Costume Caution: Slight Frights, not Stereotypes

Halloween, the fright night of ghosts and ghouls, is just a few scant days away. As you prepare your heaps of candy for trick-or-treaters and carve your pumpkins, remember the significance of your costume. We all love a good ensemble, but some outfits are a bit beyond Dracula’s pale.

Those who choose offensive costumes during Halloween claim that their costumes are not only harmless, but a brave stand against people who want to destroy the sacred institution of free speech. They defend themselves by saying things like, “I’m just having fun!” or “I didn’t mean to offend anyone!”

However, we need to remember the importance of inclusivity, especially on a college campus. As a place of diversity and respect, our goal should be to make Halloween fun and safe for everyone. Slapping on a few stereotypes and calling it a costume is an abysmal way to celebrate any holiday, and it often denigrates and disrespects historically oppressed groups of people.

The Diversity and Inclusion Student Commons’ student coordinator Jericho Cummings discussed the significance of cultural appropriation in terms of Halloween costumes. “Cultural appropriation is an aspect of someone else’s identity or culture as a costume that can be removed at the end of the day. This is often done without acknowledging or experiencing the same historical and present realities and challenges as the appropriated group.”

Does that sombrero and mustache or “sexy” buckskin dress pigeonhole or fetishize a culture? Does that straitjacket mock the mentally ill? Did you strap on that pair of fake boobs for shock value? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, don’t wear the costume.

Halloween shouldn’t be about who can push the envelope the farthest, but instead about being respectful of all people on a fun, spooky holiday. We shouldn’t be terming those who ask for thoughtfulness on this day “overly politically correct.” Instead, we should take a hard look in the mirror before heading out to that party down the block to make sure we’re appreciating, not appropriating, a culture.

The best way to do this is to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Use basic empathy to understand when something might be offensive or hurtful, and consider the impact of your costume. Susan Scafidi, author of Who Owns Culture: Appropriation and Authenticity in American Law, puts it this way: “Think about whether or not you're turning someone's everyday 21st century culture into a caricature.” Another good rule of thumb is to get a few second opinions on any potentially over-the-line outfits.

This year, let’s get supernatural, not shocking. There’s nothing wrong with branching out to wear a costume from a culture that’s not your own, but be aware of the implications of costumes that attack or sexualize groups of people. Respect, unlike a costume, never goes out of style.