Happy October everyone! With Halloween slowly creeping up on us, have you started to brainstorm costume ideas? Dressing up for Halloween can be a fun way to show off your creativity. Even though there are thousands of costume ideas you could choose from, there’s one thing you should always keep in mind: some costumes can be insulting or inappropriate to certain ethnicities or races. Sometimes people want to be creative and use their costume as a way to be funny or make a joke, but don’t use this opportunity to insult or make fun of certain groups. While there’s nothing wrong with trying to be comedic, you should remember that s poking fun at specific groups may not be funny to them.
Sometimes we tend to forget that some common stereotypes about a certain group can hurt those who are actually a part of that group. We might not even realize that certain costumes could be stereotyping these groups, so be aware of other cultures and ethnicities while deciding on a costume. Try not to insult groups whose voices can’t be expressed as loudly as others!
Some common costume appropriations include dressing up as a Native American, painting your face black, or dressing as a race in a stereotypical manner. Wearing a feather headdress or painting your face red can be very insulting to an actual Native American, especially since they are a group that still suffers heavily. If you want to dress as someone from a different culture, do a little bit of research first and make sure you dress appropriately and for the right reasons. Sometimes we tend to forget that some commonly held standards about certain groups don’t actually represent them accurately.
Another costume idea that you should avoid is tragic events that occurred in history. It would be wise NOT to dress like a Holocaust victim or one of the Twin Towers because these two events took the lives of many people and still affect some today. You should also avoid dressing up as groups of people who are disadvantaged in society. While it may be “funny” to try to look like a homeless person or dress as someone with a certain disorder, it’s not funny. You should also not dress like terrorists of nazi soldiers because… well, do I really have to explain that one?
Whether you want your costume to be gory, creative, or pretty, keep in mind that we live in a society where we can easily offend other races or ethnicities. To make the most out of your Halloween and to have the best costume, keep others in mind and try your best not to offend anyone.