Have you ever dressed up for Halloween or college party in a racially sensitive costume?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went as static cling for years because it was easy. Also, a black eyed pea. Not offensive.

Black eyed pea was likely offensive as a form of cultural appropriation.

You need to educate yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a Gypsy as a kid in the 80s. I am relieved I didn’t do sexy Indian or geisha or something in college in the early 2000s. Can’t say I was too smart for it at the time, just didn’t do it.

“Gypsy” - a highly derogatory slur for Roma peoples worldwide, is extremely offensive as a costume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In college we had a “fascist dictator” costume party. SO stupid, but I still crack up thinking about it.

This is highly offensive and wrong!

Ask Prince Harry how this costume worked out for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No I've never pretended to be another race. I've worn various ethnic costumes for 'culture day' depending on what country or culture we were learning about and families from that culture/country would let us borrow clothes/teach us info and customs. Have never darkened skin, etc.

Wearing those cultural costumes alone is racist because it’s a form of appropriation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a Gypsy as a kid in the 80s. I am relieved I didn’t do sexy Indian or geisha or something in college in the early 2000s. Can’t say I was too smart for it at the time, just didn’t do it.

“Gypsy” - a highly derogatory slur for Roma peoples worldwide, is extremely offensive as a costume.

Are they like the ones in the TLC shows “My Gypsy wedding?” Or the ones outside of Target who panhandle with fake babies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Went as Incredible Hulk once with Green paint and Green powder in hair. I now know Green Lives Matter and I am sorry I upset any green people

This is not funny. Racism is nothing to laugh about.

[Anonymous]

What's the difference between celebrating another culture and appropriating it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went as static cling for years because it was easy. Also, a black eyed pea. Not offensive.

Black eyed pea was likely offensive as a form of cultural appropriation.

You need to educate yourself.

I’m AA. Black eyed peas are eaten all over the world. I’ve had them in Indian dishes. There are many AA that don’t feel a cultural affinity to them because they are communities without a link to the South.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stay in your lane.
What’s so hard about that?
You do it when you bike and jog and drive, you know better than to tread on someone else’s path or impede someone else’s progress.
Why is it so difficult a concept to grasp on a night originally meant to ward of ghouls and demons that was flipped to something festive for kids?
When did it become Drunken Ignorant and Insensitive Adult Cultural Appropriation and Ethnic Mocking Day?
Stay in your lane it’s not that hard people.

This would all be easier if we just cancelled Halloween altogether.

[Anonymous]

In high school I wore a hat that had red, black, and yellow stripes and black dreads coming out of it. I'm white, though I have black hair. The implication was that I was a white rastafarian, though I wonder if people would take it that way today.

In college I went as a "sexy boy scout", where I took my old boy scout uniform and cut it to be stereotypically slutty (in the manner of "sexy cat" or "sexy nurse" costumes which were popular back then). I thought the idea of a man dressing as a woman dressing as a boy was funny, most other people did too. I wonder if it would be seen as transphobic today.

I wore a kilt one year. Not being Scottish I wonder if that was appropriative...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went as static cling for years because it was easy. Also, a black eyed pea. Not offensive.

Black eyed pea was likely offensive as a form of cultural appropriation.

You need to educate yourself.

You're an idiot. It's a bean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In college we dressed up as cowboys and Indians for a Greek mixer. Also pilgrims and Indians another year.

We had theme parties often, not sure these would count as offensive:
Barbie and Ken
Nerds revenge
Stepford wives and business men
Great Gatsby

For what it’s worth I’m now 35.

I'm 38 and all of our Greek parties with themes always ended in "and hoes" did yours?

GI Joes & Army Hoes
Golf Pros & Tennis Hoes
Banker Bros & Stepford Hoes
CEOs & Secretary Hoes
Ken Bros & Barbie Hoes
Service Pros & Stay at Home Hoes

I hope to god none of my kids ever go Greek.

Hahaha yes!!! You remembered them much better than I did but I nodded my head the whole way down the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In high school I wore a hat that had red, black, and yellow stripes and black dreads coming out of it. I'm white, though I have black hair. The implication was that I was a white rastafarian, though I wonder if people would take it that way today.

In college I went as a "sexy boy scout", where I took my old boy scout uniform and cut it to be stereotypically slutty (in the manner of "sexy cat" or "sexy nurse" costumes which were popular back then). I thought the idea of a man dressing as a woman dressing as a boy was funny, most other people did too. I wonder if it would be seen as transphobic today.

I wore a kilt one year. Not being Scottish I wonder if that was appropriative...

So you were not Rastarian, but you thought it was okay to imply that you were?

It’s a religion. Like Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism. Would you have dressed to imply you were a Jew? I don’t think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone name a Halloween costume that is not offensive to some group somewhere? ? (I can’t).

Huh? I was a cat several years running. Also a princess, a baby, an angel, a flapper, and Robin Hood.

I have not worn a racist costume since kindergarten, when the school made us dress like "Indians" for Thanksgiving, in vests we made out of brown paper bags. I was pissed because mine had to have a paper papoose instead of a bow and arrow.

Hopefully now you are pissed for other reasons. Like it was racist and they forced children to wear racist depictions. A friend fought with her DS’s school over this and won. They made it voluntary and only one kid did it. The next year was also voluntary and no one did it. So they dropped it.

It was racist. I'm now 40 and if my child's school did this I would raise hell. But I found your reply a bit preachy given I described the dress-up as racist in my post. We're on the same side, friend, and there is lots of currently happening racism to fight.

[Anonymous]

No! Never! But....I also would never penalize someone for costumes they had when they were younger.