Editorial: A word about Halloween costumes

Graphic Jenny Kwan

With Halloween just two days away, we at The Concordian would like to take a second to remind everyone to be mindful of their choice for costumes.

While this holiday has come to represent fun, spookiness and candy, it has also been used as a free pass to (intentionally or not) belittle certain groups of people by wearing their identities as costumes without reprimand because “it’s just a costume,” or “it’s not supposed to be offensive.”

For starters, privileged people shouldn’t get to decide what is and isn’t offensive. Second of all, the impact people face as a result of their identity being reduced to a costume carries more weight than whatever the intent was.

Another person’s identity just… Isn’t a costume.

A little louder for the people in the back?

Another person’s identity is not a costume.

Seriously, guys, even Fox News gets this.

If you have to ask yourself “is this offensive?” the answer is probably yes.

Some inoffensive yet marvellous suggestions include, but are not limited to: CRAZY FROG, A COCA COLA BOTTLE, SHAWN MENDES, A CRAYON, YOUR FAVOURITE FROZEN CHARACTER, A LIZARD, OUR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S DOG, OUR CREATIVE DIRECTOR’S CAT…

You get the point. Literally anything that isn’t borrowing a person’s identity for a day without considering the systemic struggles they face, or reducing that identity to one stereotypical symbol.

 

Graphic Jenny Kwan

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