Halloween Cultural Appropriation

By  ANGELA HE ‘27 and ANDREW YANG ‘27

Halloween Cultural Appropriation

Each Halloween, the Academy urges people to steer clear of costumes that depict other cultures, often sparking the familiar debate: “My culture is not your costume.” On Oct. 23, 2024, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) posted on their Instagram, reminding students, “If you’re dressing up for Halloween, be mindful about stereotypes that you are projecting about identities and cultures that are marginalized.”

However, there is a gray area between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation that varies by person. Though seeing someone from a different background wearing aspects of their culture doesn’t offend everyone who identifies with that culture, some might perceive these costumes as misrepresenting or stereotyping their culture. Because the risks outweigh the benefits of wearing cultural costumes, we view OMA’s cautionary approach towards Halloween costumes as beneficial to the school community.

Cultural Appreciation

There’s something great about sharing and celebrating different cultures, especially when people do it with respect and curiosity. Seeing someone wear traditional clothing, listen to music, or enjoy food from a culture outside their own can feel like they’re genuinely appreciating it. In a multicultural world, these kinds of exchanges can be a way for people to connect and learn from each other. When done respectfully, sharing cultural traditions can feel like a genuine way of building understanding across backgrounds. It’s rarely as big of a deal as it’s made out to be.

Most people don’t mind seeing their culture represented, as long as it’s done with respect and not in a mocking way.

Being Chinese, I wouldn’t mind if someone from a different culture wore a qipao, as long as they approach it with respect and genuine curiosity. The qipao holds cultural and historical significance, but seeing someone appreciate it by wearing it thoughtfully can feel like they’re honoring its beauty and meaning, rather than just treating it as a costume.

However—we cannot speak for everyone. What tends to bother people isn’t the sharing itself, but when their traditions, clothing, or symbols are used carelessly or in a way that feels mocking.

Cultural Appropriation

In August 2021, Washington Football Team banned fans from wearing headdresses or Native American attire, just one year after the team dropped the name “Redskins.” Advocates for Native American cultural representation deemed the fans’ attire offensive. They believed that it wasn’t an accurate representation of their culture and veered towards mocking and stereotyping their culture. Native American culture is more nuanced than just headdresses and war paint.

Similarly, in Exeter, we cannot ensure (1) that people fully understand the nuances of the culture they are representing, and (2) that every person of that culture would tolerate the attire. There is so much more within a culture than just attire. Representing only one aspect of a culture can be problematic for some people, as they might perceive this as ignorance towards other aspects of their culture. People also have different experiences with a culture. Though some might perceive the attire as an accurate representation of their culture, others might not. The gray zone between cultural appreciation versus cultural appropriation varies greatly by person.

OMA’s Approach

OMA’s cautionary approach makes sense, even if not everyone finds cultural references or representations offensive. When dealing with diverse backgrounds, it’s very hard to predict who may feel uncomfortable seeing parts of their heritage represented by others, especially in casual or insensitive ways.

OMA does this to avoid misunderstandings and unintentional harm. Though most may not mind, it’s the safer bet to eliminate all possibly offensive costumes. It does no harm to miss out on a couple of costumes for Halloween. After all, there’s no shortage of creative costumes available that don’t tread into cultural or religious territory.