Have a Fun, Safe (and Sensitive to Minority Sensibilities) Halloween!
October 29, 2012 3 Comments
One of the joys the coming of Halloween affords us all is a good laugh at the ridiculous campaigns that have sprung up in recent years asking us to be sensitive about our choice of costume. Here, for instance, is a handy guide on how to inform your companions that their costume is racist. I’m sure you’ll be the most popular guy at the party.
‘We’re a Culture Not a Costume‘ is an annual ‘awareness’ initiative at Ohio University by Students Teaching About Racism in Society (or STARS, which is a good indication of how these people see themselves). Basically, they make some posters every year with a crabby-looking member of a minority group next to a guy clearly more fun to to hang out with than they are, only dressed as a sheikh or something. This year, they’ve noticeably added hillbillies. At first, I thought it was a big joke. The creators of this turd of a campaign are actually serious, and the university endorses their fine work.
Oh, and before you put on that kimono or Arab headdress this year, have a look at this handy awareness checklist from another university:
The asian one is hillarious. Where the fuck would you even get such a pair of fake glasses.
I have no idea, but now I really want them. Thanks, STARS!
The President of STARS who started this silly campaign goes by the name of Sarah Williams, who also appears to be a former Obama intern. No surprise there.
She has actually said:
“White privilege isn’t like a knapsack…it is like a toy box. And White people will scream and cry and throw a tantrum if you so much as threaten to take away one of their toys. Racist and otherwise offensive Halloween costumes are one of the many toys that White people are used to playing with”.
Unless you can howl YESSSSS! to every one of those costume questions, why are you even bothering to dress up for Halloween?