By Allyyssa Sousa-Kirpaul
With Halloween less than a week away, there is talk at Humber of having a ban on certain costumes.
Kenny Dawkins, LGBTQ event resource assistant at Humber North, said there should be a ban on certain costumes at the Humber Halloween party on Oct. 27.
Costumes he said should be banned include Caitlyn Jenner and Indigenous people.
“If they don’t it will show people that Humber believes it’s okay to appropriate people’s culture and make a joke of someone’s transition from their assigned gender at birth to whatever they associate with now,” Dawkins said about the Caitlyn Jenner costume.
Consequences should be put into place if a student wears an offensive costume said Dawkins but he doesn’t know how the school would make students aware of all offensive costumes, Dawkins said.
“Besides the fact they’re very offensive. It reiterates the fact their culture is literally taken away from someone and we can wear it now because it’s not a thing anymore it’s literally a joke,” said Dawkins.
Consequences should be put into place if a student wears an offensive costume said Dawkins but he doesn’t know how the school would make students aware of all offensive costumes.
Culture is not a costume according to the Humber Ignite Halloween website page, there will be a zero-tolerance policy for cultural costumes.
Some costumes are over exaggerated and way too over the top said student Valentina Tabares, a student in the Fitness and Health Promotion program.
On the other hand, another student said she doesn’t find costumes offensive and doesn’t think Humber should ban certain costumes.
“Since it’s a party we should be free to wear what we want to, we’re all adults aren’t we? It would be more fun if you get to wear what you want to wear, it’s better that way,” said Shellisa Sutherland, paralegal student.
Regarding the Aboriginal people costumes, Sutherland said she’s fine with people wearing them, although she recognizes that some people can be offended by it.
Devron Rodrigues from Party City in Brampton said the store still has a section for clown and cowboy costumes, but they don’t sell the Caitlyn Jenner. There has been no complaints yet about offensive costumes in the store, Rodrigues said.
Recently Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., prepared a list of prohibited costumes for its annual Halloween party.
The list includes any form of traditional headdress such as but not limited to the hijab, African head ties and turbans. Costumes that mock suicide or rape, or outfits featuring a culture’s traditional attire are also on the list.
The intention is to prevent harmful stereotypes and make sure students are respectful towards each other’s culture and history, the university said.