My Culture is NOT a Costume
Its Halloween and its time we discuss cultural appropriation and Halloween costumes. Even though we go through this every year, it’s still a problem that warrants discussion. This Halloween season; here are some major don’ts.
1. DON’T do blackface or color/tint your skin to look like another race
Come on guys. I’m stating the obvious here. If you have to color your skin for people to get who you are, then YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG. Iconic outfits are a great way to get your look across.
2. DON’T dress up as a stereotype
Yet again, we have the classic stereotypical “border Mexican” and Asian. If you can’t understand how negatively portraying an entire group of people is harmful; then you are part of the problem. If you can’t understand how marginalizing multiple Asian cultures into one group is detrimental; then you’re a part of the problem.
3. DON’T disrespect someone’s traditions just so you can play dress-up once a year
This is just another example of how disrespectful these costumes can be. Elders in Native American tribes wore headdresses after earning the right to wear one. So just putting one on for a party is completely disregarding what it means to wear one.
So please guys, this Halloween lets be mindful of what we dress up as. It’s not hard to wear something that isn’t disrespectful to someone’s culture. If you find that difficult then you might want to try a little harder.