A Parent's Guide to Avoiding Offensive Halloween Costumes

Tips

• Broadly speaking, tribal markings, headdresses, and turbans are inappropriate Halloween costume attire because they are tied to a specific ceremony or religious meaning.
• Do not dress up as characters like Coco or wear sugar skull costumes if the child has no Mexican and/or Indigenous ancestry, as Día de Los Muertos is an important holiday for reflection and honoring the deceased.
• Think of whether a costume would show honor or disrespect for a group or person; if you or your child doesn't know the meaning of the culture and ethnic attire under consideration, it's not a good idea to wear it.
• Conduct research to understand which costumes are harmful and appropriating from various cultures by looking at how they developed, how they are viewed in real life, and if there is controversy.
• Use caution with historical figures, especially those representing eras of oppression; for example, avoid imitating figures like Robert E. Lee.
• If dressing as a specific cultural figure like Frida Kahlo is inappropriate due to lack of heritage, encourage dressing as a non-descript painter or a magical creature instead, and use it as a history lesson.
• Choose costumes that are not tied to one culture or heritage, such as athletes, musicians, and public figures, or avoid costume-in-a-bag routes which may be appropriative.
• Rather than buying a ready-made costume, try to interpret values like courage or creativity in a DIY way, or buy authentic pieces created by designers from the source community.