Gut check: Is your costume culturally sensitive?
With Halloween upon us, students around the country are busy planning their perfect, funny, scary, or one-of-a-kind costumes. When choosing a Halloween costume, students sometimes get caught up in the excitement and forget to consider what certain costumes might suggest to others from different cultures or life experiences.
The Social Institute’s Seven Social Standards are good guidelines to consider when choosing Halloween costumes. These standards can guide our students to make high-character decisions and have open and respectful conversations with those who may not understand the history of their costumes.
Check out our tips below and share them with your students as we pick out our costumes this Halloween season!
Use Your Mic for Good: Using social media as a microphone to create meaningful change
Social media allows students to post about important topics and bring awareness to topics they are passionate about. Sharing personal experiences on social media can bring awareness to your followers who may not realize the impact of their costumes. Through social media, our students can engage in conversations and help others understand the importance of being culturally aware.
Students can use social media to educate their peers by posting about the history of traditional garb, like that of Native Americans. Many non-indigenous people might not realize that everything about the traditional outfit has significance and should be respected, not mocked or imitated.
Bollywood dancers are another popular costume every year that can offend people of Indian heritage. The costumes entail bright fabric and bells wrapped around the ankles, but students may not understand that the bells around the ankles – called the Ghunghroo – emphasize skilled footwork and the dancer’s timing with the music. On the headpiece a moon on the left and the sun on the right pay respect to their gods and deities. The dances are a tribute to them. By using their mic for good and discussing these traditions on social media, students can help their peers avoid being insensitive with their costumes.
Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG) is a non-profit organization that brings students together to tear down systems of violence. They created the #IAmNotACostume campaign that draws awareness to problematic Halloween costumes. They create a dialogue with young adults about costumes being inappropriate. They suggest that students educate themselves, question students who wear offensive costumes, engage in conversations in their inner circle, and continue to encourage others to be open to learning.
Find Your Influencers: Surrounding ourselves with positive and credible influences
On Instagram, students can find accounts to follow that inspire, educate, and entertain them. When we find an account that we like, it’s important to ask ourselves while scrolling, “Does this account give me any value? Are these accounts disrespecting cultures in what they wear or post?” If so, then it might be time to consider the unfollow button.
Example Instagram accounts to check out:
- Liz Kleinrock is an advocate for all races, identities, and sexualities.
- Annie Jean-Baptiste is a first-generation Haitian American who is passionate about everyone feeling seen and their voices being heard.
- Weallgrowlatina amplifies Latina voices through its social media accounts and blog.
In the #WinAtSocial Trending Lesson, Understanding the history of a culture and why it’s not a costume, students explore how and why costumes can be disrespectful to a person’s culture. Play now at WinAtSocial.com or contact us for more information on how your school community can empower students with our latest lessons.
Have a happy and safe Halloween!
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.