Niagara College is reminding the college community to have a safe and respectful Halloween.
The Niagara College Student Administrative Council has launched a social media campaign to promote awareness about cultural appropriation leading up to Halloween. The campaign notes that “culture is not a costume.”
To evaluate whether a costume might be offensive, consider the following:
Significance: Does the costume resemble an item of clothing with religious, cultural or sacred significance? If you have to think about it twice, don’t do it.
Source: Consider the source of the costume. Does it come from a culture, race or identity that has been historically discriminated against or oppressed?
Stereotype: Does the costume attempt to replicate, imitate, or stereotype a different race or identity?
Remember: It is never OK to mock or imitate features from a different race or identity, regardless of the significance.
