I know a few blogs have already touched on this subject, but I felt like writing about it. There have been a lot of talk about how during Halloween, non goths will dress like goth as a costume. The amount of people hurt by it, and the amount who are alright with it, seems to be split right down the middle, with a small percentage on the fence.
Against it:
I can see why one would roll their eyes when a non goth is walking down the street during Halloween, dressed to the nines in goth wear. What a goth wears everyday isn't a costume, it's them expressing their fashion sense. Having a non goth wear something that a goth would wear everyday for Halloween, can stir up some hurt feelings.
The main point of this argument, is that if a goth would to dress in American Eagle clothing for Halloween, and explain to people that it was a costume, non goths would feel offended and hurt that someone would be wearing their fashion like a joke, or think that the goth is making fun of them. Now, if a non goth did the same to a goth, the goth would feel the same way, and feel like the non goth was making fun of their way of life.
Ok with it:
On the other hand, many goths feel that everyone has the right to dress how they want to, even if it means to dress goth for Halloween. No one wants to be the costume police, and no one wants to get told what costume they should wear, or how to wear it. Is the non goth going to ruin Halloween, just because they are dressed like a goth? Most likely not. It's Halloween, and one shouldn't let what another person is wearing, ruin their time.
My two cents:
I'm on the fence with this one. I can see both sides of the debate, and why it can be an issue. I do agree that what I wear on an everyday basis, isn't a costume, but how I express myself. However, I also agree that everyone should have the right to wear whatever they want to.
Something to consider is that some people like to wear costumes of a certain profession. If someone wears a nurse costume, it doesn't necessarily mean that they are making fun of nurses. Some people like the sexy factor, and others might wear the costume because they respect them, or even wanted to be one at one time. Another thing is during Halloween, goth is accepted, and even encouraged. Maybe someone felt like they want to be goth, but are afraid of what their friends and family will say, so they wear a goth costume for Halloween, and that way they can be what they want, without getting judged. On the other hand, maybe someone isn't a goth, but has an appreciation for the subculture, so during Halloween, they dress in a goth costume, to show their appreciation. There are a lot of factors to why a non goth would dress goth for Halloween, and not all of them have something to do with making fun of the subculture.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I agree that everyone has the right to wear whatever costume they want for Halloween, without persecution, or ridicule, even if their wearing something that you don't agree with.
