Student Campaign Targets Halloween Racism
A group of savvy students at Ohio University have launched a poster campaign highlighting the racist costumes that rear their ugly heads every October 31st, especially on college campuses.
Students Teaching About Racism in Society (STARS) is a student organization with about 10 members, who have been so overwhelmed by the response to these images that they’ve had to seek out the assistance of a lawyer in protecting their work. Kudos to these young people for such a powerful campaign!
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This is actually really cool!
I Agree that those images should not be exploited, nor should they be made a parody. However, the campaign’s whole “This is not who I am…” approach leads me to believe that the students see shame in those images. Society at large, regardless of race, should have a more culturally sensitive, inclusive approach when it comes to self-expression – which is the conversation that we aren’t having. What about the girl/guy who is that image – the person who actually rocks bamboo earrings, a fro or is a migrant worker, etc – I guess I’m wondering what kind of messaging it sends to those individuals?
@ashley
Um. It says “My culture is not a costume.” Which shows that they DO realize that their are people like that and reverence should be shown towards that CULTURE. Read it again please…
I don’t get how this is racist. So no one who is black (or at least 50% black) can dress up as Obama for Halloween because it’s racist? How? Where do draw the line? I think people are being WAAAAY too sensitive. It’s one thing to dress up as a “black, white, asian, arab, gay person” but something else all together to dress up as Lil’ Wayne, Obama, Sarah Palin, etc. I can see if someone was dressed as someone from a terrible act (i.e. slave, haitian earthquake survivor, holocaust survivor, columbine shooting survivor, etc) that would just be horrible but public figures are public figures. Also, I don’t see who it’s offensive to dress as a specific things like a geisha. They are beyond beautiful and I would dress up as a geisha with no apologies to anyone. I guess I grew up in an environment where people didn’t do things in a bad way so no one even thought about it like that. I can see how it could be offensive but it doesn’t necessarily have to be.
@I got sense
Do you know what a geisha is? Do you know how this stereotype offends Japanese women? If you knew, then you’d understand it doesn’t really matter if you think it’s beautiful… Like, I don’t know how to explain how woefully ignorant that sounds. It’s like if someone dressed up in random African garb and said “this is just a really neat costume!” It’s so disrespectful. My culture is not something you get to dress up as? You don’t get to decide how people are offended. If they are, then you must acknowledge it. This is definitely akin to the “I don’t see how it’s racist” argument some people break out whenever blackface is dawned.
“The more I look at those pictures the dumber it gets. Like I see so much wrong with it. “We’re a culture, not a costume.” I would like to ask them what costumes they think are appropriate for halloween?”
Totally read that last sentence again… there’s something really wrong with it.
@Timcampi
Okay, first of all calm down, you being upset isn’t going to change how I feel or what I think. Yes, I know what a geisha is and have Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese friends so I understand the different stereotypes of Asian women. I also know that geisha’s were artists and highly misunderstood. I also know that the practice is still going on today. How can you speak for ALL Japanese women? You can’t. No one can, not even a Japanese woman. That statement is ignorant and racists. As if all Japanese women think and feel the same way so you can lump them all together. Try again, you need to re-evaluate your train of thought. Again, you can be offended but not everyone is and there is nothing you can do about it but not like it.
@I got sense
I’m not angry. I was speaking to you like a rational person would. So um yeah… not sure why I should calm down? It’s not that serious. My goal is not to change how you feel. It’s your feelings… why would I change them. The goal is to help you understand because that is what you asked downthread -___-.
“How can you speak for ALL Japanese women? You can’t. No one can, not even a Japanese woman. That statement is ignorant and racists. As if all Japanese women think and feel the same way so you can lump them all together. Try again, you need to re-evaluate your train of thought. Again, you can be offended but not everyone is and there is nothing you can do about it but not like it.”
Wtf did you even read what I said?
” You don’t get to decide how people are offended. If they are, then you must acknowledge it. This is definitely akin to the “I don’t see how it’s racist” argument some people break out whenever blackface is dawned.”
Never did I say all Japanese people think like that. Please go quote me on that. You can’t can you? I said if someone IS offended you must acknowledge it. And because they ARE from that culture you should respect it. It doesn’t matter if you have Japanese, Korean, Whatever friends. They don’t speak for the whole damn nation. Like you said. -___- I’m really not liking the fact that you skipped over everything I said in order to portray me as some nutcase. Read please.
@Timcampi
Okay, let’s try again.
1. I didn’t say you were angry. I said upset.
2. I asked a specific question that you didn’t answer. Everything else you said is irrelevant to the specific question I asked.
3. If it’s not that serious why the hell are you talking about it. Make up your mind.
4. “Do you know how this stereotype offends Japanese women?” Your statement generalizes. Not all Japanese women are offended.
5. You skipped over what I said to make generalizations and then tell me to read stuff again.
6. “I said if someone IS offended you must acknowledge it.” What law says that? Please quote it, I’ll wait.
You are back peddling and it doesn’t look good.
Um. Not backpedaling. Upset and angry tirade are two interchangeable passive aggressive words in my thesaurus. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Which is why I said it’s not that serious. I don’t need to calm down because there is nothing serious to get passionate about -___-.
4. That sentence should say all Japanese women. Didn’t type all, so I apologize for that as well. It wasn’t mean to say “All Japanese women are offended.” It’s supposed to say Do you know how this offends all Japanese women? As in “You don’t know how all Japanese women will react to it.” You are not apart of that culture. You don’t get to defend the costume.
6. Alright. I see your point. I’m totally going to use this logic next time someone complains about a person dressed in niggerface.
If you don’t see how it’s offensive. Then you just don’t. I can’t waste anymore time explaining how it doesn’t matter the context or how specific you are with the background of the costume (given your examples of Obama, Sarah Palin, etc). It just boils down to everyone, but many. And when they are vocal about it you should respect the appropriating a culture you are not apart of. And it is offensive to many. Not to overwhelming cry of “don’t be a douche this Halloween”.
Like you said it isn’t a law. So I wonder why people get so uptight about racial insensitivity anyway .___. Oh yeah, something something equality… something something the right not to be oppressed.
@Timcampi
. . . Some perspective on the type of depth you’re dealing with when discussing race with this one
http://clutchmagonline.com/2011/08/rant-videos-do-need-black-girls/comment-page-1/
@nonsense
. . . Some perspective on every ridiculous trope you’ve used on this thread from “you’re being over emotional (upset)” to “Don’t you have more important things to think about?”
http://www.derailingfordummies.com/
@Timcampi
“Alright. I see your point. I’m totally going to use this logic next time someone complains about a person dressed in niggerface.”
That is the problem. You don’t need to explain anything. People always have and will always do what they want to do. Your logic will not keep them from it and so you are wasting your time along with the young people making these posters. There will be even more people dressing up this halloween just to piss them off and out of spite.
“And when they are vocal about it you should respect the appropriating a culture you are not apart of. And it is offensive to many.”
“Should” being the operative word. There are a lot of things people should or shouldn’t do and in a perfect world everyone would share and there would be no war. But since this world isn’t like that people simply do what they want and most try to do so without breaking the law. And at what point to you violate constitutional rights because someone is offended. Someone will be offended about EVERYTHING.
“Like you said it isn’t a law. So I wonder why people get so uptight about racial insensitivity anyway .___. Oh yeah, something something equality… something something the right not to be oppressed.”
Oppression and inequality aren’t the same as a costume for halloween. I’m sorry I thought you understood that.
Again, I see how some could be racist but not necessarily. If you can’t dress up as someone you admire or like just b/c they are of a different culture then this country is not as free as you think it is. Also, this is not a new concept. Have you ever heard of the movies White Chicks, Vampire in Brooklynn, Mrs. Doubtfire, etc. What about the countless movies where white people play people of color who are a different culture? These many everyday examples are just another reason why this is bullshit. These kids don’t want anyone of a different culture to dress up on ONE DAY in a year but there are movies and tv shows doing the same thing all the time. Why now? Why halloween? I call bullshit. They suddenly got offended? They are only offended on certain days and during certain times of the year? #epicFAIL
@igotsense i get what timcampi is saying
i think ur arguing the wrong point.
If you want to dress up as President Obama in a costume with one of those masks, that is not racist, nor is dressing up like sarah palin because they are public figures/icons.
However, to go to a pimps and h*es party and to put black face on then speak in ebonics and slang all night IS racist. they are presenting a stereotype of what Pimps and H*es are its insensitive because they think only African Americans fall into that category. No one is telling you not to have fun they are asking that you actually think about the costume. I dont think that in a “civilized society” such as ours we should have a problem with thinking about others and have empathy towards others, do you? why is taking someones feelings into account considered “liberal” and “pc”? its called being a human being. do unto others…….
@isolde
Your comment just appeared (I’ve been dying to ask if your moniker has anything to do with the opera =D). Thanks, I’m not even going to bother anymore. Some people insist on not making sense.
I wonder why the American Cowboy wasn’t represented when people wear those stupid Redneck/Farmer costumes? Just bc you are from Southern or from a rural area doesn’t mean you are small minded or ignorant or behind in the times. Funny how caucasian people aren’t represented when there is hate and disgust out there against them as much as any other ethnicity. I don’t say this bc I am caucasian. In fact, I am mixed, raised hispanic but I come from a multiracial community where the minority is caucasian. If you are going to point fingers, come correct and point everywhere. There is a difference in being desensitized and overly-sensitive as well. Racisim is not cut and dry as this campaign makes it seem.
Whether or not it’s included in the campaign, there are plenty of people who dress up as “white trash” for halloween or otherwise. And it’s equally reprehensible. I dare you not to find a “white trash” costume wherever you are this halloween. it’s the same thing, and it’s gross (AND a really lame costume; like, really. try at least 2%).
i mean — those people need to try harder, not you, i don’t know your life and you seem nice :)
I think part of the difference with the “redneck/hillbilly”white trash” costume is that I mostly see white people wearing it. Maybe it’s just my own experience, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen other ethnicities trying to pull that off. If I saw it I could understand being offended. But here’s how I see it – while these images of hillbillies and white trash are stereotypes of certain kinds of caucasians, they are not characteristic of how people perceive white people in general. When we witness real people in media who perpetuate the stereotype of “white trash”, the audience doesn’t assume that this is how a majority of white people behave. Individuals get to be judged independently (though I will admit that assumptions are sometimes made with southern accents)
When actual black people are seen by the masses in full ghetto form, people assume that most of us are this way. Middle eastern people are constantly portrayed as terrorists and there are people that exist who don’t know how to see them any other way. I grew up in a moderately diverse neighborhood, but I had so many people tell me that I was “different from other black girls” because of the way I talk/dress/behave. I have friends of other ethnicities who claim to have had similar experiences of being different that an expectation. Each minority group has their thing, but I have not gotten the impression that it is something that white people experience.
I have another question. Is the problem that people are dressing like other people OR is the problem that people are dressing like people from a culture they are not a part of? The more I look at those pictures the dumber it gets. Like I see so much wrong with it. “We’re a culture, not a costume.” I would like to ask them what costumes they think are appropriate for halloween? And take it a step further should this not be done in school plays and on tv and in movies either? Very interesting but obviously pointless. No laws are being broken so people will do what they want regardless.
Interesting conversation here. Where is the line when it comes to a racist costume vs. a non racist one. Is it racist to wear an afro wig and be a “black person” but not racist to wear an afro wig and bell bottoms and be “a person from the 70s disco era”?
I love the campaign, but it’s definitely worth discussing where that line is, because I believe there is one. Pocahontas vs. “an Indian” would be another example.
yes, exactly
Good question. I feel that specific and individual people are fine (like pocahontas or Obama) are okay. I think the problem becomes when they are general ideas (like “I’m going to be a mexican for Halloween”) when it becomes a culture. I think Telekendall said it best