It’s finally October and that means Halloween is right around the corner. If you’re anything like me, you love when the weather starts to change and you bask in the enjoyment that comes along with the Halloween season. Scary movies, haunted houses, hayrides, and pumpkin patches have always been my favorite. The best of all though is getting to think and shop for your costume this year. You get to be as creative as you want and dress up as a different person, character, or thing for one magical night.
Halloween is a chance for you to be creative, unique, and have a lot of fun. There are so many costumes to choose from and new ones come out every year in order to keep up with the newest pop culture references. Although every year you see tons of awesome costumes, there’s always a select few that should just not have been made. Sometimes people think a costume will be funny, when in reality it is actually offensive or they don’t understand the meaning behind their costumes. That’s why I decided to share 5 costumes that should not be worn this year or any other year, ever.
- COVID-19 related
-
Some people may think it’s funny to joke about the current pandemic going on. I have even begun to see some masks being made that replicate what the Coronavirus looks like. Currently, one million people globally have died from this virus and therefore it is simply not something to make a joke of lightly. Using a costume like this can be super offensive to those who have lost a loved one or struggled with the virus themselves. Instead of making fun of a worldwide pandemic, this Halloween wear a mask with your costume to be an ally in helping stop the spread the virus!
- Blackface
-
Blackface was never appropriate and is something that will never be acceptable. Doing this for a costume because you want to portray an African-American celebrity or character is not just simply painting your skin tone differently. Its origins are extremely racist and hateful. Its history is known for making fun of and discriminating against African-Americans. Therefore, changing your skin tone is not and will never be considered a costume.
- Cultural Appropriation
-
This is a super common issue that happens constantly every Halloween. Once again, people believe that since it’s a costume it is ok. However, culture is extremely important and sacred. To see someone wearing a costume that does not exhibit their own culture is beyond offensive. You should not be dressing in common items that represent or stereotype a culture. Some examples include sombreros, hijab, native American feathers, and Bindi. The list could keep going on, but just remember, if it’s not part of a culture that’s your own then avoid it.
- Body shaming
-
You may be wondering how body shaming can be made into a costume. Have you ever thought of people that dress up in fat suits to be funny can really affect those who have similar body types? Someone should never make someone feel insecure or embarrassed because of their body shape.
- Transphobic
-
These costumes definitely exist and are sadly worn by people. If you don’t remember in 2015 a Caitlyn Jenner costume was made to mock her transition. This costume and any other that ridicules the transgender community is never acceptable.
Use Halloween as your chance to showcase your creativity, but do so appropriately. There are millions of costumes that you can recreate that are respectful. Being someone else or something else for the night is thrilling, but is never the time to disrespect, make fun of, or imitate another person’s race, religion, culture, etc.