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5 Offensive Halloween Costumes To Steer Away From
It's time to go through countless costume ideas and choose one for this Halloween. But it's about time to make a change and not objectify and appropriate a culture through your costume.
Halloween is nearly here, and it's such a fun holiday for young and old to dress up and be whatever or whoever they want to be. It's time to let your creativity shine, whether you want to be a classic cat or even a crayon. The possibilities are endless! But when choosing a costume, please be careful with your choices. There are many costumes out there that mock cultures by feeding into stereotypes. Here are five offensive Halloween costumes that are a big no-no.
1. Native American Costume
Photo Credit: www.costumeland.com
This costume is the "Suede Indian Halter Dress" and it's just one of the many "Native American" costumes out there. Most "Native American" costumes have little to do with historical accuracy. Feather headbands have a significant meaning to some Native American cultures, with each feather having been blessed and every bead having its proper place. This costume also comes with an axe accessory, making light of the tomahawk, which is a Native weapon and symbol of warfare.
2. Indian Costume
Photo Credit: www.amazon.com
This "Bollywood Beauty" costume includes everything from bangles to bindis. A saree is an outfit that many Indian women wear daily, and to make a costume out of something that has such significance isn't right. If you truly love Bollywood, then dress up as your favourite character from a Bollywood movie.
3. Middle Eastern Costume
Photo Credit: www.amazon.co.uk
This "Middle Eastern Arab Girl Burka" is described as "naughty." This costume has coin tassel trimmings like what you might find on belly dancing costumes, not on burkas. Not only does this mock Middle Eastern cultures and suggest that all Middle Eastern women wear the burka, but it also sexualizes a garment that's worn by a minority of conservative Muslim women in a personal choice to dress modestly.
4. Japanese Costume
Photo Credit: www.halloweencostumes.ca
Geishas are women who are trained in the arts of music, dancing, games and conversation mainly to entertain men. Becoming a geisha is a very complex career in Japan, with extensive training and studying. This "Dragon Lady Geisha" costume is insensitive because geishas have a huge impact on Japanese culture and this outfit misrepresents their tradition.
5. Mexican Costume
Photo Credit: www.jezebel.com
This "Sexy Illegal Alien" costume seems like a sick joke from the glasses to the handcuffs. This costume is just feeding into the stereotypes that Mexicans are illegal aliens. There's nothing funny or cute about this costume, as immigration is a serious issue and "illegal alien" is a racial slur that many Mexicans have to deal with.
This Halloween, please make the right decision when it comes to choosing a costume. You may think you're doing no harm by donning a stereotypical and culturally insensitive costume and that it's only for one night, but these costumes carry a lasting stigma.
What do you want to be for Halloween? Comment down below!
Rana Dakakni
Author
Rana is a Journalism graduate from London, Ontario. She is proudly Palestinian but has always had a ever-growing fascination with South Asian culture and her vast knowledge of Bollywood surprises many. She is an eyebrow master and lipstick connoisseur, shameless owner of 200 mauve l...
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