Diversity Development
Workshop:
Tina Gov, Lena Vanda,
Laura Clark, Crystal Murugia, & Jenni Cachiaras
This is NOT Who I am,
and it is NOT okay!
“Confronting Dysconscious Racism in Halloween Costumes”
Role of Diversity: Sharyn Miller
Introduction to Workshop::
• Guidelines for Activity
• Creating the Environment
Learning Outcomes:
• Increase student’s awareness of subtle racism, while appreciating
cultural differences
• Students will become knowledgeable on how Halloween costumes
with a racial bent can offend cultural groups or individuals on
college campuses
• Give students the opportunity to critically reflect on their
perceptions of Dysconscious Racism.
• Help demystify stereotypes and prejudices by providing educational
information and reasons for change that will allow students to
understand that we have unconsciously absorbed certain types of
racism.
Definitions:
• Stereotypes
• Racism
• Dysconscious Racism
African American:
• Blackface
• created a stereotyped
caricature of a black
person.
• “Ghetto Fabulous”
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufi
NT6AKG0s&feature=player_embedded
#!
Latina/o:
• Good of White VS.
Devaluation of the racial
other
• Job Attainment
Middle Eastern:
• Marginalized group
• Misperception post 9/11
• Micro-aggression
Asian:
• Popular Halloweens
Costumes
• Cause for Concern
• Hollywood’s Stereotypical
Asian Women
Native American:
• History of “Squaw”
Dress
• Negative Effects on
gender
• Perception of Cowboys &
Indians
Dysconscious Racism:
• Occurs on a Continuum:
– celebrity portrayals
– “role” portrayals
– generic portrayals
• All three types rely on stereotypes to guide their
portrayals
How Far is too Far?
The public has taken a fancy to
costumes that make a statement,
these costumes are viewed as racist
or anti-Semitic.
If something doesn’t feel quite right about
the costume, chances are, it could be
offensive to others.
Humor does not “trump” offensiveness. Just
because a costume may produce a comic
effect, does not give free license to use
degrading stereotypes, regardless of the
holiday or occasion.
Ohio University Group Speaks Out
Against Racially Offensive Halloween
Costumes On CNN
HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=MNDTXLWSN-8
Suggestions for
Creating Safer Campuses:
• Be sure to avoid changing your
features in a way that’s offensive.
• This means not wearing blackface to
be President Obama or taping your
eyes so that they slant if you’re
dressing up as Bruce Lee.
• Go as a Particular Person
• Wear a Mask
• Avoid Stereotypical Costumes
Wrapping Up:
• Incorporating pictures which address stereotypes into anti
bias activities helps students develop skills in visual literacy
and critical thinking and provides a foundation upon which
students and teachers can begin to build acceptance of and
respect diverse cultures.
• When choosing Halloween costumes with a racial bent, err
on the side of caution. You’ll be less likely to offend if you
dress up as a specific person rather than an anonymous
member of a racial group.
Questions:
• Don’t TRICK the Mind, TREAT the Mind
References:
Adams, M. Blumenfeld, W.J., Vsdtaneda, R., Hackman, H.W., Peters, M.l., & Zuniga, X.
(Eds.) (2010). Readings for diversity and social justice, 2nd Edition. New York: Routledge.
Mueller, J., Dirks, D., & Picca, L. (2007). Unmasking racism: Halloween costuming and engagement of the racial other. Qualitative
sociology, 30(3), 315-335.
Education (and) Halloween. (n.d). In teaching tolerance: A project of southern poverty law
center. What do halloween costumes say? online. Retrieved from http://www.tolerance.org/activity/what-do-halloween-costumessay
Stereotypes (and) Activities. (n.d). In discovery education: Understanding stereotypes online.
Retrieved from http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/understanding-stereotypes.cfm
Parezo, N.J., Jones, A.R. (2009). What’s in a name? The 1940s-1950s “squaw dress”. The American Indian Quarterly, 33 (3), 373-404
Reid, L. D., & Foels, R. (2010). Cognitive complexity and the perception of subtle racism. Basic & Applied Social Psychology, 32(4), 291301.
Seto, T. (1995). Multiculturalism is not halloween. Horn book magazine, 71(2), 169-175.
Shammas, Diane S. (2009). Post- 9/11 Arab and Muslim American community college students: ethno-religious enclaves and perceived
discrimination. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 33: 283–308.
Shawver, Sam. (2011, September 9). Middle Eastern students grow up, adjust to life after 9/11. The Marietta Times. 2011, December 21.
http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content. detail/id/538529/Middle-Eastern-students-grow-up--adjust-to-life-after-911.html?nav= 5234
Stereotypes. (n.d.). The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition.
Retrieved January 11, 2012, from Dictionary.com website:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stereotypes