Halloween is easily one of the best holidays to celebrate. I mean, who doesn’t love dressing up and having a good time doing it? When it comes to certain costumes though, things can get tricky, especially when the costume in question acts as a reflection of a culture that isn’t your own.
You’ve been hearing about it a lot lately and you’re probably getting sick of reading about it all the time. But the topic of cultural appropriation is important to discuss. Why exactly? Let’s start by clarifying what cultural appropriation means.
Cultural appropriation is defined as the act of adopting elements from a minority culture for your own benefit.
So isn’t that just borrowing? Don’t we all share cultures? Why can’t we just wear whatever?
Well technically the answer to all of these questions is yes. Yes we are borrowing another culture, yes we share different parts of our own collectively, and when it comes down to it, you can wear whatever you want. But it is incredibly important to understand why this is such an issue. Cultural appropriation focuses on the fact that when something originally belonging to a minority group is done by someone who is white, it’s often seen as unique. However, when it’s done by the minority group themselves, it is seen as anything but.
According to activist and actress Amandla Stenberg, “Appropriation occurs when the appropriator is not aware of the deep significance of the culture that they are partaking in.”
Take for example, Kylie Jenner. Kylie made headlines in the past month for wearing cornrows, an action that caused a large amount of backlash. Why is this particular instance so problematic? Kylie is undoubtedly an incredibly universal public figure. In a time where police brutality and racial tension are both prevalent topics, Kylie avoids the discussion of these issues while still benefitting from her imitation of black culture (see also, Iggy Azalea). Kylie uses these symbols of another lifestyle (ex. wearing grillz and cornrows) to improve her image, while someone who is black may be seen as lesser for doing the same (and no, a black person wearing a blonde wig is not the same thing).
So now that we’ve covered the basis of what this term means and why being conscious of it matters, let’s talk about it’s relation to Halloween.
When it comes to dressing up, it’s incredibly crucial to be cautious of how you might be manipulating important features of another culture for the sake of a costume.
A common costume who’s origin may be perceived as offensive is that of a Native American. While putting on a headdress may seem like a fun and creative idea, think about the historical significance of the item. What may seem like an innocent outfit choice can really be seen as mockery, especially due to how Native Americans were treated upon the founding of our country. Yes Native Americans still exist, and no it is not okay to misrepresent their symbols.
Wearing a poncho and a sombrero may seem harmless and goofy, but imitating Mexican culture for comedy isn’t. Think about how someone with Mexican heritage may perceive a costume which aims to display their culture in an comedic way. What may seem like just a joke, may actually be offensive.
The sugar skull face painting? Looks cool, right? It’s also an important symbol to those who celebrate Día de los Muertos, also known as The Day of The Dead (no, not the music festival). Think about how this might come off to someone who sees this symbol as a way to remember family members who have died, meanwhile you are just trying to show off your artsy makeup skills.
Do not, do not, do not wear a bindi, or a hijab, or a burka. Just don’t do it.
Questioning if your costume is okay to wear, free of offense? Talk to your friends. Do some research. And most importantly, trust your instincts. If it seems wrong, it probably is.