Not OK:
Posted on 10/30/2017 4:06:29 AM PDT by Enlightened1
American Indian, opposite gender, Mexicans, and members of a certain religion are among the costumes some colleges do not want you to dress up as this Halloween.
Administrators or students at The College of New Jersey, Millersville University in Pennsylvania, and other institutions have issued warnings ahead of Halloween regarding the costumes people should wear.
“Although the intention may be innocent, the impact can often be damaging,” said Baldween Casseus, the student government vice president of diversity and inclusion at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), in an email sent to the college community and obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation. “Some costumes perpetuate negative stereotypes on specific cultures, races, classes, genders, sexualities, and religions. As a community, we are continuously striving to create a more welcoming environment valuing inclusiveness, integrity, and self-reflection.”
David Muha, a spokesman for TCNJ, told TheDCNF that the university supported the message, saying that “being mindful of others is something the college actively promotes as part of trying to foster an inclusive community.”
Another vice president, this time a Millersville University administrator, chimed in with his own unsolicited precautions.
“Although these celebrations provide opportunities to socialize and positively impact those around us, Halloween is also a time when thoughtfulness and sensitivity can be forgotten, especially when selecting a costume,” said Brian Hazlett, the school’s student affairs and enrollment management vice president, to the school community. “It’s important to be mindful that making/buying/wearing a costume based on a culture different from our own has the potential to negatively impact the inclusive community we as an institution strive to maintain.”
Hazlett gave examples of war paint, turbans, feathered headdresses, and skin tone modifiers.
Maya Bingaman, a communications and marketing assistant at the University of Pittsburgh, Bradford, took a slightly more strident approach.
“Whether fall is the best season or not is debatable, but one debate that needs to be ended right now is whether certain Halloween costumes are culturally offensive or not,” said the assistant in a blog post on the school’s site.
Cultural appropriation does not need to be a divisive issue. A simple law requiring everyone to dress according to their ethnic background should solve the matter. No more three-piece suits for most minorities. Loin cloths, serapes, thobes, and similar attire will be welcome in board rooms. However, umbrellas will be available only to people of European descent during inclement weather. This may cause some hardships for minority groups here and there. Blacks in particular may find northern tier winters unduly harsh. That is a small price to pay for avoiding cultural issues. Some exceptions may be made for the sake of safety. For instance, minority football players will still be allowed to wear helmets and pads, but not cleats, pants, or jerseys. Basketball players, on the other hand, should do almost as well in their native customs. Sandals may not grip the turf or the hardwood as well and will slow down some skill position players. Once again, a small sacrifice to protect their cultural identity.
Not OK:
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