Tolerance and respect at Halloween

Halloween used to be one of my favorite holidays. Somewhere along the way, things changed, children were put at risk with tainted treats and costumes became increasingly weird and insensitive.

Insensitive costumes and those which promote ethnic and gender stereotypes send the message that mocking another s culture is acceptable and insensitivity to those who are different from us is clever and funny.

Costumes depicting crazy people are demeaning to those suffering from mental illness.

Costumes depicting bums are insensitive to those unfortunate enough to be homeless, while prisoner costumes are insensitive to those incarcerated and their families.

Some costumes send stereotypical messages about a particular ethnic group. Fright Catalog’s Vato Loco mask, a caricature of a gang member, suggests Vato Loco’s on a mission and things can only get crazy-rough from here.

Depicting a tattooed, brown-skinned man sporting a gang marking and bandana, this mask sends the message that Latinos are violent. Stereotyping ethnicity is damaging, but linking violence to that stereotype is even more offensive and harmful.

And really, do we want our children to aspire to be working girls, pimps or trophy wives?

At the top of my list for the most horrific costume is the body bag, marketed as a stiffly funny bag suggesting the wearer add a prosthetic device to hint as to the cause of death.

What message does this costume send about respect for those who have died and empathy for their families?

We cannot expect our children to practice tolerance, respect for others and reverence for life when we ignore these values on Halloween.

The message we send in helping them choose their costumes will remain long after the candy has been eaten and the trick-or-treaters have disappeared.

Mary Krauze

Warwick