Halloween 2018: Unis tell students to get woke on cultural appropriation

Another year, another round of cultural appropriation during Halloween.

So much so that universities are still holding cultural education programmes to inform students on the proper etiquette when choosing their costumes.

Right-wing media The Daily Caller reported that universities this year continue to promote a “We’re a Culture Not a Costume” campaign.

.@conservmillen on colleges issuing costume rule: "Are they not allowed to dress up as witches because that offends the Wicca culture?" pic.twitter.com/ATNHA5ycdJ

— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) October 18, 2017

What began as a series of images showing minority students holding photos of people dressed as interpretations of their respective ethnicities, initiated by Ohio University in 2011, has now spread to other universities, such as Towson University and DePauw University, with their own variations.

“We’re a culture not a costume. This is not who I am, and this is not okay,” the posters read.

Others said: “You wear the costume for one night. I wear the stigma for life.”

https://twitter.com/aliciagabs/status/915557659817979904

At an on-campus rally at Arizona State University last year, students dressed up as stereotypical representations of their cultures, and held signs with the campaign slogan.

“These costumes, I guess, are a mockery of our own traditions,” said one student dressed in native garb, as reported by Campus Reform. 

“Look at this cheap fur. Like we don’t even—this does not accurately portray my culture. And this headband? I don’t even know what’s up with it,” she stated.

Others remarked on the inauthenticity of the costumes, like one student who explained that Native American clothing actually costs “hundreds of dollars,” and not as cheap the Halloween version.

This year, Towson University announced this Monday that it is joining the chorus against cultural appropriation and called for students to refrain from wearing offensive costumes and continue to “represent Towson University proudly”.

“Halloween costumes that are based on ethnic, racial, religious, gender, ability, and other cultural stereotypes are hurtful and reduce people’s identities into caricatures,” the university wrote., noting that “intent may be far different than the impact,” and that “one night of fun” can turn into a “stigma that others wear for life.”

Allie Beth Stuckey, a conservative millennial, argues that such actions by universities will open the floodgates for further policing of Halloween costumes.

On Fox News, Stuckey said: “My question is, if they do, then where is it going to end?”

“Are they not allowed to dress up as witches because that offends the Wicca culture? Are they not allowed to dress up as animals because that might trivialise the plight of endangered species?

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