Halloween: the time of endless candy corn, pumpkin-flavored coffee, cupcakes, cookies (actually anything edible), and culturally appropriated costumes. Cultural appropriation is the exploitation of a group’s cultural behaviors, traditions, and wear with little understanding of that group’s history and experience. You know the costumes, the ones that pick specific elements of one culture for the physical appeal and humorous pleasure of the masses worn by someone not from that culture — yeah, those. Here’s what not to do this Halloween:
Put on blackface: Just don’t do it. You can still be 2 Chainz or Beyoncé, without employing the help of black face paint. Let’s not promote 19th-century minstrel show customs. Time to move on.
Use sacred items as accessories: A “sexy Indian” feathered headdress? It’s actually a Native American custom. Only certain members of tribes earn the right to wear those through acts of bravery and honorary accomplishments. Buying it at a costume store does not fall under either category. If you happen to decide dressing as a “naughty nun,” leave the rosary, the Bible, and any crosses at home. Matter of fact, dump the whole idea. Same goes for the hijab and niqab. It’s not meant to be seductive, ever.
Transform into a sugar skull skeleton: Did you know Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a separate holiday from Halloween? To those raised in Mexican culture, it is in place to honor the deceased, not impress friends, strangers, and costume contest judges with your makeup skills.
Dress as a transgender person: Don’t you dare buy that honey-brown wig and cream bustier. Yeah, the one Caitlyn Jenner rocked on the Vanity cover. Don’t do it. Trans identities are not to be used for dress-up games.
Sexualize minorities: Pairing gold hoops with red lipstick, a skintight dress, and saying papi in a forced Spanish accent does not make you Latina for the night or at all. Let the image that all Latinas are fiery burn. This also applies to the sexy geisha and promiscuous Romani (offensive term alert) costumes.
What makes cultural appropriation infuriating is that at the end of the night a costume can come off. For the people living among the appropriated cultures, the discrimination and stigmas associated with those cultural expressions will continue.
