Have an idea for a story? Let us know! Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor Mopinions@theotherpress.ca You have the privilege » Is your costume racist, offensive... or just sexy? Elliot Chan Opinions Editor ‘ye, M opinions@theotherpress.ca want to talk about cultural appropriation involving Halloween costumes. I know, I know, it’s a long-discussed topic between party-poopers and ignorant eye rollers. Let me come at this subject from where I stand as a Halloween party participant. Each year | attend a party wearing a costume where I feel like it’s not me. Not because I’m uncomfortable or the fact that it’s supposed to be a costume, it’s just because | have a hard time convincing people that I’m a white guy. My previous costumes included: Donnie Richie Tenenbaum (I looked like Kim Jong-il), and Steve Jobs (I looked like my uncle Stephen). One year, I said, “Fuck it,” and Dead. I wore a baseball hat; that was my whole costume. : Even I knew that was a lame : costume. I looked like a tourist. Yes, you might say, white is : the default race and therefore : white people cannot be : offended if I should dress up : as a cowboy. Then how come : when a white guy dresses up : as a Chinaman it’s a big deal? Oh, he’s perpetuating : a stereotype, you say. He should check his privilege. I hate that phrase, “check : your privilege,” this line for : governing white people. : Thanks, I don’t need the : protection, other white people. : [have thick skin. Your little : costume doesn’t offend me. I'll never know what it’s : like to be a white person, but Darko (I looked like a hoodlum), } Ido know what racism is. : Racism is when you tell me | : can’t drive because I’m Chinese. : Racism is when a black guy : gets arrested, only because went as Glenn from The Walking : the white police officer is : scared. Racism is trying to get : your foot in the door for a job : and having less-experienced : white people leapfrog you. A : Halloween costume is not a : big, oppressive statement. It’s a : costume. It’s not the problem, : and those that believe it is are : those same people who try to : be healthy by avoiding sugar : in coffee, and then eating a : cake as a reward. It’s a molehill : problem, not a mountain. Here’s a popular response: : Would you dress up like a black : guy around a group of black : guys? I’m not saying that if : Robert Downey Jr. did it, it’s : okay. I’m saying no, I would : not dress up like a black guy : in Ferguson, St. Louis during : the riot. But if I had a Bob : Marley costume, I’d wear it : on Halloween around friends : who understand “One Love.” There’s a time and place : to learn about other people’s : culture, and Halloween can : be one of them. You can wear : a straw-farming hat the same : way I can wear overalls and call : myself a farmer. The headwear : is actually used for farming! : It’s real. Wear it because : you are interested and you : want to learn more about : the culture. And do. Mock : it because it’s goofy. It is. : Are buckteeth and : squinty eyes offensive? : Is dressing up as : Caitlyn Jenner : offensive? Is cross- : dressing offensive? : Are you able to even : out the offence? You : know, dress up as : Hitler one year and : Anne Frank the next? : We are so god damn : politically correct these : days we don’t even : know who we are or : aren’t offending. We : don’t need to walk : on eggshells every : Halloween. There : are more heinous : acts of hate in the : world. Don't make : hate out of nothing. (¥ I'm talking ‘bout your generation (¥ We don’t elect governments; we elect scapegoats (¥ No glory for gory And more! Is blackface offensive? Image via everydayfeminism.com Subjectivity in the arts » What, if anything at all, qualifies one piece over another as ‘art’ Alex Stanton Staff Writer HH: how Oxford defines art: “The expression or application of human creative skill or imagination, typically in a visual form such as a painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.” I know it’s the frickin’ Oxford Dictionary, but I can see a million reasons why that definition is problematic—perhaps even downright wrong—to a solid chunk of art-consuming individuals out there. That isn’t to say you'd be hard-pressed to find art that is universally loved. The one that comes to mind is inarguably the most famous classical sculpture of all time, David by Michelangelo. David, aside from being unfortunately endowed, is sculpted to perfection: the glare in his eyes, generally facing towards Rome, symbolizes the 1500s Republic of Florence and its unwavering defence of its freedoms despite it being surrounded by more powerful states. There’s so much : work and so much thought put : into David that it’s difficult to : dispute that youre looking at : a worthwhile work of art. Hard as I find it to believe, : there are people out there who : don’t think David is all that and a bag of chips, which is cool to : me because of the objectivity of : : nearly all modern art forms. Take : : the motion picture for example; : : Stanley Kubrick, director of films : : such as Dr. Strangelove and The : : Shining is widely considered as : one of the premier artists of the : 20th century for his unhealthy : perfection and attention to : detail. John Waters, who filmed : Pink Flamingos, made an entire : career out of low-brow pictures : with scenes such as—among : many other things—a drag : queen picking real live dog : shit up off the ground and : eating it. One of my favourite : directors, Quentin Tarantino, : is in between those two. Despite its transgressive, : exploitative, and objectively : disgusting subject matter, Pink : Flamingos is a serious cult hit, : the kind of midnight movie area Te Tes aa eee : shown after The Rocky Horror : Picture Show. I don’t doubt for : a second that everyone who : watched Pink Flamingos and : Divine eat dog shit considers it art, and you know what? I agree. To me, all it takes for a piece : of art to be worthwhile is for it : to have an impact on someone, : no matter how small or large : it may be, it affected them. : Therefore, by my definition, even : : something like Pink Flamingos is : a worthwhile piece of art. What : TL enjoy is what I enjoy, and that : sort of art affects me the most, : but other people feel the same : way about the likes of Porkys : that I do about Reservoir Dogs, : despite the fact that I personally : would never be caught dead : watching Porkys. I firmly believe art is entirely subjective, and just : about anything can qualify... ..within reason, of course. : I don’t want to meet the : tortured, likely inhuman soul : who lobbies for Adam Sandler’s : filmography to be added to the : Library of Congress. We have : to draw the line somewhere.