Tomorrow is Halloween, which means it’s time to pull those fancy costumes out of the closet. But as exciting as Halloween is, it can also result in some unintended insult. (We’re looking at you, Julianne Hough.) That’s why NU Native American & Indigenous Student Alliance launched Dress to Respect, a campaign aimed at encouraging people to consider the social and political impact of their costumes. We caught up with Aileen McGraw, the co-founder of NAISA, to get her tips on celebrating Halloween respectfully.
HC: What’s the main goal of the project?
AM: Dress To Respect brings awareness to and an active response to cultural (mis)appropriation. Last year, we launched the first #DressToRespect campaign during Halloween with guerrilla marketing and social media content. NAISA continued #DressToRespect in the spring in the context of festival/concert culture (which coincided with NU’s Dillo Day music fest). By giving both audible and visual voice to cultural appropriation, NAISA hopes to make #DressToRespect trend year-round in a way that’s relevant to our daily life, be it Halloween, the front row of Lolla or “tribal print” from the mall. #DressToRespect goes beyond any single holiday and seeks to confront the issues of culture-as-costume as a whole.
HC: How can students make sure that their costume is respectful this Halloween?
AM: Lucero Segundo made an awesome graphic that pushes students to take on the meaning behind their costumes. It may seem intense to ask, “Is my costume racist?” but it’s an important question. As Lucero puts it, “you wear the costume for a night, but others wear the stigma for life.”
HC: What other questions should students be asking themselves this Halloween?
AM: There are a lot, but these should cover the bases. Is the humor based on making fun of real people, human traits or cultures? Does my costume represent a culture that is not my own? Does my costume reduce cultural differences to jokes or stereotypes? Does the packaging include the words “traditional,” “ethnic,” “colonial,” “cultural,” “authentic,” or “tribal?” Does my costume perpetuate stereotypes, misinformation, or historical and cultural inaccuracies? Would it embarrass me or I would I feel ashamed if someone from the group I’m portraying saw me wearing this? We can be witty, fierce and creative in our costumes, and we have endless options that don’t culturally appropriate. Start by asking these questions, but don’t stop there. Be active in your costume choice.
Get more involved with the campaign by using #DressToRespect on Twitter and Instagram. Happy Halloween!