Of course we all know that Halloween is a fun time to get together and have good wholesome fun. Kids get to go out about the neighbourhood and collect candy from strangers; teenagers get to practice their explosive and fire-safety skills and adults have an opportunity to disguise themselves as whatever they choose.
Whether it’s a Native American chief, their favourite rapper or their most admired SS commander, they get to take a break from their boring lives and are allowed to drink excessively as someone other than themselves for once.
Unfortunately, sometimes the fun of Halloween goes a little overboard and you may accidentally offend people with cultural appropriation! So this year, before you lather up some blackface for that great Trayvon Martin costume you’ve been planning, remember to take some time to think of others while you carve your pumpkin.
It can be tough to know what is and isn’t acceptable to include on your jack-o’-lantern, so just in case, here’s a list of UNACCEPTABLE designs that you should avoid this year. We think that they are so terrible and offensive that we’re going to publish them all with really big pictures. These are really horrible and in poor taste! Enjoy the full list and share it with all your friends!
NO!
If you think this is an appropriate jack-o’-lantern to put out on your stoop this October 31, think again! This is an offensive, stereotypical portrayal of Asian culture. I know you may think it’s okay because you added “Vampire eyes” to make it spooky but those teeth are so obviously that of a blood-sucking Oriental that it’s not even funny!
UNACCEPTABLE!
I don’t know what kind of monster you’d have to be to think that this is alright but what you see here is NEVER OK. Sure, it looks exactly like Jay-Z but changing the colour of a pumpkin is down-right offensive and insulting to the good white farmers who grew them. Don’t insult our proud Caucasian pumpkin-farmer culture with this nonsense!
I DON’T THINK SO!
This one is so obvious it doesn’t even seem necessary to explain, but you cannot carve this into your pumpkin! Yes, it’s a great attempt at a tribute to the Nazis but you’ve got to get the tilt right. The way it’s done here makes it look like the buddhist symbol for good luck and is an insult to the rich history of Nazi-culture!
NO WAY JOSE!
This is cultural appropriation at its ugliest. Of course the sombrero is hilarious and a classic Halloween accessory that everyone will love, but there are those Asian fangs again! You can’t do that, come on!
TRY AGAIN!
A mohawk, really? You think it’s okay to make your Jack-o-lantern look like a stereotype of one of the longest suffering, most ill-treated groups out there? Think again pal, this is something that NEEDS to be avoided this year. Honestly don’t you think Travis Barker gets mocked enough without you going and doing this?
DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!
This one is just so tiredly offensive that it’s boring. Yeah. we get it ‘Arabs love fireworks,’ that’s really funny. Truth is not all Middle-Easterners love fireworks. Some prefer bombs and others even dislike fireworks so much that they refuse to celebrate the 4th of July! So quit it with these stereotypes and represent ethnic groups accurately!
NOPE!
This is totally insensitive, please don’t put anything like this outside of your house, okay? It may not be that upsetting to you if you’re a North-American privileged Caucasian and say it’s just a ‘silly joke’ but just think about other people who didn’t grow-up the way you did and won’t understand the cultural reference. Not everyone was raised in a Spongebob-watching culture and you have to respect at!
GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD!
I feel like we’ve already covered this, but your jack-o-lantern should just be about you. A lot of people who don’t share your sensibilities of what’s acceptable and unacceptable are going to see it and judge you. Avoid this design, not only for your Jack-o-lantern but just in general. It’s revolting and you should know you’re living in a SEATTLE SEAHAWKS FOOTBALL CULTURE! Go ‘Hawks!
GET OUT OF HERE!
This one is so offensive that I don’t even have the words. If you think this is okay you must be seriously messed up!
