My Culture Is Not a Costume...Yes, Even on Halloween

Though Halloween is a time of celebration and fun, it also comes with a lot of controversies. Year after year people become outraged during the spookiest season of the year by wildly disrespectful costumes. In the past, insensitive and blatantly racist people have exploited various cultures ranging from wearing Indigenous people’s traditional attire to full blown blackface in mockery of Black people.

We must realize that while we can embrace the playful spirit of Halloween, it is never okay to mock the cultures of others regardless of the holiday. It is always disrespectful. There is definitely a difference between cultural appreciation and appropriation, however, Halloween is not and will never be the time to test the waters on whether you’re appropriating or appreciating. Halloween is one day out of the year so if that is the only time you choose to show your supposed “appreciation” it is clearly disingenuous and I’d suggest you just keep it to yourself.

When examining whether your costume is suitable, it is essential that you evaluate the historical symbolism that may be attached to said attire. Don’t dress up in traditional Asian garments that most likely have some historical context you are unaware of and refuse to research. Even if you’re dressing up as Lil Wayne -- your favourite rapper of all time -- painting your skin darker is still blackface and is therefore inherently racist. This isn’t up for debate. You do not get a pass because it’s Halloween. Racism is racism any day of the year.

Cultural appropriation is a far greater issue that is emphasized by Halloween but doesn’t only exist on that day. We witness various degrees of appropriation on a day-to-day basis. On Halloween, it is heightened for sure but to truly solve the problem, cultural appropriation must be established as intolerable every day of the year.

I’ve personally never been into the whole celebration of Halloween so I have yet to directly witness any insensitive costumes but I do observe social media on the days surrounding the holiday and notice some of the horrendous costumes that people have chosen to wear. It is honestly appalling how comfortable some people have gotten with disrespecting others. We all have a communal responsibility to not allow this. If we notice others displaying this behaviour, it is our duty to call them out even when the culture that is being appropriated is not our own. Also, it is important to remember that just because a friend of yours who is from said culture gave you “permission” does not make your costume any less harmful.

Be respectful next Halloween and choose a costume that doesn’t mock or mimic others!