You've heard of the term "cultural appropriation." A term that is often dismissed as just another element of today's "overly politically correct society," few people actually know neither what it is, nor what it entails. According to journalist Kjerstin Johnson, cultural appropriation is, "someone who does not experience [the] oppression [that minority cultures may face] is able to "play," temporarily, an "exotic" other, without experiencing any of the daily discrimination faced by other cultures." Dressing up as another culture or group is belittling the struggles that these groups actually face as an oppressed minority.
You may be wondering, "How can I dress up this Halloween while avoiding cultural appropriation?" Here are some common costumes that you SHOULD NOT dress up as, and why:
1) Native American
Source: http://lucidityfestival.com/reframing-the-cultural...
We have all seen the "hipster" or "sexy" Native American costume. The sad reality is that 1 in 3 native American women are raped in their lifetime. Wearing provocative (or any) Native American costumes is belittling and mocking this little known reality. It is ignoring the oppression that Native Americans face on a daily basis and is a sheer boasting of white privilege.
2) Blackface
Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/de...
It blows my mind how in 2015, people still do blackface. When it comes to Halloween, blackface is the absolute epitome of white privilege. According to the NAACP, 1 in 6 black men are in prison. Going off of that, 5 times as many whites are using drugs as African Americans, yet African Americans are sent to prison for drug offenses at 10 times the rate of whites. According to the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for blacks is nearly twice that as whites, with rates of 15.8% and 7.9%, respectively. Institutional racism exists in nearly every sphere of life. The statistics don't lie- white privilege does exist and blackface costumes are pure demonstrations of white privilege and supremacy. A white person can put on blackface for one night and have fun, while a person who was born black can face a lifetime of discrimination. So please, don't do blackface.
3) Day of the Dead
Source: http://this-is-not-our-dia.tumblr.com
The Day of the Dead costume has become increasingly popular among college students over the years. People seem to think that it is, "cute," or even, "trendy." While few may know what it is beyond the face paint, it is actually called, "Día de los Muertos," and is a very sacred tradition in Mexico that allows people to celebrate and honor their ancestors. It is a time for families to come together with celebrations and rituals that take the whole year to plan. It is offensive to people who celebrate the holiday that Americans mock this sacred holiday, only with the intent of looking cute and having a good time, while knowing nothing about the roots or significance of the holiday.
4) Homeless Person
Source: http://electronpencil.com/2013/04/20/the-pencil-to...
Homelessness is not a joke. Sure, it is easy enough for someone to throw on a beanie, jean shorts and write something cute like, "will twerk for beer," on a sign, but this is a pure trivialization of the tragedy that is homelessness. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, in 2014, there were overall 578,424 homeless individuals living in the United States. Of these individuals, 216,261 were people in families and 45,205 people were children. Additionally, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, approximately 20-25% of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness. With alcoholism being a severe mental illness, Halloween costume props such as, "why lie, it's for booze," are completely undermining the horrible cases of alcoholism that much of the homeless community is faced with. So please, think about the 578,424 individuals suffering from being homeless before you consider mocking them for Halloween.
Please have compassion this Halloween when selecting a costume. While you might think, "it's fine, it's just for one night," or "who cares," you are fortunate enough to not face the discrimination faced by the person you are dressing up as. I promise, there are many Halloween costumes our there that are fun and not offensive.
