We asked: Is dressing up as other cultures for Halloween inappropriate?

Is a sombrero sassy or insensitive?


As Halloween is approaching, many have been debating over which costume choice they should go for; Zombie, Cat, Native American?

In a generation where political correctness is very much instilled in us, is it acceptable for one to dress as another culture? We decided to ask the good people of Warwick what they thought of this.

Will, fourth year

Yes, I think it loses the spirit of Halloween – you’re supposed to be scary. We should be sensitive but it misses the whole point. I think quite often Halloween costumes run the risk of offending other cultures.

Elouise, fourth year

Not only are the costumes inaccurate, they’re offensive. Dressing up as a culture that has been through awful atrocities in history and putting a ‘sexy spin  or a comedic twist to it is disrespectful.

Jack, Laurence and Aled, first and second year

Jack: I don’t know why you’d dress up as that, they aren’t scary.

Laurence: It’s like saying their culture is scary, and that’s wrong.

Aled: I just don’t agree with Halloween in general.

Ruby and Omar, first and second year

Ruby: I don’t think people mean to do it in a bad way. People keep getting angry over the Instagram craze with girls over-lining their lips claiming that they’re trying to be black, but I think they’re just being appreciative because it’s beautiful. No one means any harm. I’d be more worried about the guy who dresses up as a scarecrow chasing people around Leamington each year.

Omar: People are welcome to dress up as British people and I wouldn’t be offended.

Holly and Alanna, fourth year students

Holly: It’s really not cool. Don’t appropriate other cultures. When did other cultures become so trivial? The costumes always seem to be misrepresentations of already oppressed groups which perpetuate shitty stereotypes.

Alanna: Yes it’s very inappropriate. In regards to ‘Red Indian’ headdresses, Europeans appropriated images and symbols of their enjoyment that were not only forcibly removed from North American indigenous peoples but also criminalised. Additionally the “Red Indian” costume reflects such an awful and falsified stereotype which in no way reflects their alive, diverse and active cultures today. But most often than not, people are just ignorant rather than trying to offend.

Emma, third year

It’s really not okay. It’s Halloween, you’re meant to dress as a scary character, not another culture.