Students campaign against racist Halloween costumes

October 25, 2011 at 9:02 PM

Cultures are often stereotyped in Halloween costumes. This outfit implies that Middle Eastern people are all terrorists and suicide bombers. Obviously they're not, and this costume is hurtful.

It's not OK for a white girl to dress up in blackface, even if it's imitating your favorite rapper. Likewise "thug" costumes with blinged out necklaces and grills only contribute to negative misconceptions.

We all know that Asian women are beautiful and submissive, right? WRONG! This is not paying positive tribute, this is poking fun at a race.

"Indian" costumes may have somehow passed back in the day, but this is 2011 and we know native Americans don't wear feathers and animal hides and carry a tomahawk.

Mexican men don't all wear sombreros and ponchos and ride a donkey. This is a ridiculous stereotype.

Cultures are often stereotyped in Halloween costumes. This outfit implies that Middle Eastern people are all terrorists and suicide bombers. Obviously they're not, and this costume is hurtful.

Photo by: Photo courtesy of STARS and saucy-sarah.tumblr.com
Cultures are often stereotyped in Halloween costumes. This outfit implies that Middle Eastern people are all terrorists and suicide bombers. Obviously they're not, and this costume is hurtful.-
As much as we love Halloween , it seems to be a time when you can get away with being racy or even racist . What some may consider to be a funny, satirical costume, can play out offensives stereotypes and archaic generalizations about a race or group of people. The Mexican man with a sombrero and donkey. The Asian geisha girl. The black thug with piled on bling. These costumes are not just un-P.C., they're hateful and insulting. They are not depicting real people, they are displaying ignorant caricatures. A student organization at Ohio University called Students Teaching Against Racism in Society (STARS) is trying to raise awareness about this Halloween SNAFU and potentially do away with these harmful costumes. Their mission is "to educate and facilitate discussion about racism and to promote racial harmony and to create a safe, non-threatening environment to allow participants to feel comfortable to express their feelings."

STARS created posters depicting precisely what is un-funny about Halloween costume stereotypes, and they'll be hanging

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Students campaign against racist Halloween costumes

Cultures are often stereotyped in Halloween costumes. This outfit implies that Middle Eastern people are all terrorists and suicide bombers. Obviously they're not, and this costume is hurtful.

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