Trick-or-Treat? The Problem With Halloween

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I always get excited when October arrives.

Cooler temperatures, the turning of the leaves, football season, and pumpkin-flavored everything make October one of my favorite months. Most of all, I get excited for my favorite holiday: Halloween.

However, Halloween presents some predicaments for me whenever I go to a party or out to a bar. First, when someone dresses up in a costume that is stereotypical and racist. Last year, a group of students from Ohio University, Students Teaching Against Racism in Society (STARS), launched a very successful poster campaign with the slogan: “We’re a culture, not a costume.”  It shows students of color holding up a poster with a racist costume stereotypically depicting the respective race of each student. The contrast between the students and the caricatures on the posters really makes the point all the more powerful. It generated a lot of buzz, and brought this critical discussion to the fore.

Whether it’s dressing up as Native Americans, Geishas, Arabian princesses, stereotypical Mexicans wearing sombreros, or as “ghetto,” it’s surprising that in 2012 these costumes are still commonplace. What’s even more surprising is the resistance, typically from white people, that I encounter when I explain why these costumes are problematic. Accusations of people being “too sensitive” or “humorless” typically arise during these conversations. It particularly irritates me that those who protest this critique are, of course, not represented by these costumes. Therefore, you think they might reflect and say: “My culture or race is not being represented by these costumes, so I’m going to take a step back, and realize why other people find this offensive.”

In other words, I guess it’s easy to say that everyone is being “too sensitive” if it’s not about you. But considering that these costumes are not about white people, the impassioned defense of one’s right to wear these costumes is very telling about white privilege. In a world where racism is still very much a reality, these costumes reinforce persons of color being both misrepresented and situated as others. White people wearing these costumes means something in a world where whiteness is normalized, and strongly echoes a mainstream culture centered on white supremacy. Essentially, a white person saying they have a “right” to wear these costumes reflects an attitude that their right to be racist and appropriate a culture supersedes the right of a person of color to protest that action, which intimately injures them and perpetuates their marginalization. The misconception that we live in a post-racial society where this is somehow “all in good fun” is very dangerous. 

Furthermore, does anyone believe that the only way you can be funny on Halloween is to dress up as a racist caricature? If retailers finally stopped selling these costumes, would Halloween suddenly no longer be fun for white people? Given the passion with which some white people defend the wearing of these costumes, it seems as though they truly feel this is the case. Someone’s perception of something as “funny” obviously does not justify racism. Not to mention, that although I generally see white people wearing these costumes, it doesn’t make it okay if a person of color also appropriates another culture. It’s just given the reality of white supremacy and privilege past and present, it’s particularly egregious when white people participate in this appropriation. Although I consider these costumes to be overtly racist, those who do not view it that way need to understand that racism operates at various levels in society; all of which need to be confronted. It’s not confined solely to Halloween costumes either, as the fashion industry habitually comes under fire for cultural appropriation and racism. Two recent examples are Dolce & Gabbana modeling racist earrings and Victoria’s Secret launching a racist Geisha-themed lingerie line. 

The second problem I typically encounter on Halloween is the slut-shaming of women who wear sexy costumes. Yes, the proliferation of sexy costumes is problematic in its own way, but I think it’s much worse to judge the women who choose to wear these outfits. (I’m referring to adult women here, teens and girls wearing these costumes are another issue entirely.) I am directing this more so toward female readers. Women are socialized to look down on other women who are perceived as attractive. The mainstream media perpetuates an intense pressure to conform to unrealistic standards of beauty, so if someone has come close to achieving those standards, it can incite understandable jealousy. However, women need to realize that in this patriarchal world, it doesn’t serve us well to cut each other down. 

If you choose not to participate in the trend of wearing risqué costumes, more power to you. However, I think it’s dangerous to develop a superior attitude toward other women who want to show some skin. In other words, do your thing, but respect other women who feel confident about their bodies. I recall on a Halloween a few years ago when a woman screamed “sluts!” out a car window as she drove past a group of scantily clad women. For the guys who witnessed that incident, it may have reinforced the acceptability of using those terms. If other women wearing those types of costumes really bothers you, it may be time to examine exactly why it gets on your nerves. Imagine if women complimented each other when they saw each other out in skimpy costumes, and defended each other against sexist, slut-shaming remarks? It would certainly make my Halloween a lot better if women viewed each other in solidarity.

So although I enjoy Halloween every year, I know I will undoubtedly have to confront these particular issues. The best I can hope for is that these discussions will eventually have an impact. 

  • Los Angeles Costume Swap

    I definitely agree with you. I find bad attempts at “funny” costumes are offensive. I have however wonder if there is a way to dress in culture clothes that does mean to compliment and not try to be funny. Geisha is a good example. From my understanding a Geisha is a well respected artist… if a culture costume is done with respect is the costume still offensive? Is there a way to communicate love for a culture by wearing a costume without it being viewed as racist?

    • Los Angeles Costume Swap

      hate typos…

      I have to wonder however if there is a way to dress in culture clothes that does mean to compliment and not try to be funny.

  • Stump Beefgnaw

    I mostly agree with this, but you did say one thing that is, to be blunt, pretty gross:

    “However, I think it’s dangerous to develop a superior attitude toward other women who want to show some skin. In other words, do your thing, but respect other women who feel confident about their bodies.”

    That “do your thing but respect other women” thing does go both ways, you know. And when women choose to wear costumes that don’t “show some skin,” you need to not assume they could only be doing so because they don’t “feel confident about their bodies.”

    There is also the little problem you fail to mention where if a woman tries to buy a commercial costume, “sexy [whatever]” is pretty much her only option unless she goes to the men’s section (which for some strange reason is also where they tend to hide the more “unisex” costumes). Also, if you are a woman and you are NOT wearing a “sexy” costume, more often than not entering a costume contest is a complete waste of time. No matter how impressive your costume is, the best you can hope for is a scattering of polite applause. Why do you think that is?

    The problem is not that these costumes exist, or that women are choosing their own selves to wear them. The problem is that women are being told that these costumes are what they SHOULD be wearing.

    • http://lawsonry.com/author/shannon Shannon O’Sullivan

      “Yes, the proliferation of sexy costumes is problematic in its own way.” –Perhaps, I should have elaborated a bit further on that point. And I didn’t mean to imply that if a woman chooses not to wear a skimpy costume that she’s not confident about her body. I, personally, choose not wear those types of costumes, and it’s not for lack of confidence. I was speaking in a more narrow context about the women that I encounter who have a habit of really tearing other women down for dressing that way on Halloween. The sentiment I was going for was that it is counterproductive for women to call each other pejorative names because of their dress in a patriarchal, sexist society.

      And true, commercial costumes are increasingly of the “sexy” variety and not to mention very expensive. I also agree with the implication that our culture is telling women that they should be wearing these types of costumes. Again, I was addressing this issue in a particular context, and didn’t intend to de-emphasize the culpability of retailers, the culture, etc. in making these types of costumes the perceived norm.

      • Stump Beefgnaw

        Yes, perhaps you should have, seeing as how the dearth of non-”sexy” women’s costumes is actually an issue on the same level as the racist and stereotypical costumes you mentioned earlier in the post.

        And what is “counterproductive” is women propagating the idea that the only way to express confidence in your body is to put it on public display. Which, whether you meant to or not, you did.

        • Lara

          I was going to say the same thing. This particular paragraph has been making the rounds on Tumblr almost as a response to the critique of “sexy” women’s costumes.

          It’s one thing to say you want women to respect other women (and, in all honesty, I only feel pity for women I see in these costumes as they shiver in line for clubs downtown) but to base that respect off of the confidence they feel in their bodies feels like a re-worked admonishment I hear from men regarding “sexy” costumes, that “only ugly girls have a problem with them”.

          • Shannon O’Sullivan

            Yes,it’s a very problematic sentence that I’m taking ownership of as an error. I’m really kicking myself over this one, but I’m glad it was brought to my attention.