my culture is not your costume essay

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My Culture is Not Your Costume

With halloween just around the corner, i urge you to think twice about your costume choice..

Halloween is just around the corner, and you know what that means!

It’s time for you to bust out your best costume. And no, I don’t mean the basic sexy nurse or the overused frat boy costume. I want you to get creative this year and to think outside of the box.

But, wait! Before you get too crazy, there’s one thing I’d like for you to keep in mind this Halloween when you’re out shopping for your costume.

Yes, Halloween is a magical time where you get to be someone you’re not for a night, but there are just some things you should not pretend to be. Here’s a quick example. Though you may have watched “Moana” and absolutely loved the characters of Moana and Maui — you should probably not dress up as either one of them.

“But, what’s so wrong with dressing up as one of them? They sailed across the Pacific and saved Motunui — they’re total badasses! I want to be just like them, even if just for a night, so why would it be so bad to dress up as one of them for Halloween?”

Yes, I understand that you love them — hell, I do too. When “Moana” was released back home in 2016, I watched crowds of little Samoan girls flood the theaters to see themselves portrayed in mainstream media for the very first time. I teared up as I witnessed them finally being reaffirmed as the beautiful, capable Pasefika girls that they have often been told that they are not. But it wasn’t just little Samoan girls that flocked to the theaters — it was the entire Samoan community. Because for the first time, the mainstream media was finally representing us as the strong, resilient people that we are, and not just the horrible, stereotypical image of oversized, lazy people that we are often showcased to be.

So you have to understand that figures like Moana or Maui are not just fun cartoon characters — they are representations of Pasefika people, our cultures, our histories, and our heritages. So when you dress up as one of them for Halloween, you are essentially dressing up as us. You are minimizing our cultures, our heritages, and our histories as nothing more than just a fun mask - one that you can put on and take off when it is convenient for you.

But, for us, these things are not just a mask, and they are not removable. We take pride in our cultures, our heritages, and our histories, even when they bring along with them histories of trauma and discrimination, and we don’t have the option of leaving them at home when it’s inconvenient for us. So when you put on that tapa cloth to be Moana or get a fake body tattoo to be Maui for Halloween, you get to have the cool, “exotic” costume that your friends admire. But you never have to suffer, or even understand, the histories of imperialistic thinking that categorized and continue to categorize us as “ savage ” and “primitive” because of our traditions and cultural wear. Because at the end of the night, after you’ve won a prize for “best” or even “most exotic” costume, you get to take it off and hang it back up in your closet. But we can’t.

But cultural appropriation rears its ugly head both outside of Halloween season and outside of Pasefika communities as well. We see it at “island” themed parties with grass skirts and cheap “lei’s.” We see it in costumes that mock indigenous peoples and in sombreros that make fun of Mexican culture. And we see it in the multitude of horrible cases of blackface, not only at college parties, but even amongst some of the most powerful people in government today.

Often times, I hear that when it comes to cultural appropriation, ethnic groups are too sensitive. Or that these attempts to dress up in our traditional wear are not supposed to be interpreted as appropriation but rather as appreciation. But when you make our traditional wear into costumes, you are not celebrating us — you are making our histories into myths to tell around the campfire, our cultures into popular trends in the media.

So while we invite you to celebrate our cultures, there are a lot of other ways to appreciate a culture that’s not your own than by dressing up as them for Halloween. And we challenge you to think outside of the box and get creative for figuring out better ways for doing that.

Gabrielle T. Langkilde ’21, a Crimson Editorial editor, is a joint concentrator in Sociology and Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Eliot House. Her column appears on alternate Wednesdays.

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• Into Identity

“My culture is not a costume”

Halloween is a holiday I’ve always enjoyed. Not just because of the candy, but I like seeing the creative and very well thought out costumes people put so much time and effort into making.

With Halloween just behind us, you probably heard the term “cultural appropriation” at least once. If you’re not familiar with the term, the Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature defines cultural appropriation as the “taking over of creative forms, themes or practices by one cultural group from another” and is generally “used to describe Western appropriations of non-Western or non-white forms, and carries connotations of exploitation and dominance.” In short, it’s absorbing things such as ideas, practices and dress from a particular culture and incorporating them into your own culture.

Why does cultural appropriation pertain to Halloween? Because oftentimes, we see people dressed up as Native Americans or other racial and ethnic groups, and dressing up as a racial or ethnic group devalues them as a whole. They usually feel exploited, like their culture is a plaything or something exotic to marvel at.

If you walk into a store like Party City or any seasonal Halloween warehouse, you’ll find an array of questionable costumes. In its online catalog , Party City has an international costumes tab, which is just as stereotypical as you’d think it would be. Take the “pleasing geisha” costume, for example. The female model, who is clearly not of East Asian descent, is wearing what is supposed to be a kimono, which comes maybe halfway down her thighs, and has a corset abdominal piece. The model is also wearing thigh-high tights, platform shoes and carrying a riding crop.

A simple dictionary search for “geisha” would tell you that a geisha is a traditional Japanese woman who is trained to entertain men with song, dance and conversation. These women go through apprenticeships and are trained professionals in a number of performing arts. The Halloween costume industry, and Hollywood, has exploited the profession and turned it into a highly sexualized and racially charged costume for anyone to don. Its display and marketing allow consumers to assume that geishas represent all East Asian cultures, which is clearly not the case. This can apply to any racial or ethnic group that has been turned into a costume.

I will leave you with my two cents: The next time Halloween or any costume party rolls around, put down that “Indian chief” costume, or tell your friends to do so if they’re considering a costume along those lines. Because my culture is not a costume — no culture is.

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'My Culture is Not a Costume’ campaign sparks awareness, appropriate decisions

The brainstorming process for Halloween costumes is intense for some students at Ohio University and last minute for others. Whether people buy a random costume online or dedicate hours of planning to find the perfect pieces to their festive ensemble, there are ways people can make choices that offend or mock cultures they aren’t part of. 

The Educational Service Center of Central Ohio , or ESC, defines cultural appropriation as “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of costumes, practices, ideas, etc. of a social group by members of another and typically more dominant social group.”  

Cultural appropriation during Halloween is common because costumes typically mock or resemble another person or thing. Blackface, brownface, yellowface and redface are also common and occur when a person changes their skin tone and/or physical features to match that of another race. According to Pew Research Center, 53% of Americans believe it’s unacceptable for a white person to use makeup to darken their skin tone for a Halloween costume. Only 37% of Americans said it’s “never acceptable.” 

But the harm done by cultural appropriation is a lot. The ESC said cultural appropriation is problematic because “it reduces traditional clothing, customs and practices to a joke or simply an aesthetic.” Costumes that culturally appropriate often use stereotypes, “which perpetuate harmful ideas and ideologies rooted in hate.” 

In 2011, an organization at OU, Students Teaching Against Racism in Society, or STARS, formed the “My Culture is Not a Costume” campaign, which was meant to bring awareness and education surrounding cultural appropriation and its harm. 

The campaign was revitalized for this school year by Duane Bruce, the executive director of diversity and inclusion, and OU Communications and Marketing. The Division of Diversity and Inclusion has peer educators called diversity leadership ambassadors, or DLAs, who take on a different topic each month to educate others about. 

“We get requests all the time all the time around October outside of the university to use the ‘My Culture is Not a Costume’ campaign,” Bruce said. “And this year when we started getting the requests, I talked with my colleagues, and I was like ‘We should put this back up.'” 

Although the campaign was revitalized, the message remains just as valuable and educational as it was in 2011. Bruce said some students may not be aware that certain costumes are harmful and fall into the category of cultural appropriation. 

“I think the important message of this particular campaign is that we want our students to be mindful that there are some harmful realities of cultural appropriation,” Bruce said. “It’s not just Halloween, but this is particularly salient whenever you’re thinking about costumes for Halloween because people dress up as something that’s different from themselves.” 

The Division of Diversity and Inclusion’s website for the campaign details some culturally inappropriate costumes. These include “anything representing Blackface, brownface, or yellowface,” “costumes that represent harmful racial or ethnic stereotypes,” making a mockery of mental illness,” “wearing hairstyles of people of color” and “transphobic/homophobic costumes.” 

Students can choose other costumes that are creative and sensitive. Hadley Alford, a senior studying nursing, said she will be wearing a traffic cone costume for Halloween this year. Alford’s boyfriend is a heavy equipment operator and she said he’s going as himself on the job. 

“I looked up some stuff on Pinterest and then I ended up actually just raiding his closet and found an orange reflective long sleeve shirt,” Alford said. “And I’m just gonna wear my leggings and try to find a little cone to put on my head.” 

Alford also said it’s important for people to be aware of how their Halloween costume may affect others. 

Sophie Neilson, a junior studying communications, said she is going as Kang Sae-byeok from the South Korean drama series, “Squid Games.”

“I basically chose her because I’m Korean, so I felt like it was appropriate for me to dress up as her,” Neilson said. “I wouldn’t be offended if I saw someone wearing a ‘Squid Games’ costume, but it really just depends on how they act in the costume.” 

There would also be a problem, Neilson said, if people were to mock Asian languages or physical features of, for example, the South Korean actress who plays Kang Sae-byeok.

Jazmine Amoako, a junior studying economics, said she agrees with Neilson and said that if people are going as a fictional character who isn’t the same race or ethnicity, there is no reason for people to alter their skin tone or features. 

“Say you do choose to do something that’s outside of your race and culture, you don’t have to make yourself look like it,” Amoako said. “Outside of the clothing, you can still be white.” 

The campaign, Bruce hopes, will open more dialogues between students and other people on campus about respecting and appreciating all cultures instead of mocking or stereotyping them. The My Culture is Not a Costume campaign is connected to the university’s Make Respect Visible campaign and Bruce said they have intentional ties to one another. 

“One of the things that we’re really hoping that takes on with Make Respect Visible is not just that we have these expectations and that they’re words, but that campus community members begin to engage with each other in these conversations,” Bruce said. “If we look forward, our goal is to make sure all members of our community know the expectations, and if they see something, they say something.” 

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Insensitive costumes remain an important topic of conversation

By Kaitlin Dunn Lifestyle Editor

For the last few years, there has been considerable discussion regarding Halloween costumes — particularly those that utilize offensive humor. Costumes such as culturally insensitive Native American outfits, homophobic costumes, or other stereotypical garb have been the topic of controversy in recent years.

For some, the issue seems easily dismissible. People argue that costumes are only costumes, so there is no harm done. Others claim that censoring outfits defeats the point of Halloween.

However, for many, the issue of offensive Halloween costumes isn’t simply a matter of censorship. Rather, offensive costumes disrespect individuals and groups, and lead to trivialization and mockery.

The phrase “my culture is not a costume” has come out in response to offensive Halloween costumes each year. This argument emphasizes the fact that one’s cultural background or identity is not something for others to wear.

Larger campaigns were created to combat the usage of culturally insensitive costumes. In 2012, Ohio University launched a poster campaign called “We’re a Culture, not a Costume: You think it’s harmless but you’re not the target.”

There are more recent pushes to stop the promotion of culturally insensitive Halloween costumes as well. In a 2020 video for Teen Vogue, people of different ethnic, cultural, and racial backgrounds came together to discuss how people using and mocking aspects of their background for the sake of Halloween affected them.

“One of the things about Hawaiian culture that not a lot of people know is that historically it was illegal to practice anything that had to do with native Hawaiian culture. My grandmother is currently in her 70s, and she’s finally learning how to dance hula…this costume is extremely hurtful, not only for myself but the generations that had to go through this erasure,” Cashman Aiu said in Teen Vogue.

All arguments for wearing offensive Halloween costumes can be used to argue against them as well. Yes, Halloween is one night a year, but it is simple not to mock cultures for the sake of wearing a costume that you likely will never wear again. For you, it is one night, but for others it’s a hurtful display of disrespect towards them and their cultural background.

Wearing Native American costumes or donning blackface for a costume does not make you look cool or edgy — it shows a lack of regard for others and is a blatant display of ignorance.

The issue with these costumes is not only the way they disrespect and trivialize other cultures, but also the way they contribute to harmful stereotypes.

Dressing up as a “sexy Native American” only further contributes to the sexualization of the Native American people. Your costume choice has effects on the lives of real people.

“These costumes aren’t funny and harmless; cultural appropriation isn’t senseless outrage. It’s a painful, dehumanizing attack on their culture, their history, their very existence,” Teen Vogue writer Jessica Andrews said in the video.

There are so many options to choose from for Halloween. Instead of potentially harming someone, stick with space cowboys and renditions of sexy ghosts this October.

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My Culture Is Not A Costume

appropriation: 

the action of taking something for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission

cultural appropriation: 

the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture

5 Questions to Consider: 

1. To What Ethnic/Racial/Cultural Group Does the Practice or Artifact Belong?

2. How Is the Group that the Practice or Artifact Belongs to Oppressed?

3. Do You Benefit from Doing This? How?

4. Why Might It Make Someone Uncomfortable?

5. What Makes It Possible for You to Engage with this Practice, Tradition, or Material?    (How did you come to acquire the artifact or elements of the practice?)

5 Simple Questions That’ll Help You Avoid Unintentional Cultural Appropriation   by Kim Tran  | May 2, 2016 

Images & Information for Reflection

During Halloween, people will often pick articles of clothing or jewelry, makeup styles, or artifacts from harmful and stereotypical depictions of a culture to wear as a costume for one day, without giving thought to the cultural significance of what they are portraying. We do not suggest that the items below are fully representative of any one culture, but they are cultural items that represent and communicate  something  based on how they are used or worn. These are only a few examples.

The images below name cultural appropriation for what it is. It's not a shock and awe tactic, but an opportunity to grow in our intercultural competence and move our community towards one that embodies cultural humility. 

Additional Resources & Articles: 

Race, Culture Expert Shares History and Why Blackface and Other Cultural Appropriation at Halloween Is Inappropriate   Advice from Mia Moody-Ramirez, Ph.D.

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Intercultural engagement at Baylor means curating thoughtful and intentional opportunities and experiences to cultivate the development of intercultural maturity. Equipping each member of our community to accept challenges from—and at the same time build interdependent relationships with—different people from other backgrounds* is a vital component of advancing Baylor's mission. *(King & Baxter Magolda, 2005)

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Bucknell University's Division of Equity & Inclusive Excellence is leading a campaign called "My Culture Is Not a Costume" to raise awareness of the problematic nature of certain Halloween costumes. While we recognize that most people do not choose their costumes with the intent to offend, appropriative costumes can still perpetuate harmful stereotypes about marginalized communities.

Why a campaign?

Using identities and cultures as costumes has unfortunately become normalized in our society. We see Indigenous people reduced to mascots, headdresses sold as costumes, Blackface and brownface still prevalent, and the harmful trope of a man in a dress to mock trans people, particularly trans women.

This campaign aims to spark dialogue on campus, emphasizing that Halloween should be safe and fun for everyone. This spooky season — and throughout the year — we invite and encourage students and community members to challenge and change harmful beliefs and practices related to Halloween costumes, including cultural appropriation.

What is cultural appropriation?

Cultural appropriation is the act of taking significant elements (symbols, dress, words, practices, etc.) from a culture that is not your own and removing all original context or meaning. During Halloween, cultural appropriation often manifests in the form of wearing costumes that rely on specific cultural symbols or stereotypes, where people dress up as an ethnicity, race or culture that is not their own, often without understanding or respecting the culture they are portraying.

Five questions to consider:

• Whose is it? To what ethnic/racial/cultural group does the practice or artifact belong?
• Does this oppress? How is the group that the practice or artifact belongs to marginalized?
• Do you benefit? Do you benefit from doing this? How?
• Harm to others? Why might it make someone uncomfortable?
• Is this your tradition? What makes it possible for you to engage with this practice, tradition or material? (How did you come to acquire the artifact or elements of the practice?)

I'm confused, isn't it just a costume?

It may be viewed as "just a costume," but it comes at the expense of people's safety and security. Oppression is not just maintained by overt, public, aggressive and physically violent forms of attack. It is also reinforced by the denial of rights, harmful stereotypes, and the dehumanization of people through jokes and stereotypes.

Here is a list of some costumes to avoid (unless they connect with your own experience or identity)

• An Egyptian person
• A Mexican person
• Day of the Dead themes (skull makeup, floral headpieces, skeleton themes)
• A Romani (sometimes referred to using the slur, g*psy)
• An indigenous person or person of color (though it is okay to dress as a particular individual e.g. Obama or Snoop Dog — as long as you do not try to embody their racial identity by doing Blackface, brownface, wearing cultural garments or wigs representing Black hair like dreadlocks)
• A prison inmate
• A mentally ill person in a psychiatric facility
• A transgender person (there's a difference between dressing as a trans person as a joke/mockery and dressing in drag. Many folks use Halloween as a safe opportunity to play with their own gender and drag has a long history of being connected to Halloween)
• A hula dancer
• A homeless person
• Costumes that make fun of sexual and gendered violence (e.g. "flasher")
• Costumes that degrade or dehumanize sex workers, dancers etc.

Want to learn more about Bucknell?

The University News

My culture is not your costume

Culture appropriation during Halloween

Sara Qalbani , Staff Writer | November 7, 2020

Celia Searles

Cultural appropriation, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, “is the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not one someone identifies as, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture .” Cultural appropriation, unfortunately, is present in everyday life.Even more unfortunately, the Halloween season is especially filled with cultural appropriation, as many people incorporate aspects of different cultures into their costumes, sparking a lot of recent controversy. 

To fully understand what cultural appropriation in Halloween costume looks like, there are a few simple guidelines to keep in mind when choosing a costume. First, any costume that reflects someone’s personal identity or culture. For example, in recent years Amazon had a costume of what was labeled as a “Mexican Man” on their website. After this sparked controversy, the costume was removed and similar ones were required to change their names and descriptions. 

Degrading someone’s culture and identity to a costume strips away the importance that it holds to someone who identifies as this culture and lives with it every single day of their life. Not to mention, most of these costumes continuously perpetuate racist stereotypes of the culture. With the “Mexican Man” costume, the use of a sombrero, a mustache and a traditional Mexican poncho directly assume that this is what a typical Mexican man looks like which is not the case. This qualifies for all cultures that are degraded to a costume, including but not limited to Native Americans, African Americans, or Asians. Whether it’s intentional or not, it’s important to be mindful and most importantly educated on what or rather who you are dressed up as and make sure it is not offensive. This may be your costume for one day of the year, but it is somebody else’s identity for a lifetime. 

Aside from educating yourself on what cultural appropriation is, you can also find ways to distinguish cultural appropriation from cultural appreciation. Cultural appreciation means to have true intentions when immersing yourself or educating yourself about another’s culture. It means being welcoming and understanding. The main difference between these two terms and distinguishing them is acknowledging what the intentions are between those who do this. Everyone has different opinions on what is and isn’t cultural appropriation but at the end of the day if you need to ask yourself “Is this cultural appropriation?” or “Will this offend somebody?”, then maybe that costume needs a second thought.

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CULTURE NOT A COSTUME

Julie kinnaird | october 10, 2017.

On the evening of October 31 the streets will be filled with jack-o-lanterns, ghosts and goblins, but also Pikachus, Elsas, doctors, astronauts, and more. Costumes that may be fun and games to some, can be hurtful or offensive to others.

Dressing in costumes that represent an entire culture can lead to generalizations and stereotyping. It can alienate and disrespect members of a community. Talking with students about the history of Halloween and how to best pick a costume by looking at them critically is important. Are the costumes they see on the media, in big box stores or in large Halloween-themed stores perpetuating stereotype or bias? Does the costume mock an individual or a religion? Just a quick search on one large retailer’s website produced dozens of choices for Mexican, Native American and geisha. Many of them portray these cultures in negative stereotypes.

Many college and school campuses administrators have taken steps to create inclusive environments for people of all diverse backgrounds. In 2011 Ohio State University STARS student group started the “ We’re a Culture, Not a Costume ” campaign featuring posters that try to prevent cultures from being translated into stereotypical costumes during Halloween.

Last year, the University of Massachusetts created a  Simple Costume Racism Evaluation and Assessment Meter  (or SCREAM) for students to use when deciding on what to wear for Halloween. The SCREAM meter asks costume-related questions, the answers to which take one to various points on a “threat meter” that ranges from green (low) to red (severe).

Yale University challenged students in 2015 to answer these questions when deciding what costume to wear: • Wearing a funny costume? Is the humor based on “making fun” of real people, human traits or cultures? • Wearing a historical costume? If this costume is meant to be historical, does it further misinformation or historical and cultural inaccuracies? • Wearing a ‘cultural’ costume? Does this costume reduce cultural differences to jokes or stereotypes? • Wearing a ‘religious’ costume? Does this costume mock or belittle someone’s deeply held faith tradition?

These simple, yet important questions, can help any student dressing up for Halloween festivities to avoid wearing a costume that might offend another.

At the K-12 level there is an ongoing debate of whether or not schools should host Halloween festivities. One the one side, many parents view Halloween and Halloween school parties as a rite of passage. Others argue that festivities cut into instruction or argue that the costumes being worn are offensive or too scary. It should also be noted that many families don’t celebrate Halloween. To overcome these challenges, many elementary schools have adopted the practice of “book character day” where students may choose to dress up as a character from a favorite book. This practice encourages appropriate costumes while promoting literacy. Others schools are choosing to host fall celebrations, Day of the Dead celebrations, or harvest festivals.

Educator Resources Lesson Plan: What do Halloween costumes say ? Grades K-5 Lesson Plan: Tolerance: Comparing Cultural Holidays Grades 3-4 Lesson Plan: Compare and Contrast Day of the Dead and Halloween Grades 4-5 Day of the Dead Classroom Resources Video: Cultural Appropriation: Why Your Pocahontas Costume Isn’t Okay : Aaliyah Jihad at TEDxYouth@AnnArbor

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A Culture, Not a Costume

The leaves are changing, and the temperatures are dropping as we officially enter fall. Pumpkin spice everything, scarves, and flannels are becoming the norm as we transition formally into October. 

October is full of many events, happenings, and holidays that are woven into our schools' fabric. Homecomings, spirit days, and Halloween festivities take shape and create a sense of camaraderie, connection, and even fun for students and the community. 

One tricky aspect of navigating dress-up days and even Halloween festivities: being aware, sensitive, and mindful of cultural appropriation. 

Cultural appropriation is  "Taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else's culture without permission. This can include unauthorized use of another culture's dance, dress, music, language, folklore, cuisine, traditional medicine, religious symbols, etc. It's most likely to be harmful when the source community is a minority group that has been oppressed or exploited in other ways or when the object of appropriation is particularly sensitive, e.g., sacred objects."  (From,  Who Owns Culture? Appropriation and Authenticity in American Law , by Susan Scafidi).

The costume or dress-up day is often not intended to cause harm, exploit a culture, or create pain for other students or community members. The impact, however, can create turbulence, harm, and create division amongst cultures, people, and communities within your school. 

An example is Hawaiian Day. A popular dress-up day that many schools participate in. The intent is for students and staff to wear aloha-style shirts filled with color, foliage, and even a lei. But, again, the impact is that the culture and people of Hawaii are not a "brand"; thus, their culture is not a costume. Shifts can be made to rethink how this dress-up can be altered. From "Summer Day" to "Beach Day," there are creative ways to move away from cultural appropriation. 

As you consider your school's community and cultural context, what shifts can be made to ensure dress-up days become opportunities for fun and unity rather than opportunities for pain and harm? 

Questions to consider:

• Does the costume portray a stereotype of a particular group of people?
• How would I feel if my culture was being represented in this way?
• Do people get discriminated against for the clothing or hairstyle I'm using as a costume?
• Does the costume exploit or make fun of a race, culture, religion, disability, gender, sexuality, or other identities?
• Have I done my research about the garment I'm wearing or the person I'm portraying?

As a school leader, navigating the discourse around these topics may feel complex. Some steps to consider: 

• Focus on the positive:  Instead of focusing on what students can't do, focus on what they can. For example, could the dress for Halloween be wearing orange and black? 
• Clear is Kind:  As Brené Brown has taught us, "Clear is kind." Be clear ahead of time on what is acceptable and what isn't. Clear and concise language regarding expectations is the way to go. 
• Favorites:  Favorites week is a wonderful opportunity to bring people together and still engage students. Favorite hooded sweatshirt day. Favorite pair of shoes day. Favorite flannel shirt day. Favorite color day. These are ways to engage students and staff still but do so in a way that allows more to participate and stay away from appropriation. 

The main thing is to know the main thing and keep the main thing, the main thing. The main thing is, has been, and should always be creating an environment where each and every student feels safe, valued, and free of harm. Shifting and rethinking our dress-up days allows schools to stay on track focusing on the main thing. 

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My culture is not your costume

Posted on November 7, 2020

Originally Posted on The University News via UWIRE

Cultural appropriation, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, “is the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not one someone identifies as, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture .” Cultural appropriation, unfortunately, is present in everyday life.Even more unfortunately, the Halloween season is especially filled with cultural appropriation, as many people incorporate aspects of different cultures into their costumes, sparking a lot of recent controversy. 

To fully understand what cultural appropriation in Halloween costume looks like, there are a few simple guidelines to keep in mind when choosing a costume. First, any costume that reflects someone’s personal identity or culture. For example, in recent years Amazon had a costume of what was labeled as a “Mexican Man” on their website. After this sparked controversy, the costume was removed and similar ones were required to change their names and descriptions. 

Degrading someone’s culture and identity to a costume strips away the importance that it holds to someone who identifies as this culture and lives with it every single day of their life. Not to mention, most of these costumes continuously perpetuate racist stereotypes of the culture. With the “Mexican Man” costume, the use of a sombrero, a mustache and a traditional Mexican poncho directly assume that this is what a typical Mexican man looks like which is not the case. This qualifies for all cultures that are degraded to a costume, including but not limited to Native Americans, African Americans, or Asians. Whether it’s intentional or not, it’s important to be mindful and most importantly educated on what or rather who you are dressed up as and make sure it is not offensive. This may be your costume for one day of the year, but it is somebody else’s identity for a lifetime. 

Aside from educating yourself on what cultural appropriation is, you can also find ways to distinguish cultural appropriation from cultural appreciation. Cultural appreciation means to have true intentions when immersing yourself or educating yourself about another’s culture. It means being welcoming and understanding. The main difference between these two terms and distinguishing them is acknowledging what the intentions are between those who do this. Everyone has different opinions on what is and isn’t cultural appropriation but at the end of the day if you need to ask yourself “Is this cultural appropriation?” or “Will this offend somebody?”, then maybe that costume needs a second thought.

Read more here: https://unewsonline.com/2020/11/my-culture-is-not-your-costume/ Copyright 2024 The University News

Essay on My Culture

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Culture in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Culture

Introduction.

My culture is an integral part of who I am. It’s like a colorful tapestry, woven with traditions, customs, and values that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Family Traditions

Family traditions are a significant part of my culture. They include celebrating festivals, preparing and sharing traditional meals, and storytelling sessions that keep our heritage alive.

Language and Values

The language we speak at home is another cultural aspect. It connects me to my roots. Additionally, values like respect for elders, kindness, and honesty are cultural teachings I hold dear.

In conclusion, my culture shapes my identity, guiding my actions and thoughts. It’s a treasure I cherish and will continue to uphold.

250 Words Essay on My Culture

Culture is an intricate tapestry, woven with threads of traditions, values, and experiences. It shapes our identity, influencing our beliefs and behaviors. My culture, a blend of South Asian heritage and modern Western influences, plays a significant role in defining who I am.

Traditional Roots

My culture is steeped in ancient traditions, each carrying profound meanings. From the vibrant festivals like Diwali, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, to the daily rituals such as meditation, promoting inner peace, these customs provide a sense of belonging and continuity. They serve as a bridge, connecting me to my ancestors and their wisdom.

Western Influences

Growing up in a multicultural society, my culture has also been shaped by Western influences. The emphasis on individualism and freedom of expression has encouraged me to question, explore, and form my own beliefs. This fusion of cultures has led to a unique blend of values – respect for diversity, emphasis on education, and the pursuit of personal growth.

Impact on Personal Identity

My culture, a blend of tradition and modernity, has shaped my worldview and personal identity. It has taught me to appreciate diversity, strive for knowledge, and maintain balance in life. It has also instilled a sense of responsibility to uphold these values and pass them on to future generations.

Culture is not static; it evolves, influenced by time, place, and people. My culture is a testament to this dynamic nature – a harmonious blend of old and new, East and West. It is an integral part of my identity, shaping my thoughts, actions, and aspirations.

500 Words Essay on My Culture

Defining my culture.

My culture is a beautiful amalgamation of shared beliefs, practices, and traditions that have been passed down through generations. It is a social construct, born out of the need for a collective identity, yet it is also deeply personal, shaping my individuality. It is a complex interplay of history, geography, religion, language, and art.

Language and Communication

Language, an essential component of my culture, is more than just a tool for communication. It encapsulates the essence of my cultural heritage, carrying with it the stories, wisdom, and ethos of my ancestors. Each idiom, each proverb, each dialect is a window into the collective experiences and values of my community.

Traditions and Rituals

Values and norms.

At the heart of my culture lie the values and norms that guide my behavior and interactions with others. They instill in me a sense of responsibility, respect, and empathy, molding my character and influencing my worldview. These values, embedded in the fabric of my culture, serve as a moral compass, guiding me through life’s challenges and dilemmas.

Art and Expression

Art, in its many forms, is a powerful expression of my culture. It is a mirror reflecting society, a canvas depicting our dreams, fears, joys, and sorrows. Be it music, literature, dance, or visual arts, each piece is a thread in the intricate tapestry of my culture, adding depth, color, and texture to the narrative.

While cultures may vary enormously across the globe, they all share one thing in common: they are the lifeblood of human societies. They provide us with a sense of belonging and identity, and help us understand our place in the world. By cherishing and preserving our individual cultures, we contribute to the beautiful diversity of the human race.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Activity 4: My culture is not a costume

In this exercise students get introduced to the campaign „We’re a culture, not a costume “ that was initiated by students from the University of Ohio ( https://www.ohio.edu/orgs/stars/Poster_Campaign.html ).

The students will be asked to get information on the internet about the campaign. Alternatively the teacher can print different posters from the campaign. The students are then asked to write an essay about the topic addressed by the campaign. The essay can address the following questions (choose only one):

• The people who have started the campaign complain about something. What is it and to what extent do you agree with them?
• What kind of stereotypes are addressed with the poster campaign? How do you feel do these stereotypes affect your own life?
• What is the message of the poster campaign regarding Halloween or other festivals using costumes? Have you been aware of this message before and will the campaign change anything regarding your choice of costumes for Halloween?

You can also think about your own questions for the essay. Another variation can be to distribute roles (according to the people on the posters and other students belonging to the „majority“) and to hold a debate between the different positions.

Internet sources: https://www.ohio.edu/orgs/stars/Poster_Campaign.html http://www.lspirg.org/costumes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6Y5cARFJw8