My Halloween costume takes away your power?

Valdosta State University Housing and Resident Life cautions against costumes that “reinforce negative representations of cultures and groups … take power away from individuals who are a part of those groups by objectifying them, while also not honoring the diversity that exists in their communities.”

“Among the get-ups that Valdosta worries have the potential to reinforce racism, for instance, are ‘Indian’ and ‘Geisha’ costumes, ‘items that have specific cultural associations and significance (such as bindis and sombreros),’ and of course anything involving ‘blackface, redface, or yellowface.’ Valdosta also wants students to avoid ‘reinforcing prejudices and fears,’ and so cautions them against ‘wearing costumes that make light of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex work, or matters concerning the LGBTQ community…’ Finally, the email states that ‘dressing as “ghetto,” “hillbilly, associated or similar groups, etc.’ is likewise discouraged, because those ensembles might reinforce classism.

http://moonbattery.com/#sthash.PhssYGyU.dpuf

The university’s web site proclaims: “Experience VSYou. Here, we are a place where all doors are open and you will never feel invisible.”

http://www.valdosta.edu/

(Never feel invisible? Not even when everybody has to look like everybody else?)