• Log in
    PoliticsBusinessA&ETransgenderBisexualityReligionFamiliesVoicesVideo
    OUTPrideOut TravelerPLUSADVOCATE CHANNEL
    SubscribeSubscriber ServicesEmail Newsletter Signup
    CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
    © 2023 Pride Publishing Inc.
    All Rights reserved
    Advocate.comAdvocate.com
    Scroll To Top

    By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.

    Accept

    Offensive Halloween Costumes to Avoid

    Ariel Sobel
    | 10/26/18

    Offensive Halloween Costumes to Avoid

    Nobody likes to be told no.

    Nobody likes to be told no.

    But when you're a marginalized person in America, being told you can't do things is a day-to-day reality.

    Halloween is a time to say yes to many things, like going into haunted houses, watching the most horrifying movies, and wearing the most monstrous masks. But there is a difference between giving someone a scare and denying them basic respect. So, in order to ensure that October 31 is inclusive to every kind of person (and ghoul) we've rounded up some offensive costumes to avoid.

    Indigenous People

    Indigenous People

    While President Donald Trump may retire his use of the racist slur "Pocahontas" against Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the racism against Native Americans and indigenous tribes across the world is still on the tips of many tongues. Putting on sacred clothing that was stripped from natives by European colonizers is not a casual costume. It encourages the dehumanization of tribal peoples and reduces them to mascots rather than an ethnic group that endures in the wake of genocide.

    Harvey Weinstein

    Harvey Weinstein

    As terrifying as a man accused of sexually abusing countless women is, it's not the right kind of scary for Halloween. Yet, several stores are selling Harvey Weinstein masks for the season. Dressing up as someone's rapist makes light of their rape. Even though it may seem like enough time has passed for us to make light of the horrors expressed in the #MeToo movement, the disgraced mogul is still not behind bars and his lawyers are putting salt in the wounds of accusers, whom they call "quintessential non-victims."

    BlacKKKlansman (Or Any Klansman)

    Blackkklansman (Or Any Klansman)

    Although the hit Spike Lee movie is a vibrant piece of American cinema, putting on a hood that's symbolic of murdering minorities is inexcusable. Why would you want to emulate an enduring cause of trauma for so many of our most persecuted citizens? Save some time, show some respect, and just turn your white sheet into a classic ghost look.

    Blackface

    Blackface

    Megyn Kelly might not find wearing blackface offensive, but it didn't get her trending on Twitter for the right reasons.

    It doesn't matter how much you like dressing up as your favorite African-American celebrity, don't paint your skin black. Historically, painting white people's faces black was a technique used to portray people of color as dumb clowns, incapable of feeling humiliation - and giving white people an entertaining way to humiliate them. Even if your costume is meant to show your respect for the person you're playing, blackface is automatically a sign of repugnance. If you want to go to Halloween as Serena Williams, Kanye West, or Janelle Monae, do it; but change your clothes, not your complexion.

    Mariachi Bands, or Any Other Sombrero-Related Latinx Outfit

    Marachi Bands, or Any Other Sombrero-Related Latinx Outfit

    African-American people are not the only ones who are humiliated on Halloween. Dressing up like a traditional Mexican band (or just a Mexican) is not a compliment, it's a way to reduce a rich aspect of Latinx culture to a costume. Instead of putting on the most stereotypical depiction of the primary victims of xenophobia, how about dressing up as one of their heroes like Frida Kahlo, Lin-Manuel Miranda (in his Hamilton best), or Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor in her robe?

    Eastern Deities

    Eastern Deities Or Gods

    Although even Halloween queen Heidi Klum has done this no-no, it doesn't mean it's OK. Dressing up as a god from an Eastern culture, especially if you lack knowledge about its significance, is demeaning to the people for whom these figures are sacred. Yes, Ganesha might make an ornate costume, but when the elephant-headed deity has already been portrayed on socks, bedsheets, and basically everything you can find in an Urban Outfitters, we have solid proof that Western people should take their hands off him.

    Terrorists

    Terrorists

    Want to cause double offense for the price of one costume? Show up as a terrorist. Not only is the look disrespectful toward the people who have been victimized by attacks, but to Arabic and Muslim people who are repeatedly perceived as threats for their ethnicity or religion. In this case, dressing up as a specific terrorist won't get you off the hook; as with Harvey Weinstein, you're portraying the criminal who caused actual harm.

    Homeless People

    Homeless People

    People with nowhere to live have less - that doesn't mean they are less. Dressing up like the real people in our cities who lack the basic resources to keep up their hygiene or are suffering from mental illness isn't dark humor; it's just dark.

    Geishas

    Geishas

    Although geishas are beautiful and their clothing seemingly festive, dressing as one normalizes whiteness while exoticizing Asian women as silent sexual objects. Just like a bariachi musician, a geisha is not a specific person in history, but rather an example of a cultural practice. Because Western society sees Japanese people as a monolithic, and particularly Japanese women as geishas, rather than artists like infinity roomcreator Yayoi Kusama or rock stars like Yoko Ono, it's harmful to dress up as the most hackneyed representation of them.

    Sexy Handmaid's Tale Costume

    handmaid553x.jpg

    If you don't watch the harrowing show, a handmaid is a sex slave in an America taken over by the religious right. Although wearing the red capes has been an act of protest against conservatives passing laws that infringe on women's reproductive rights, there's no reason to dress up in a naughty version of the uniform. There's nothing sexy about a rape victim. However, sexy pizzas, pirates, and pine nuts are fair game!

    Latest Stories

    Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson
    film
    Badge
    gallery

    Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson Mix Art and Crime in Gay Director Nicol Paone's 'Kill Room'

    4h
    HRC’s PrEP Student Ambassadors for 2023
    Health
    Badge
    gallery

    Fewer Black Queer People are Taking PrEP. Meet the Students Fighting to Change That.

    September 27 2023 2:30 PM
    TK ELSKA Magazine Gay Men of HAIFA ISRAEL
    Photography
    Badge
    gallery

    12 Gorgeous Gay Men from Haifa Featured in Latest Edition of 'Elska' Magazine

    September 26 2023 10:34 AM
    19 Sizzling Photos from Folsom Street Fair 2022 by Gooch
    Photography
    Badge
    gallery

    19 Sizzling Photos from Folsom Street Fair 2022 by Gooch

    September 23 2023 10:00 PM
    Photo Gallery Bi Elected Officials
    Politics
    Badge
    gallery

    35 Bisexual Politicians You Should Know

    September 23 2023 7:00 PM
    Photo Gallery Folsom Street Fair 2022 Images by Chantis
    Photography
    Badge
    gallery

    15 Hunky Black and White Folsom Street Fair Photos by Chantis

    September 21 2023 10:00 PM
    Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey from Fellow Travelers
    television
    Badge
    gallery

    Watch Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey Get Steamy in 'Fellow Travelers' Clip

    September 19 2023 8:03 PM
    Leah Shafer and Sandy Yawn
    People
    Badge
    gallery

    Captain Sandy Yawn of ‘Below Deck Med’ Proposes to Girlfriend

    September 19 2023 4:00 PM
    Sigmund Freud and letter
    History
    Badge
    gallery

    Sigmund Freud Said Homosexuality Wasn’t ‘A Vice or a Crime’ in 1938 Letter

    September 15 2023 12:18 PM
    Anderson Cooper with his sons
    People
    Badge
    gallery

    Anderson Cooper: Fatherhood Provides 'Best Time of My Life'

    September 14 2023 3:51 PM
    20 Steamy Pics Of NSYNC to Remind You of Those Teen Years
    Pride
    Badge
    gallery

    20 Steamy Pics Of NSYNC to Remind You of Those Teen Years

    September 13 2023 4:29 PM
    VMA Nominees
    Arts & Entertainment
    Badge
    gallery

    15 LGBTQ+ Nominees Vying for MTV Video Music Awards

    September 12 2023 5:06 PM
    Robin Roberts Marries Girlfriend Amber Laign
    People
    Badge
    gallery

    Robin Roberts Marries Girlfriend Amber Laign

    September 10 2023 3:06 PM
    Stefan Peters
    People
    Badge
    gallery

    Watch This Lip-Syncing Flight Attendant Go Viral for All the Right Reasons

    September 09 2023 2:00 PM
    Queer TV and Movies coming in September
    Arts & Entertainment
    Badge
    gallery

    13 LGBTQ+ TV Shows and Movies to Watch in September

    September 08 2023 5:00 PM
    RuPublicans billboard that reads “Mind your wigs not our gigs, Greg!”
    News
    Badge
    gallery

    ‘RuPublicans’ Parody Account Targets Greg Abbott in Texas Billboard Ad Campaign

    September 08 2023 4:30 PM
    Watch Annette Bening and Jodie Foster Impress in 'Nyad' Trailer
    film
    Badge
    gallery

    Watch Annette Bening and Jodie Foster Impress in 'Nyad' Trailer

    September 08 2023 2:35 PM
    Carl Nassib
    Sports
    Badge
    gallery

    Who Is Retiring NFL Player Carl Nassib?

    September 06 2023 12:40 PM
    Bad Bunny and Gael García Bernal
    film
    Badge
    gallery

    Watch Gael García Bernal Get Intimate in ‘Cassandro’ Exclusive

    September 06 2023 11:00 AM
    Southern Decadence in New Orleans
    Travel
    Badge
    gallery

    Going to Southern Decadence? 5 Things to Know About New Orleans's Massive Queer Party

    August 31 2023 4:07 PM

    Trending stories

    JetBlue Puts Families First with No-Fee Seating Guarantee

    20 Steamy Pics of 2023 Mister International Winner Kim Goodburn

    A Killer Doll Terrorizes Tank Top-Wearing Twinks in New 'Chucky' Season 3 Clip

    STI Rates, Including HIV, Could Spike Due to Medicaid Cuts

    Arrests Follow HIV Funding Protest at Speaker McCarthy's Office

    Meet Two Amazing Activists Speaking Up About Black Women and HIV

    Trailblazing Senator Dianne Feinstein Passes Away at 90

    Jonathan Van Ness Shuts Down Megyn Kelly's Transphobic Bullying

    Joe & Ian Talk Meeting, Getting Engaged & Competing Together on 'The Amazing Race'

    Gay Weatherman Erick Adame Reveals If He'll Join OnlyFans

    Anthony Bowens Claps Back at Claims He Talks About Sexuality Too Much

    DRUK's Vicki Vivacious & Michael Marouli On Being Besties Before The Show

    ’Tis the Season for Stuffing – URGE Miami Festival 2023 Returns for Thanksgiving

    A Chat with Torrian Baskerville on Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

    20 Steamy Pics Of Cheyenne Jackson's To Remind Us What A Hottie He Is

    Ghana's Newest Anti-LGBTQ+ Law Sparks Protests

    5 UAW Members Struck by Car While Picketing in Michigan

    Delta CEO Says SkyMiles Rewards Changes a Mistake, Modifications Coming

    Watch This Representative Give Republicans the Third Degree at Biden Impeachment Hearing

    Millions of Families Will Lose Child Care Thanks to Republican Stonewalling

    These are the Top 10 Most Instagrammable Beaches in the World

    How Will a Government Shutdown Affect You? What to Know About Parks, the Post Office, & More

    25+ Pics from the Folsom Street Fair 2023 So Naughty We Should Be Spanked

    30 Leather Clad Photos From Folsom Street Fair 2023 That Have Us Tied Up In Knots

    Detox Meeting Linda Evangelista Was As Iconic As You'd Think

    Most Recent

    Travel Essentials for Trips Around the World

    New 'Drag Race' Host Is a Legendary Activist Living With HIV

    Watch This Representative Give Republicans the Third Degree at Biden Impeachment Hearing

    'DRP' Star DeeDee Marié Holliday On Mending Rivalries & Getting Her Love Of Drag Back

    Gus Kenworthy Shows Off His Hairy Shirtless Chest in Steamy New Insta Post

    12 Queer TikTok Couples That Make Us Believe In Love

    Travis Scott Investigated For Assault and $12,000 in Property Damage

    Millions of Families Will Lose Child Care Thanks to Republican Stonewalling

    How to Honor Senior Survivors of HIV

    'DRG' Star Barbie Q On Repping For LGBTQ+ Bolivians & Embracing Her Pork Chop Era

    HIV Warrior Ronnie Grace Battling Stage 4 Cancer

    Trailblazing Senator Dianne Feinstein Passes Away at 90

    Dr. Randa Jaafar on Her New Practice & Helping Women Feel Their Best

    'Love Island' Star Mitchel Taylor Responds to Claims That He's Homophobic

    SF Leather Week Opens with Inauguration of World’s First Leather and Queer History Public Space

    'SAW X' Makes Us Want To Play Jigsaw’s Game Again, At Last (Review)

    Grace Van Dien, Stranger Things Actor, Says She's Turning Down Roles Over Sexual Harassment

    Chrishell Stause To Star In Sapphic Movie On Lifetime

    Get Ready for Provincetown’s Third-Annual Washashore Festival Featuring a Rising Tide of Queer Musical Talent

    Stewart Taylor Releases New Breakup Anthem "Favorite Ex"

    DACA Immigration Policy Ruled Unlawful, But Allowed to Continue

    Lisa Rinna Does PTown

    Canada Has Some of the Highest Mpox Rates in the World

    George W. Bush Calls Out Republicans Trying to End HIV Program PEPFAR

    Recommended Stories for You

    Travel Essentials for Trips Around the World

    New 'Drag Race' Host Is a Legendary Activist Living With HIV

    Watch This Representative Give Republicans the Third Degree at Biden Impeachment Hearing

    'DRP' Star DeeDee Marié Holliday On Mending Rivalries & Getting Her Love Of Drag Back

    Gus Kenworthy Shows Off His Hairy Shirtless Chest in Steamy New Insta Post

    12 Queer TikTok Couples That Make Us Believe In Love

    Travis Scott Investigated For Assault and $12,000 in Property Damage

    Millions of Families Will Lose Child Care Thanks to Republican Stonewalling

    How to Honor Senior Survivors of HIV

    'DRG' Star Barbie Q On Repping For LGBTQ+ Bolivians & Embracing Her Pork Chop Era

    HIV Warrior Ronnie Grace Battling Stage 4 Cancer

    Trailblazing Senator Dianne Feinstein Passes Away at 90

    Dr. Randa Jaafar on Her New Practice & Helping Women Feel Their Best

    'Love Island' Star Mitchel Taylor Responds to Claims That He's Homophobic

    SF Leather Week Opens with Inauguration of World’s First Leather and Queer History Public Space

    'SAW X' Makes Us Want To Play Jigsaw’s Game Again, At Last (Review)

    Grace Van Dien, Stranger Things Actor, Says She's Turning Down Roles Over Sexual Harassment

    Chrishell Stause To Star In Sapphic Movie On Lifetime

    Get Ready for Provincetown’s Third-Annual Washashore Festival Featuring a Rising Tide of Queer Musical Talent

    Stewart Taylor Releases New Breakup Anthem "Favorite Ex"

    DACA Immigration Policy Ruled Unlawful, But Allowed to Continue

    Lisa Rinna Does PTown

    Canada Has Some of the Highest Mpox Rates in the World

    George W. Bush Calls Out Republicans Trying to End HIV Program PEPFAR