Controversial Costumes....
We live in an age (United States mostly) where anything you wear for Halloween seems to make the offensive list. Whether it's the classic: Cowboy/Indian couple's costume, or the one sparking the news outlets now: The Dia de los Muertos aka the Day of the Dead. Anything and everything you wear is offensive in some way. However, if one actually thinks about it, Halloween as a holiday overall is controversial. We are not celebrating or commemorating it for what it should be, and if were were then only certain ethnicities should be celebrating it anyway because it's their "cultural heritage". And while I would never support someone wearing a costume that resembled: Black Face, or a Nazi, I do believe our society has gone too far with regulating what one should and should not wear.
In my opinion when choosing one's Halloween costume it should all come down to etiquette You should be asking yourself:
1. Is this age appropriate? Do I truly need to buy the costume that says "sexy (fill in the blank) " {even though I know that's another debate more so on the gender and feminist side: Slut shaming...},
2. Will my costume be appropriate for the event I'm attending? If you are going to a friends house who is African American who has issues with people representing them don't go as a Jamaican bongo player, or if you're going to a Native American lineage friends house it might not be the best idea to go with a feathered head dress or to go as a Hawaiian or Eskimo. (I'm not just speaking to the white people here either, African Americans should not dress up as Japanese people if they are going to an Asians friends house etc.) This rule applies to ALL. If the party is a themed one though and the invite welcomes people to dress as Mexicans in Sombreros, or to dress in the funniest/crudest (hey I don't know who you hang out with...) couples costume you can think of, then by all means go as a priest and a prostitute because it should be expected.
3. What is my intent? Are you trying to start a fight? Will by dressing up in a couples costume of Trump and Brexit make you center stage controversy at the event your attending? Halloween in our culture today is about having fun and being with friends. Leave your political, religious, gendered, racial, and so on agendas at the DOOR (even if they are apart of who you ARE) ! You don't need to be the center of attention if the way you are planning to be the star of the show risks offending people. Think of other's feelings first. This is a holiday, not a high school debate team competition.
4. What would my mother think of me? Would I want my child to dress the same way? These are probably my most condemning questions that I ask myself. If you know your mom would not want to see you walking around in basically underwear in public, then don't do it. Would you really want your own daughter or son to expose themselves in that matter? It's not classy and it's attention seeking. remember to always hold yourself with dignity, and others will too (even at a Halloween party).
5. Bite your tongue. No matter how much you want to persecute others Halloween costumes... don't. When it comes down to it, judging another for what they are wearing is just a way to make yourself feel superior. Worry about yourself, and don't think that because so and so decided to dress up as a belly dancer that they are racist towards Indians. No. Take a deep breath, make a costume and wear a costume you are proud of and keep your opinions to yourself. Halloween is a night to have fun, not a night to go out and judge your neighbors.
Overall, Halloween in our culture is supposed to be fun! We aren't celebrating the way we used to. Now it's a time for candy friendship, and a good (SAFE) time. Don't punish the little blonde white girl coming up to your door dressed as a China doll, who knows she might grow up to be a professor of Japanese history because she truly does love the culture. Don't punish the African American girl who wants to be Cinderella. As a dance teacher I had a little white girl tell an African American girl her same age that she couldn't be Cinderella because she's black...... I was horrified. Anyone can be a princess, and anyone can be any princess they want. Disney overall is for the taking and one can be anyone they want from them.
So please, this Halloween, drop your agendas and persecutions. Remember you etiquette rues. Ask yourself why you are wearing the costume you are: do you truly love Eskimos? or are you trying look sexy in tiny shorts and a fur hood? Seriously, step back, analyze and then decide. If you know why you are dressing a certain way, and have good intentions behind it (not fighting intentions), then if you are asked why you chose that you can be proud and have enough dignity to answer why you chose that. Think of others, think of yourself, and think of the example you are setting. Choose wisely, and don't get your panties in a twist if you do want to dress as something that people have deemed controversial.