Halloween is a celebration observed in a number of countries, including the U.S. In some parts of the world, people attend church services and light candles on the graves of the dead, although for the most part it remains a commercial and secular celebration.
Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, costume parties, carving pumpkins, lighting bonfires, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror films. More often than not, students on college campuses attend parties or choose to do the above-mentioned activities while wearing a costume.
Not being from the U.S. and not having celebrated Halloween for most of my life, I had to do some quick research to familiarize myself with the popular trends and students’ favorite costume choices.
I found things ranging from animal impersonation to the impersonation of different professions, such as doctors, nurses, firemen, policemen, and policewomen. Then, there were other costumes that I personally found more disturbing, such as Jesus riding a camel, dresses that barely cover people’s bodies (see costumes of “sexy” nuns, “sexy” nurses), “Asian multicultural costume” (cheap imitation of a Changshan, costume traditionally worn by Chinese males at at formal events), and more.
Below is a more detailed look at some of these more provocative and controversial costumes.
Jesus riding a camel: Funny? Perhaps. Possibility of people feeling uncomfortable at the sight of the costume? Quite high. Scary? Not really. I’m sure something equally (if not more) funny and scary can be found. It’s less about religion and more about having some taste and some standards in one’s choices.
Dresses that barely cover the body: Leaving other concerns aside, it is usually cold at the College during Halloween, and these clothes provide close to zero warmth. I am sure people can find better things to do with their bodies than expose them to almost-freezing temperatures.
Asian multicultural costume: This is where the list of offensive costumes is most prominent. Cultural exploration is one thing, and it is acceptable and even encouraged, but when someone wears the formal attire of a culture, even if it is their own, just to get distastefully wasted and ends up in a bathroom vomiting on his/her beautiful imitation of a Changshan… something is wrong. It is not funny, not scary, and it shows one’s deeply rooted ignorance.
I am certain the students of Lake Forest are intelligent and creative enough to think of more ingenious things to wear while making sure to cover at least half of their bodies with clothes and while not wearing a cultural significant costume that they don’t understand.
It is not difficult, and it will leave everyone much happier. People will be able to focus on the celebrations, and those of us on campus won’t have to have repeated discussions about cultural appropriation, decency, and other basic things that should be learned by the age one goes to college.
