Halloween is around the corner and everyone is eager to suit up for the night to be whomever they want for the evening. It is that time of the year, where children in elementary and middle school dress up to collect candy, and adults dress up to attend parties. To dress up is the main livelihood of Halloween, but others can take it too far. Some costumes nowadays could be too offensive and discriminatory. People just do not understand what is acceptable to walk around in. For starters we could stop dressing up as stereotypical ethnic characters. Native Americans, for example, with the brown leather like outfit with a feather in the crown, does not come close to the proper representation of the Natives wardrobe in colonial times and nor is it like what the Native Americans wear now, in modern times. Hispanics, and Latinos, another misinterpreted group during the October season, are reduced in costumes with a thick mustache dropping all the way to the person’s toes, with a sombrero, and a colorful poncho to top it off. This is unacceptable considering they are regular people that should not be generalized into a simple criterion for a holiday only meant to dress up. Furthermore, we should get rid of blackface, when people use certain paint to make their skin color appear darker. You do not need to have black skin to look like T’Challa from Black Panther. Blackface over the years has not only been offensive on the night of Halloween but in Hollywood films that decided to paint a white actor instead of hiring a black actor, so it’s best to refrain from taking any ideas, to incorporate to your costume.
While generalizing is a pure inspiration for the stream of offensive costumes, culture is often distorted into “entertaining” costumes by the validity of people purchasing those ignorant outfits. The act of reducing the mindfulness in cultural things like the kimono, part of the Japanese culture, should not be acceptable. These are traditional dresses worn by the Japanese. They are sacred and used in a momentous occasion. It is not for the Americans to strip away the significance and wear on a foolish holiday. Even the sexy nun costumes are going over the line. Cutting the holy dresses to a length as short as a dwarf to show more skin is offensive. That religious figure is significant to Christianity and should not be objectified by the industries that want to make money off of people celebrating Halloween. It’s insulting to religious people to see their religion mocked and interpreted in a provocative manner. Like previously stated the Latinos do not have the greatest time enjoying the spirit of the spooky holiday. Halloween is not a main holiday to the ethnic group considering they celebrate another holiday on the same day. Often mistaken as the “Hispanic Halloween”, Dia de los Muertos also translated as the Day of the Dead. Although both are honored on the same day, the festivities could not be more different. Dia de los Muertos commemorates and remembers those who have died, which has nothing to do with tricks or treats. Plenty has tried to merge these two occasions by creating costumes out of the Dia de los Muertos’ skeletons. To compare these two holidays is to compare an apple with the color blue, they are on two different planets. One is meant to be loving and memorial, while the other reeks of greedy children and troublesome teenagers egging houses. The skeletons as a costume is ill fitting and uncomfortable in every sense.
Instead of discriminating the people you will come across when you are out that Oct 31st you might want to reconsider some of your costume ideas. Let’s just stick to the nice Disney characters, and T.V. shows or even the typical basic cat. Remember Halloween is supposed to be fun and a bit spooky, but please do not scare anyone with your ignorance.