On Halloween night, the costume possibilities are endless. You could be whoever you want. It’s the one night of the year that no one will judge you for the way you choose to dress. The one night of the year when nearly anything is acceptable. However, I want to remind you that not everything is acceptable. It’s easy to blur the lines between costume and culture, but they still exist. The cultures of minorities, who continue to fight oppression, are not costumes. Those are real people who continue to face real struggles.
In recent years, I’ve seen a growth in the number of people who find it okay to dress as Native Americans for Halloween. The same Native Americans who were brutally murdered and raped while being forced out of their homes. The same Native Americans who were dehumanized due to their traditions. They aren’t just a trendy costume idea; they are real people who faced countless amounts of injustices and were forced to fight in order to simply survive (and still face injustices to this day!). Dressing up as their culture for your fun night out isn’t cute. It’s disrespectful to the minority and a blatant mockery of their cultural traditions.
The turban, which I can speak on personally, is another cultural piece you should not be wearing. In 1984, a devastating genocide against Sikhs occurred across India. I wasn’t there, but the utterly terrifying stories my parents have told me of how they were forced to hide create a clear vision of the atrocities that took place. Stories such as parents having to cut their children’s hair to protect them from standing out as Sikhs. So no, it is not okay to wear a turban to spice up your Halloween costume. Especially not when Sikhs died in war for their right to wear paghs (turbans). To you, a turban may seem like an accessory or something you can take off at the end of the night. However, for the Sikh people, it is a representation of their faith and protection for the hair they do not cut.
These are just a few examples of cultural appropriation during Halloween. It extends beyond Native Americans and turbans. Geisha costumes, sombreros and many more costume elements that you may view as accessories are actually unacceptable and mock people of color. They represent something unique and valuable to each culture. They hold messages passed down through generations.
So when you walk into that store lined with costumes across the walls, please be considerate of what (and who) you choose to embody for the night. Consider the amount of history and pain behind your “costume.” Consider the minorities who fought to survive. Consider the discrimination each group faces to represent their culture. It’s not a cute dress up outfit; it’s someone’s culture.