Year after year we see fewer girls clad in their "Slutty Pocahontas" attire, and it is directly related to the not-so-new trend of people being total hypocrites as they decipher for themselves what really offends people of other cultures. To be quite honest, cultural appropriation is real. I would never deny that, but those who fervently fight for the issue without the proper experience or grounds disgust me. The phrase "Cultural Appropriation" is thrown around so carelessly that I'm starting to feel like the entitled white males who refer to the phenomenon as a myth. That scares me more than any formulaic horror flick.

When is the phrase 'cultural appropriation' valid?

I am the kind of person who calls others out for the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes, but even I need to draw the line somewhere. I believe that "cultural appropriation" can be used when elements and characteristics of one group are exploited and used inappropriately by another group. It would take all day for me to explain this kind of gray area in all its glory, so I would like to narrow my focus to those offensive Halloween costumes that everyone can't shut up about. As a general rule, I am uncomfortable when people dress up as something broad, yet race specific. Yes, I am talking about the stereotypical "Mexican guy in a poncho and sobrero" costumes. That isn't a costume, dude. That's a human being. If you need more clarification, read on.

Halloween Nevers

1. Black/Brown/Yellow Face

Dear white people,

This is never okay. Nobody cares if it's "just a Halloween costume", because you are intentionally drawing attention to color and race. Nobody cares if you have black friends. Nobody cares if you retweet Black Lives Matter posts. Black face is so offensive, and people can recognize a costume without such a juvenile feature. While we're on this topic we can also go ahead and eliminate any exageration of your physical form (e.g. double eyelids, slanted eyes, etc.) before you start a really awkward conversation on my favorite holiday.

2. "Slutty [insert offensive costume here]"

Dear everyone,

Stop sexualizing different cultures. Your "sexy Indian princess" costume is inappropriate, and despite it being a holiday that thrives on provocative costumes, your Halloween faux pas is contributing to the disrespect of culturally diverse women. Go ahead and let your freak flag fly, but please stick to the lingerie and cat ears instead.

Halloween Gray Areas

There are some things that I have had to question for myself that I think many people are labeling as cultural appropriation. There are times when this labeling has gone too far in my humble opinion, but it should really be a personal judgment call for everyone.

1. Children and Disney Princesses

I have seen many parents on the internet advocate for other people to keep their children from wearing what they consider "stereotypical costumes". If your child came to you and said, "I want to be Princess Jasmine for Halloween," would you really say no out of fear for not remaining PC enough? I think that it is ridiculous that this even exists. Most children in this day and age grow up without having a concept of racism, and the fact that Disney includes characters that aren't just carbon copies of white European Barbie dolls brings me so much joy. Is Disney accurate in the portrayal of these cultures? Maybe not, but a child should have the right to be their favorite fictional character regardless of ethnicity. Let your kid wear the costume, but take it a step further. Sit down with your child and find some educational videos or other learning tools that would help your kid learn the real version of these cultures. For example, instead of immediately letting a child wear that Pocohantas costume, you should google pictures of actual Native American attire and compare the Disney version to the real thing. If you live near a reservation or even a Native American burial ground you can find tons of resources that will help your child understand that fictional characters can be translations of real people and societies. It may not make sense to a six-year-old now, but they will understand the significance of it when they grow up respecting the diversity in others.

2. Any Fictional Character or Celebrity

I don't see a problem with someone dressing up as a fictional character from their favorite TV show or as a fun celebrity. As long as it's done tastefully and without the use of face painting or other physical features, you should be totally justified. Some people have been getting offended by people just dressing up as rappers or even cartoon characters of another race like Dora the Explorer. There is a clear difference between a costume based off of specific clothing and/or hairstyle rather than an offensive caricature of one's race or culture. Why is it so hard to see the difference? Use your judgment people.

3. Sugar Skulls

This is the one that I really didn't want to address because it is such a touchy subject. In my experience, most Latino people are happy to share their culture with others as long as it is approached in a respectful manner. It is very hard to whitewash a sugar skull, and that is the main reason I find them to be the most acceptable form of what I'll call "cultural borrowing". Don't get me wrong, this is a sacred ritual done to honor the dead ancestors of those who celebrate el Dia de los Muertos. However, this is an elegant art form that I believe everyone should have experience with. I remember when I was very young a good friend of mine was Mexican, and she would show me pictures from when her family celebrated The Day of the Dead. I always thought the iconography was beautiful. Many people still see this as appropriation, but I honestly think that for many communities with large Latino populations (especially along border states) there is a way to appreciate this art form without polluting it with an offensive overlay. Within these communities, one can find influences of this culture that have meshed with American tradition for many years. Additionally, skull makeup can be so similar. There are few differences between a traditional sugar skull and any random, intricate skull design. My thoughts are that if you are truly interested in the artform you should ask any Latino friends about their thoughts on the subject before doing the first YouTube tutorial you can get your hands on. Maybe they can even offer insight on their own cultural experiences. God forbid, you learn something.

Final Thoughts

The main idea of this article is that some people take "cultural appropriation" a little too far. Some even use it as an excuse to be a social justice warrior for people of other races and nationalities who may not even find offense in a costume. Being politically correct is important, but sometimes defining such a large spectrum of things as "offensive" can actually build barriers instead of break them down. As a generation of people who feel the need to be coddled and shielded from the stereotypes of the world, we need to learn that our efforts can lead to misunderstanding and tension despite our mindful intentions. We all have differences, so why not embrace and learn about them? Don't feel that we have to remain in our own little race bubbles, because that only perpetuates the stereotypes. Fostering growth and education will have a long-term impact, and it is our job to make it happen.