By: Hannah Larrabee-Walcutt, Graduate Intern
Spooky season is upon us, and while this can be an exciting time for many, it can also be anxiety producing for folks with marginalized identities. They may brace themselves for when they’re out on the town, because it’s inevitable that they see their beloved identities misrepresented in some cheesy halloween costumes. As spartans, we want to uphold the ideals of our inclusive and educated campus community. We want to appreciate cultural diversity, not appropriate it as our own.
As defined by Oxford, cultural appropriation is the “unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” Cultural appropriation can be seen within Halloween costumes when:
Non-Black people wear traditionally Black hairstyles
Native American tribes and imagery used by non-Native Americans
Non-Hispanic people apply calavera makeup or wear sombreros
People wear straitjackets or anything that trivializes the experience of institutionalization or people who experience mental illness
Some specific examples of other inappropriate costumes include: gypsy, geisha, & hula dancer
In an article written by Henry Mochida, Beth Brauer, and Bethany Balks, several campus staff members and students weigh in on why costumes matter and give other examples of inappropriate costumes. They also pose questions that students should ponder when they pick out their Halloween costumes for the year. Lastly, the authors highlight resources for reporting harassment and discrimination, mental health counseling services for students and employees, and supply methods for interrupting bias and apologizing or materials for leading an effective discussion on the topic of cultural appropriation as it relates to Halloween. I highly recommend you read their article for more information on the topic!
In addition to making sure we’re not appropriating cultures that don’t belong to us, I wanted to discuss the notion that costumes do not equal consent. In the Planned Parenthood blog, Marissa Alaniz writes, “it is essential to remember that a Halloween costume cannot imply or express consent. Everyone should have the right to feel empowered celebrating the spooky season by expressing their creativity and slaying in a costume that they feel comfortable in, no matter the coverage.” A simple way to remember what constitutes consent is by thinking about the acronym F.R.I.E.S.:
Freely given: someone gives consent without the influence of another person, alcohol, or drugs
Reversible: someone can consent and then change their mind at any point
Informed: consent can only happen if both parties are aware of exactly what is going to happen (ex. condoms will be used)
Enthusiastic: someone who seems hesitant about participating is not giving consent
Specific: consenting to one thing, like a hug, does not mean that they also consent to something else, like a kiss
I hope this article was helpful and prepares everyone for a happy, safe, Halloweekend!! And again, if needed, Michigan State has many resources for supporting students through incidents of bias and harassment.