How Do I Avoid Cultural Appropriation When It Comes to Halloween Costumes?

“Is a (fill in the blank) costume cultural appropriation?”

“How do I know if the costumes we’ve picked are appropriation?”

“I don’t understand why ______ would be considered cultural appropriation. Can you explain it to me?”

I’ve received dozens of DM’s like these throughout the time I’ve been doing this podcast, and I know it’s because cultural appropriation can be tricky. It’s not always clear-cut, and not everyone agrees on what it looks like. While I wish I could have a conversation with each member of our First Name Basis fam who wants to talk specifics, here are a few pointers to help.

Never paint your skin to mimic another skin color. If you’re painting a superhero mask or a butterfly on your face, that’s one thing, but just remember that Blackface and brownface are never OK.

Ask yourself, “Would I feel comfortable if someone from that culture saw me or my child wearing this?” If the answer is no, don’t wear it. Halloween is supposed to be spooky and funny, and culture is not something to be afraid of or laughed at.

Include something identifying of a character in the costume. Make it clear that the costume is a character, not a caricature.

Remember: Giving our kids the chance to dress up as characters of color — in the right way — says we value those characters. It shows our kiddos that BIPOC can be princesses and superheroes too, and it shows the companies making these stories that we want more of them!

Here’s my general rule for Halloween costumes: If it doesn’t feel right, go with something else. There are so many other fun things you can dress up as that definitely are not cultural appropriation, so when all else fails, be a dinosaur — or even a double double!

Carter, Violet and Jasmine Bradshaw dressed up in their In-N-Out Halloween costumes.

Looking for more help? Tune into the First Name Basis Podcast, Season 7, Episode 8: “Culture is Not a Costume: Cultural Appropriation and Halloween” and visit firstnamebasis.org/costumes to get a decision tree to help you determine whether your costume is cultural appropriation or not.