Wikimedia Commons – Jack o’lantern : Ange et démon

It’s that time of the year again. The time for pumpkin carving, candy cravings and spooky costumes. A lot of people cherish this annual holiday for the opportunity it gives them to be someone else, but in light of the popularized “cancel culture” here are some of the costumes we need to make sure NOT to wear in order to not get canceled.

  1. Black Face
Wikimedia Commons – Photo portrait of Vaudeville star Bert Williams in blackface with cigarette; cropped from original

This has been a sore subject in recent years as many politicians, comedians and celebrities have come under fire for old Halloween costumes in which they painted their faces or their bodies black or brown in order to portray a different race. This should have never been an acceptable costume, but save yourself some grief and don’t even try it. Anything involving making your skin tone darker to portray a different race, making fun of, or mocking a different race is not okay.

2. “Sexy Indian” or Native American Cultural Appropriation

Wikimedia Commons – Two girls dressed up as native Americans in the amusement park Legoland Billund Resort in Denmark.

This is a costume a lot of people probably don’t see as being wrong or not allowed because of how popularized it became after the release of Disney’s Pocahontas in 1995, however this is an extremely offensive costume to native americans. The difference between wearing a native american costume for Halloween and wearing native garb in general is that using a cheap replica of traditional clothes mocks the culture. Unless you have native roots or relations to someone who is native that says your costume properly represents and celebrates their culture, you should not be wearing this.

3. Kimono or Asian Culture Based Costumes

Adobe Stock – surprised geisha, portrait of young woman in kimon. Halloween by Guzel Studio

For the same reasons you shouldn’t wear “sexy indian” costumes applies to Kimono and other traditional Asian costumes. Most of the available halloween costumes based on the kimono are made shorter, tighter and more revealing for the sake of sex appeal, but this is extremely offensive to Asian cultures. Taking something so sacred and ancient and altering it to be “sexy” offends those who practice that culture.

4. Transphobic Costumes

Wikimedia Commons – Showzam! – Blackpool’s annual festival celebrating circus, magic and new variety with over 150 performers taking part. My commission was to photograph the events for the National Fairground Archive.

Costumes of different genders, such as the most common “granny” costume for men, is also a “no” this holiday season. Although it may seem harmless at times, mimicking a different gender is offensive to those who are transgender because of the difficulties they have gone through and faced to get there. This is also unacceptable because a lot of times, not all the time, but sometimes people will wear costumes to be a different gender and then will be unsupportive of transgender people and their rights. It’s not cool to mock other people because it’s Halloween. It should never happen, no matter what time of year it is.

5. Objectification of Men or Women Costumes

Wikimedia Commons – New Orleans Carnival: Krewe of OAK costumers

Costumes such as the one above depicting a man dressed as a larger nude woman are not funny and are extremely offensive. Not only is this making fun of women/people who choose to or have no other option than to be an exotic dancer, but this is also making fun of a woman’s weight. A woman’s size or occupation should not be used as a costume. This is just making fun of both of those things and portraying them as a sick joke. Something that is neither good nor funny.

6. Animal Cruelty

Costumes involving maimed or maiming animals should not be worn out this Halloween. The most famous example of a costume that’s not okay involving animal abuse was the “Lion Killer Dentist Halloween Costume” in which a man was wearing a dentist costume covered in blood with a bloody lion head in reference to the Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer who hunted the famous Cecil the lion in a big game hunt and was scrutinized for his violence and lack of remorse. To learn more about the event and the costume see the Hollywood Reporter. Wearing a costume involving the abuse or mistreatment of animals is not only something that shouldn’t be joked about, but it condones such behavior. A behavior often associated with violent psychopaths and sociopaths.

7. Terrorist Costumes

Adobe Stock – Man in usa clown mask with rifle in the hand, gangsta, gangster by Tomasz

Costumes involving terrorism or domestic terrorism are just more costumes in a long list of things not okay to wear this Halloween. Not only are a lot of these costumes stereotyping Muslim or middle eastern people, they are also extremely insensitive to those who have experienced acts such as these. If it involves making fun of another type of person, just don’t do it.

8. Sexual Harassment Costumes

Wikimedia Commons – Minimally costumed revelers, Fantasy Fest, Key West, 1997

Costumes involving anything related to sexual assault or harassment such as a flasher or a nude person should not be worn out this year or any year. Not only are these costumes usually not the cutest, they can also be very triggering to people who have gone through sexual assault or sexual trauma. If you wouldn’t flash or sexually assault someone in real life, why would you do it in a costume?

9. A National Tragedy

Wikimedia Commons – 9/11 head wear.

Costumes making fun of national tragedies or events should never be worn for Halloween. The most common example of this is probably the infamous 9/11 costumes. These should not be worn for any reason. There is nothing funny or attractive about thousands of people dying and even more being affected by such a violent act and event. The repercussions of which we still see today and will probably never be rid of. This event rocked the country and some could even say the world. There will never be “enough time to pass” for this costume to be funny or allowed.

10. Homeless Costumes

Public Domain Pictures – Little Hobo by mmillman

Any costume depicting someone as homeless or of a lower socioeconomic status than yourself should not be something you are considering this Halloween. These costumes may seem funny and harmless to some, but to the people in these situations this is not okay. Most people who are homeless don’t choose to be that way, and do not have the luxury of better clothes or the costumes you might have the access to. You wouldn’t want someone with more money or opportunity than you making fun of where you are, so don’t do it to them.

For more information about what costumes not to wear this holiday season, or any holiday season really check out this link for a Good Housekeeping article.