mean and how do we dress responsibly? What makes a costume inappropriate?
The idea is simple: costumes or makeup that perpetuate harmful stereotypes or demean any marginalized group are unacceptable. The idea of appropriation or derogation extends past the ideas of only culture or race. It is important to remember that these things come from misconceptions and misinformation.
If you choose to dress up for Halloween,
DO:
- Wear something that makes you feel comfortable.
- Express yourself in a way that invites fun rather than uneasiness.
- Be creative!
- Celebrate safely.
DO NOT:
- Paint your face any darker than it is (ex: avoid things like blackface, which have a deeply harmful history).
- Wear a costume that makes fun of another culture or race.
- Wear something that invalidates or misrepresents transgender people.
- Wear anything that pokes fun at disabled people.
Generally, if you have doubts about a certain costume or event, avoid it. It is more important to be respectful and enjoy the holiday responsibly than it is get a cheap laugh.
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