University Offers Workshop to Show Students Non-Offensive Halloween Costumes
“Are you about to use a symbol/object not from your culture?”
10.19.2017
14
The University of Southern Indiana offered students the opportunity of a lifetime this week: to attend a workshop on how to choose a Halloween costume that avoids any cultural stereotypes.
The “Culture not Costumes” workshop was hosted by USI’s Housing and Residence Life and included a multi-media presentation. Several videos were shown highlighting “inappropriate costumes,” like Japanese prostitutes and garb of Native Americans. As various costumes flashed on the screen, the words “very disrespectful” appeared. Attendees received handouts to help them understand cultural appropriation and how any costumes related to “first nations” should be avoided, such as “Pocahotties,” redface, headdresses, or “ceremonial items.” Flow charts were provided to help students decide whether or not to wear a certain costume. And then, students were offered specific suggestions:
Yes, dressing up like YouTube, Facebook, or The Fonz is so... woke!
The best part was saved for last. The College Fix has the details:
Presenters got out a box of dress up costumes to practice with, showing students how to choose their own appropriate costumes, including superheroes, ghosts and cats.
The Fix sent a willing participant into the workshop who reported back, “They literally had everything provided for us, and showed us things we could dress up as, and the clothes pretty much matched the costumes and all we had to do was put it together.”
But it doesn’t sound like all the effort was worth it. As The Fix insider reported, only ten students showed up to the workshop. What a giant waste of time and resources.
Posts
