Ohio University Students Hit ‘Racist’ Halloween Costumes

Overly sensitive people. Just cancel Halloween.

OK, I’m part black and part Asian, I think this is utterly ridiculous. There ARE such things as Geisha girls !! Pretty soon the schools will be saying our kids cannot dress as American Indians!! God help us all!!

OH Honestly!! Geeze. Everybody is so sensitive. Can’t wait for political correctness to implode on itself. What next ghost will protest that bed sheets are offensive. Witches will take offense at crooked noses, the devel will complain about pinted pitch forks.

Get a life folks. Lets worry about some important world problems.

Oh brother!

I fully support what these students are trying to do. Hopefully, the day will come when people are able to have a good laugh and have fun without the joke be on some other race or ethnic group. Hopefully.

First, I didn’t realize the picture the woman was holding up was a geisha. I thought it was Boy George.

Secondly, if someone dresses as a geisha, I do not think they are making a statement that they believe Asian women are geisha’s. Geez, it’s no fun to dress up like an ordinary person for Halloween! If we’re going to be that sensitive, then I guess nobody can dress as a fireman, cowboy, racecar driver, or anything else, because they would be protraying characatures and not the reality of what the professions really are.

If we want to get upset about something, how about the fact that almost every costume made for adult women has a “sexy (trashy)” theme. Sexy maid, sexy vampire, sexy witch, sexy pirate, ad nauseum. As a woman, I want to scream, “THAT”S NOT WHO I AM!”

The blog was okay until she write, “Come on white people, don’t do this”. She is trying to state a message that only white people dress up in racist costumes. That is a racist comment in itself.

Really..? What is America coming to..? Soon there will be no Christmas, New Years, etc. because it might offend someone. If you don’t like it, keep your eyes and mouth shut. Because unlike them, I don’t give a hoot..!!

“A lot of people feel racism is dead and it’s not relevant anymore, but that’s not the case.”

And it never will be the case, because there will always be a small number of people who will search for subtle hints of “racism” in every innocently-intended act, just to raise the issue and portray themselves as a victim.

Really? People are hurt by just about everything now days. These thin skinned kids are going to be running the corporations of tomorrow. If you think today’s corporate office is bland and like walking a social minefield of hurt feelings, then just wait a few years to these people get their hands on the company’s do’s and don’ts.handbook. On a side note to Ohio State, some Wiccans have a problem with you dressing up as witches, where is their poster?

Everyone get out your white face paint because the freckled face nerd with glasses is now the only thing officially you can make fun of.

I guess they’ll all be going to Halloween parties as crybabies this year…..

I agree with the students. I am tired of all the color and racist views in this country. I happen to be white, but I am American first!!!!

Do these people have any volume besides “loud whine”? If they are unhappy at what happens here, they can hopefully remember the way back to the motherland. Nobody will be sorry to see them leave!

I better not see a leprechaun costume, because I am part Irish. I better not see a helmet with horns because I am part Viking. I better not see a feathers because I am part Native American. I better not see a Union Jack because I am part English. I better not see lederhosen because I am part German. I better not see anyone dressed up like a vampire because I am part Romanian. These are not who I am, these are not okay.

These students are myopic and misguided. I don’t care about your race, I care about your perspective…get some. Now, if they wear a geisha costume and then point and laugh at you…that’s crossing the line.

I’m gonna have to agree with most people here this does seem overly sensitive. It’s just people dressing up like historical figures or everyday people from a given time period in a given part of the world.Geisha’s are a historical fact. Mexicans wore sombreros. What’s wrong with portraying some history?

I’m a ghost and I’m offended when people dress up and so are my vampire and zombie friends. But I’m really offended when people dress up like Obama or Bush or anyone from Jersey Shore (They are not from Jersey). Those are really bad sterotypes. It’s a fun holiday and people dress up as killers and monsters and hookers, pimps, hairdressers and bags of trash, gang bangers and m&ms. It’s supposed to be a fun holiday and when you take it in the spirit of the season, no one should be offended. I don’t think anyone dresses to offend and people shouldn’t take offense when none was given.

Another stupid idea.

Oh brother, these are the same kids who do not want dodge ball, cant play tag, dont keep score, everyone gets a trophy, wah wah wah. I agree with most of these posts. Get some back bone will you. Can I dress as a cop with a beer in my hand and a donut in the other. My badge says Paddy Obrien..Cant do that ..offends the Irish. cant dress as an Arab, cant dress as a hooker..When does this stop. Stupid Stupid Stupid.

it is not offensive until you find something that offends you, im sure they are very sensitive, am sure you are not

Yep, the 50,000 people are wrong! Each of these characters were a reality of the past and some are still present today. Get out of the political correctness mode and stop trying to cram your BS ideology on everyone else! Kids wearing costumes don’t have a sinister motive!

Don’t anyone dress up like a stupid college student else these overly sensitive students might get offended!

Enuff of this PC crappola already!!! I am going as an old Negro man just to piss the world off…a disabled old Negro man!!!! ha, ha…

Higher ed: Turning idiot youths into brainless PC liberals since 1960.

I think this is my favorite line “Other images show a terrorist costume, a Native American costume and a gangster”. Really a gangster?! Thats your culture, and you’re proud of that??? This is so silly.
And whats so wrong with dressing up as a geisha, they are beautiful.

where is the poster of a caucasian person holding a poster of someone dressed up like a cowboy, saying “it’s a culture not a costume…etc”??????

I think they have a point that an ethic group is not a costume. However, I do believe that the clothes that each enthic group wore is. It is not demeaning to dress as a geisha, or as a mexican with a poncho and sombrero. Offensive costumes to me are terrorists, people with as much gore or weapons as possible, masks that would scare the dead. Geishas worked incredibly hard for years to be able to dance, walk, and serve tea the way they did. The sombrero to keep the sun at bay the sombrero not only colorful but a coat/blanket. I don’t find that offensive. What I find offensive is one ethic group knowing they are better than another.

This is ridiculous! Are we Texans supposed to be offended at the cowboy costumes? Should the Royals be upset over the Princess costumes? Should my feelings be hurt over all blonde wigs? These students are just showing their immaturity and that they have nothing better to work on. Racism does need to be addressed and I applaud their trying to do that, but this is not what is going on when people dress up on Halloween.

This is going way to far, I agree with the person who says we might as well cancel Halloween. I wanted to dress up as a cat for Halloween, but someone might get offended. Crap.

This is a new level of stupid. You make me ashamed to ne an OU Grad. We had all kinds of great costumes in the 80s. PC sucks. The article’s comment about “white people” shows who the real racist is

These students are beyond stupid. Political Science major says it all. Sheeeeshhh.

I love the campaign, and am very glad that these students have put together a campaign that basically says to think about how you may be offending someone of a different culture by your choice of costume. Where it may be fun and silly to you, it may be hurtful and offensive to someone else. We have become a society full of arrogant and insensitive people who think its okay to do and say anything. Frankly I am so sick of it. KUDO’S to these students who are trying to do something positive. And kudos to the OH U administrators who are supporting it.

Only if you decide not to wear a costume because you believe it might hurt somebody’s feeling, that’s when you ARE a racist! Pleaseee! halloween is about having fun!

When did “gangster” become a culture????

Wouldn’t want to offend the terrorists or the Gangster Americans.

I am a Vampire and I get really offended when people dress up like vampires for Halloween!

But really, I consider myself Mexican and I think it would be hilarious if someone wore a “sombrero, colorful poncho and exaggerated mustache riding a stuffed donkey.” I would say, “Great costume!!” Its halloween!!

And like someone else already commented, geishas are beautiful!

i will be so offended if nobody dressed like pancho villa or emiliano zapata for halloween. :(

Freedom of Speech, PEOPLE. Deal with it.

Hahahaha i think it’s funny. My mom (we’re Native American) is being a pilgrim for Halloween LOL I thought the idea was hilarious because of the irony…

Nothing should be viewed as offensive unless there was malicious intent intended, at Halloween people dress up for fun nothing more nothing less. Lets save campaigns against racism for genuine issues like Racism in the workplace!

As others have said by this very Logic nobody should dress as a German in a lederhosen or a French man in a beret with a baguette, or a British person with large teeth and a manacle.

If not racist intent is made by the person dressed up then its nothing more than a costume, if the person getting offended is seeing something else then that says more about them, that they are looking for racism.

also

The Wayans Brothers did a movie called white chicks

Black people dressed as Stereotypical White people…loud giggly and stupid blondes that was offensive if you view it at face value and look for malice behind it

Maybe a new poster should be made with a white person holding up that?

Luckily I know the intent that film was made in, it was a humorous satirical poke at lots of things

Will said, “The particular cultures/races/ethnicities being stereotypically depicted in this powerful campgain (thank you students!) have been communities that have been throughout history — colonized and/or enslaved by white folks”

I know you like to believe that only the white man colonized and enslaved – but back to the Geisha depicted – it was the wealthy Japanese aristocracy that enslaved her.

“This is not who I am”

Well, fortunately, I’m not dressing up as you, I’m dressing as a character. So it’s all good!

This is ridiculous. Instead of seeing these costumes as an offensive jab at a race’s culture, take it as what it is: A sign of respect and admiration for the culture represented. People do not dress up as something they hate for Halloween, they dress up as something they like, or want to be, or want to represent. If it was intended to be hateful, then it would not be a celebration. People dressing up as a representation of another race’s culture are helping to promote the good and extravagance of that culture. “Life is too precious to be wasted in misery.” – Personal quote. Stop victimizing yourselves and appreciate that these people are helping expose foreign culture to everyone in a positive light.

Bunch of crybabies. Look how sad they all look. Now you know how i feel every St Patrick’s Day. I have to see little cartoons of short, drunk leprechauns.GET OVER IT!

What is America anymore? Limits on every little thing, being TOLD what we can and can’t wear. It’s Halloween, its a day to be a kid and go wild and have fun, not like ppl wear these every day. Think we have way more problems to deal with then to be tiptoeing around ppl’s emotions for a Party night. Why not ban the Obama mask, he’s black, or the Charlie Sheen mask, he’s white. Witches will go b/c or wicans. Why not ban the Troll maskes I’m sure some ppl out there in the world resemble them, they may get offened. I see my race and my husbands race costumes all over and they are not accurate and we wont wear them but its a night to let lose. Like I said, not like these costumes are warn weekly at work or formal gatherings. Next, we wont be able to wear Colored clothing b/c gangs claim them as theirs, then we wont be able to wear kilt cut skirts b/c they resemble Scottish Kilts but not accurate.

aye chihuahua

If you:
1) Do not have to worry about a police officer hassling you extra based on your skin color
2) Don’t have to worry about being rejected for a job because of your ethnicity
3) Can apply for a bank loan knowing 100% that your race will not possibly mean being turned down
4) Are not identified as anything other than ‘white’ when people look at you
5) Feel that it’s okay to dress up as a cultural stereotype in any situation as long as it’s not ‘intended’ to be offensive

Then you are enjoying white privilege.

It doesn’t matter if you think you are ‘honoring’ a culture by dressing up as a watered down, over-simplified or even ‘well-researched’ costume – if you dress up as another culture, one the cons of which you’ll NEVER have to endure, despite choosing to delve into the ‘exoticism’ of another culture for a night – the people that see your outfit most likely have NOT done your research, do NOT have the same reaction, and if they’re children, they’re taught “This is okay.” Side note to people casting off ‘don’t be offended if you’re not white and don’t like racist costumes’ sentiments:
1) “It’s just a joke” on any racist costumes makes light of every problem faced by that culture. For instance: ‘Pocahontas’ (which translates to something like ‘little tramp’) was actually named Matoaka – and was kidnapped and brainwashed at the age of 12. She was then paraded around for the rest of her life as a novelty. Native women today are 2.5 – that’s 250% – times more likely to be sexually assaulted than white women. If you’re considering ‘sexy squaw’ this year, have fun making fun of rape and cultural devastation that continues even today, despite your costume that relegates First Nations people to the distant past.
2) Wearing a cultural costume out of context is not ‘honoring’ a culture, or ‘referencing historical facts.’ It’s inappropriate and appropriation. Wearing a kimono, in Japan, at an appropriate time (such as a tea ceremony)? A beautiful cross-cultural experience. Dressing up as a stereotypical representation of a ‘geisha’ for fun in America and going to parties or trick-or-treating? Turning a diverse and multi-regional tradition experienced in dying numbers throughout Japan into a ‘fun little memory of the past.’ As a SEXY geisha? Remember how costumes turn cultures into ‘jokes’? Asia continues to be the number one source of sex-slaves and forced prostitution by women and children in the world, an industry funded by rich, white travelers. “Look at me! I represent hundreds of years of tragedy! Isn’t my wig with chopsticks in it HILARIOUS?!”

To the professor dressing up as a Samurai: I’m sure that if you wore that costume in Japan around the people who know you – people who would understand your intentions, think it was cool or funny or alright – you’d be fine. The people you know in Japan however do not represent the entire Japanese diasporic community, as well as the rest of people in Japan: if a Japanese person were to see a picture of you in costume at a party, or trick-or-treating, would it offend them? No, because it’s too ‘accurate’ and ‘respectful’? How about geisha costumes donned by 14 yr old girls with red circles on their cheeks? Or college girls in cleavage baring ‘kimonos’ with their hair up and their faces painted white?

Racism does not stop being racism because a majority of non-racially affected, over privileged and non-empathetic ‘adults’ thinking “I should be able to dress like a stereotype because I WANT to” decide it’s alright if you do it en masse.

I don’t find them offensive at all. People dress up in movies like this, (Think “Three Amigos, Memoirs of a Geisha, Hidalgo, Pocahontas etc.,) and nobody makes a fuss over that. Why should it be considered racist only on Halloween?

“Take a moment to think” has some good points, but I do not agree with them all.

Regarding turning costumes into exaggerated, “sexy” stereotypes, I agree, is offensive. However, I find that offensive as a woman, regardless of whether any ethnicity is portrayed. Nurses should be offended by sexy nurse costumes. Domestic employees should be offended by sexy maid costumes. It doesn’t matter what color their skin is.

I also agree with the last point that racism does not stop being racism because non-racially affected people decide it’s alright. That point is right on, but I think you’re missing out on an inverse argument: Something does not become racism because a very tiny number of racially-affected individuals are offended.

The article states that this is a group of 10 students. According to collegeportraits, approximately 25,000 students attend Ohio U, and 7180 of those students are non-white. So, that means that 10 out of 7180, or approximately 1 tenth of 1 percent, of racially affected students at Ohio University have a problem with these costumes. Those kinds of numbers don’t spell racism to me. It’s time to stop giving press to the very, very tiny but vocal minority who want to pretend they are speaking for the masses.

This is a joke, right?

I guess I can’t dress up as a caveman or zombie this year. Just might offend one of them?!?!?

I believe Ms. Williams if anything, is actually promoting racism. This is absolutely ridiculous. She sites 50,000 positive hits on her Tumblr account as an indication that this is right, However, How many negative hits has she received? What are these numbers? And why is she no longer accepting negative commentary? She also is accusing the negative commentary as being as predominately white…Who is racist? I am not a racist and I am not in any way a bigot.It is time to stop playing the racist card over and over again. Not just by any one race but by all. Making issues about every little thing only serves to make the divide between us wider.

I’m swiss so I don’t want to see anybody in a Swiss costume and I am turning them into the authorities if they start yodeling. Oh my good grief, yes I am kidding. This is going WAAAAYYYYY too far.

I’m sorry. I don’t have a problem with these costumes. That is like me being offended by all the poor white trash and redneck costumes I’ve seen. It’s Halloween and It’s only a costume.

I’m sorry, but this is just stupid. These kids are getting overly offended.
Hey, I admit it. I dressed up like an Indian when I was 12, so that must mean I was an evil child with lots of malicious racist thoughts.
I don’t think so. When I was 12, I didn’t even know there was such thing as different races! I just thought Indians were cool!
I understand that people can take things to the extreme and probably even a little too far. I’m sure there’s someone that might actually be trying to be racist about it, but most of the time people are joking around and just having fun! They are not trying to be offensive. And you got to admit it. People have come up with some strange fashions that we can’t help laughing at once in a while!

I see nothing passive about about this “cause”. This is just more of the same old name calling, finger pointing and racist labeling of whites as the only ones on the planet capable of hurtful racial stereotyping and bigotry. By only using images of whites dressed in the “offensive” costumes, this group and it’s cause is guilty of reversed racism, and as a liberal minded, progressive white man, with a virtual rainbow of close and personal friends of many cultures and nationalities, I find it disturbing and unsettling. This campaign and it’s supporters are guilty of that which they are striving to vanquish.

This is crazy the whole point of Halloween is to pretend to be something your not, why would it offend you that someone wants to be like you…..WOW!!

Not Racist who dresses up as black face other than neo-nazis and/or the mentally disturbed?

My question is, if these pictures are not about the true person you are then why would they be offensive? If a Muslim, Asian, or black person dressed up like a redneck it would not offend me a bit. I would find it hilarious! Though everyone outside the u.s. views us that way. Life is to short to let petty things like this to keep you down.

What about offending people of Romanian descent by dressing like Dracula. And offending Egyptians by dressing up like a mummy. And do all Somalis need to get offended when someone dresses up like a pirate?

This apparently applies unless you’re white. It’s ok to dress up like a white guy and be racist against white people and you make the front page of Yahoo. Just like Dwyane Wade did when he dressed up as a white dude, with white face paint.

@Prielle

If you actually read and comprehended Scientific Exorcist’s passage he or she didn’t say that dressing up like ‘you’ was a compliment. They clearly stated that people who may dress in culturally related costumes was dressing up as an character not to portray or mock a race. People usually dress up as characters not as a culture. The culture is merely part of the character which can’t be ignored.

Oh, don’t care. You don’t have the right to not be offended. Guess the kids aint gotten to polysci yet.

I think the STARS Halloween posters are a great public awareness tool. All the people crying about how political correctness is ruining their Halloween fun make me sick! Obviously, they have never found themselves in a frank conversation about race in a multicultural setting. I cannot believe that so many people can look at the picture of an Asian American woman juxtaposed with the hyper-sexualized “geisha” costume and not see a problem, or at the very least a disconnect.

You know what? If you think someone is being “overly sensitive” and notice that someone different than you is hurt or offended by what you do:

1) APOLOGIZE
2) THINK about why these actions were hurtful or offensive.
3) If you are still confused, do some research.
4) Remember that your experience, is not the same as someone else’s. Other people have different challenges than you

Please stop making your really ignorant “But what about people dressing as cowboys being racist towards whites” comments. This is a country where it is very beneficial to be white. Even if you got a crappy card in life, if you are white, you can turn on your tv or go to the movies and see mostly images and stories about people of your race, you can apply for a job and there is a high chance the employer will be white, and you will very rarely be the “token” white person in a group of non-whites. I am white, and most of my friends ARE white people. It’s not racist, and it’s not bad, it’s just REALITY. And it’s common. People most often have a majority of friends that are the same race as themselves. And because of this reality, all the white people who have ruled this country since the original genocide of its native peoples, have networks full of white people, so we have a country run mostly by white people, ceo’s who are mostly white, rich people who are mostly white, etc. When you are white, you never have to worry about your mistakes or any stupid comments reflecting your race. You’re in a land of white-tinted glasses, and as a white person (especially if male) you get to represent an individual, and not so much A White Person. If you are white, you are less likely to get in trouble with the police. You are “less suspicious.” There is a White People Club, and if you are white you are in it. You are privileged. And you are incredibly offensive if you don’t recognize this privilege, and notice that people of different races have different experiences than you, and aren’t living under the same sets of privilege.

It’s very easy to not think about race when you are white.
And I get that it sucks to be told you have done or thought something racist. But instead of yelling, “NO, THAT’S NOT RACIST YOU ARE JUST TOO SENSITIVE” , remember to APOLOGIZE and THINK. Maybe you were wrong. If you accidentally did something racist, it is worlds better to think about your actions and STOP doing it, rather than be defensive and demand that your actions are innocent and keep doing it.

I’m appalled that any white person would be arrogant and presumptuous to call these students “overly sensitive” or “thin skinned.”

If they were, do you think they would be raising their voices about this issue and facing your scrutiny?

Dressing up as a member of a minority cultural or ethnic group by definition reduces members of that group to one-dimensional stereotypes, making them into an “other” in opposition to the “normal” group, which in this case is white people.

You point out how “redneck” and “hick” costumes appropriate whiteness, but did you take the time to notice that they’re “redneck” costumes and not “white people” costumes?

Now think about the “Indian” costumes. Or the “Asian princess” costume that I saw at the store the other day. Their names imply that they are representative of entire populations of racialized “others.” And even when they aren’t, they draw on dangerous and extremely problematic sterotypes, like “geisha girl” being a docile and sexually available Asian woman…

These students aren’t overly sensitive. You are if you can’t actually consider their point and think critically about it.

What the hell is wrong with the lot of you? Why do you insist on making it out like it’s a huge deal to not dress up as another race for Halloween? There’s a lot of things you can dress up as, to me it sounds like those complaining are the ones being CRYBABIES, bawling because someone wants to take one of your many toys away from you. Idiots.

I’m shocked by the many of people who don’t know what racism really is. If you think that a Caucasian person dressing up as ninja is equivalent to black face than you have serverly miscalculated . The fact that many who support the protest use “white privilege ” as an argument is quite frankly a cop out. When something is racist it is racist regardless of who is privileged and who is not. Not every Caucasian person is privilaged and even if you believe they are then is it okay for an African American man to dress an Native American or a Hispanic woman to dress as a geisha? I do believe the day will come where no race or ethnicity is privileged. And if we live to see that day comes will these costumes that you consider to be racist suddenly be okay? You really need to think about your argument before you start calling everyone who disagrees with you ignorant and racist. Oh yeah, and Happy Halloween.

@AJ

What you just said has nothing to do with what we’re talking about. Again you’re talking about “white privilege” and poverty in the Native American community which has nothing to do with the topic at hand. As I said before not all Caucasians are privileged , but for the sake of argument less say that all them are privileged. Would it be okay for African American or Asian American to dress as a Native American despite the fact they can’t benefit from “white privilege”"? You’re argument is that people or should I say white people can’t tell the difference between reality and a costume. Which is a very weak argument indeed. Just because someone wants to dress as Native American character for Halloween doesn’t mean that they’re blind to the reality of Native American injustice.

Wow, the ignorance in the comments is astounding.
And people mentioning cowboys… Uh, cowboys weren’t just white. There were Mexican cowboys, African-American cowboys, Native American cowboys…
Learn about cultural appropriation and how it affects various cultures before you go mocking people for being “overly sensitive”. It’s not being “overly sensitive”. It’s being AWARE, and not an ignorant jacka**.

There is a native american dude with a beard (far left)! Native American don’t have beards!

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