Is that Halloween outfit appropriate? Experts urge discussions with kids
VANCOUVER Halloween is a good time to talk to kids about the harm some costumes can cause to people and cultures, says a Simon Fraser University professor.
SFU archeology Prof. George Nicholas said cultural appropriation goes on every day in the world of fashion or at music festivals, but it’s problematic at Halloween because of the anything-goes attitude.
“Halloween is a kind of cultural anarchy. You can be anything from cute and cuddly to bloody and gruesome,” he said, but it can also include culturally inappropriate costumes.
Nicholas’s comments come as backlash on social media hit a fever pitch Thursday after an NBC talk show host made comments about how dressing up in blackface was OK.
CNN reported host Megyn Kelly, who later apologized for not realizing her comments were racist, is off her show and may not be coming back.
Most people are aware that blackface, theatrical makeup used by non-black performers, creates a caricature of a black person and contributes to racial stereotypes. And one would hope it’s not something you would see on trick-or-treaters or at adult Halloween parties, he said.
But there are some costumes that are inappropriate and offensive to cultures that people may not be aware of like some Disney-movie-inspired costumes such as Native American princesses and sheiks, he said.
Nicholas says while some of these costumes may seem harmless, they can ignite frustration and anger among those who hate to see their culture turned into a stereotype.
He says Halloween provides a good opportunity to open up dialogue about why a costume may be offensive, such as an Indigenous headdress, which were briefly worn at music festivals until the public became more aware of how wearing them trivialized something sacred to Indigenous people. Many festivals banned them after an outcry from First Nations groups.
Nicholas noted lately there’s a lot of discussion about whether it’s OK for a white kid to dress up as the superhero Black Panther (it is — wear a mask, don’t paint your face black) or as a hula dancer (this one is tricky because it’s used in ceremonial dances across Polynesia.)
Is it appropriate to wear a sari if you’re not from India or to dress up as Pocahontas? Nicholas says what it really comes down to is respect and intent. The idea, he says, is before you dress up for a party or make your kids’ costumes, to think about whether it may cause harm to a person or culture.
“The kinds of harm can range from being disrespectful to stereotyping a culture,” he said.
Nicholas noted that while a young child wearing a Princess Jasmine, Moana or Pocahontas costume probably won’t offend people, it’s problematic when an adult wears one.
Adult costumes like “sexy Indian maid,” or “sexy Pocahontas,” for example, can still be found for purchase on the internet and both stereotype Indigenous culture. Another example is the “sexy shooter happy hour costume,” which exaggerates stereotypes of Mexican culture. Also, it’s a bad idea to wear a costume that sexualizes Mexico’s Day of Dead celebration.
“Western society has, for centuries, turned to the cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples worldwide as a source of inspiration for stories, art, architecture and more,” said Nicholas.
In North America, this is seen in tribal names for sports teams, rock art designs on clothing and the use of sweat lodges in New Age religious practices, he said.
Often these uses are justified as an appreciation of a great culture, he noted, but for Indigenous people appropriation of their heritage amounts to the unauthorized use of items and expressions that are “still important within a verymuch-living culture.”