Ahm... First poster I understand, it does look offending and very rude. But two others?... 

This is not who I am, and this is not okay.

I find them idiotic. What exactly is not ok?! Where is the message? And you can't choose a worse time for it than before Halloween when people like to dress in costumes!!! Not to mention that those respective countries use those cliches themselves to promote tourism etc. Fail.

That's an interesting response. 

For me it's very obvious that it's a campaign specifically to raise awareness about dressing in a costume that is considered offensive around Halloween. 

I guess what I'm more curious about is are these stereotypes that North Americans find offensive and no one else?

Perhaps a totally ignorant question but I'm without any other reference besides my heritage (Canadian / American / Austrian)  so it's a great discussion.

Halloween costumes should be someone's last concern... I will raise you by 1: How about one of countries' most precious moments, their national holidays? Most countries' celebration is another country's defeat! Take Russian Victory day, how do Germans/Austrians feel about it? Do these holidays still make sense in the modern world?

We also celebrate on the 5th of may liberation day from the Germans(1945). German presidents have been present during this day in the past, which is a clear signal of our current relations with our neighbour, but also that this period in our history should never be forgotten nor repeat itself.

Except for the suicide bomber costume, people should not overreact, a very annoying leftish hobby.

Nearly every year at the Halloween fun run and parties around town, I see one or more persons in blackface, often accesorized with a faux leopard costume, spear and afro wig...and almost every time I yell, "ASSHOLE or RACIST"!!! 

I believe both terms are equally appropriate.

Well, see, that's just it.  In Canada our country's national day is extremely low key unless you're in Ottawa.   We didn't defeat anyone to form a nation - we just kinda bribed each other into confederation (seriously!).

Halloween is a huge thing over there - and while it's primarly a "fun" holiday for many - it's a huge religious occasion for those of pagan beliefs as well.

So I would argue it very much makes sense - it just depends what lense you're using. 

We're also extremely multicultural which is why I find these costumes pretty dern offensive. 

Again, it's an interesting discussion.

sorry, was replying to catalin just now - just didn't include the quote.

That teaches me to reply to things before I have coffee!

Are yu going as Celine Dion or a mountie?

What’s the big deal? Is dressing up in a Japanese or Mexican costume saying it’s bad to be Japanese or Mexican?? I don’t think so...

I don’t get why we need to pretend to be "colour-blind" not to be considered racist. It’s stupid.

Thats 'cos its a picture of me....

As a representative of a country that will soon be swallowed by waters, I don't think you have a say mate ;)

Sorry Val I din't think you would recognize me unde the starred sunglasses and all the glitter ;) Game on, I pull out my afro wig this year but your chicken legs better run fast if you call me that!

Sorry you don't get it.  Here's  a little test that might help. Would you wear such a stereotypical "costume" amongst a room full of people from that nation? How would you explain it to them? "oh, I admire 'your people' sooooo much?

Please elaborate...

Not sure what your example is supposed to proove but I would just say I like the costume... Which is why Im wearing it.....

I'm not talking about your 70s disco boy outfit, Cat....

Perfect. I think we all get it now.

Poster n°2

One of the many things girls can do while in Kyoto is to dress like a maiko / geiko for the day. (it's popular amongst Japanese, but of course also open to foreigners).

Bottom line: this is the poster which is offensive (its creators) (1) by assuming that the intentions of the ones who are wearing the costume are bad; 2) by assuming they know better than the citizens of the country whose costume is borrowed how to feel about it, while the costume is not.

No, we dont all get it.

Why dont you elaborate on how me wearing your nation's costume would be offencive to you and your national identity?

I think it's more making fun of certain cultural stereotypes - which is what's portrayed in the halloween posters.

In a Canadian context - it would be like if I chose to show up as an Aboriginal person holding a bottle of beer and pretending to be drunk and suicidal (too horrible stereotypes in our country). 

It's more mocking cultural stereotypes which I think is the original intent of those posters.

I hope that makes sense!

Ah, perhaps you failed to notice that I wrote the word 'stereotypical.'

As a citizen of the United States, I would point out that as an immigrant nation, we don't have a (single) national costume. 

You may wish to visit those nations in the original post or read about them to see that people of these nations don't fit a stereotypical, single set of ideas or clothing. Most Japanese women don't dress as geishas nor do most Mexicans ride donkeys and wear sombreros.

When your cultural stereotype is to be drunk and suicidal, you are asking to be mocked

How is wearing a kimono mocking a cultural Japanese stereotype?

I agree. Authentic representations of various kinds of national dress need not necessarily be offensive.

Sometimes, however, it's pretty clear that many Halloween costumes are in quite questionable taste.  The example I cited is fairly extreme and yet I've seen it numerous times, even in a giant parade in Zurich were people were in blackface and animal skins dancing around a cauldron with a person being 'boiled' in it.

I think someone from Japan would be in a better position to answer than than I on this - but I guess it's the difference between showing up in full Aboriginal dress that representents your heritage (which I think is a fantastic costume) vs. showing up in full Aboriginal dress but mocking the cultural stereotypes of Aboriginal / First Nation peoples as a drunk, uneducated, suicidal wrecks.

So basically, you are saying that a person dressed in a cow boy outfit in an Haloween party (outside the States) would be offensive to Americans. Seriously?

So what???

Should a Swiss person be offended if a black guy paints his face white, dresses in traditional swiss clothes and holds a piece of cheese in his hand?

Yet, it's not what I see on the posters we had to comment... so that's pretty much beside the point.

Again, it's better if I swiss person answers but I would find that pretty terrible.

This conversation is super interesting!!

Shame Romania won't be flooded - might wash away all the thieving gypsy bastards

Amen.

"So what???" 

Perhaps at some point you may understand why the two are not necessarily equivalent and why Africans don't particularly appreciate being stereotyped as cannibals.

I was planning to wear this, but then Pam called me saying she would sue me

Wouldn't work, they are all in Geneva.

As you can see from the original post, the clear point is racial/ethnic minorities protesting against what they view as majority culture stereotypes of their heritage.  

I know you follow North American football and that you might understand why certain American Indians do not particularly appreciate Washington's team being named the Redskins whereas it's not the same with the Dallas Cowboys.

That's because cowboys were/are venerated in our culture whereas Indians were subjected to genocidal policies. 

I understand what you're saying, but the term redskin itself is derogatory. (A poor choice, I  reckon).

Do American Indians feel offended because FSU's team is named after the Seminole tribe?

Do American Indians think that the flag of Massachusetts is offensive?

See this link for answers on native American mascot issues, including Seminoles:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_mascot_controversy

And here's an article on  a team called the Fightin' Whities:

"The Fighting Whites (alternatively identified as Fightin' Whites, Fighting Whities, orFightin' Whities) were an intramural basketball team formed at the University of Northern Colorado in 2002 and named in response to the Native American mascot controversy....

The intramural team, which included players of Native American, white, and Latino ancestry,[3][4] adopted the name "Fighting Whites", with an accompanying logo of a stereotypical "white man" in a suit,[5] styled after advertising art of the 1950s, as their team mascot. The character has been described as a man from the Ozzie Nelson era[6] or a "'Father Knows Best' white American male".[7]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Whites

Actually some of the last known incidents of canibalism were recorded in Papua New Guinea which is part of an island in the Pacific ocean.

How rude of you to generalize like that and assume all black canibals come from Africa.

Failing grade for inadequate research...

Read here for recent examples of present day cannibalism from all over the world, including Europe and North America:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannibalism

:

Ofcorse they are exceptions!

So should we assume all Germans are cannibals cos of the very recent and public case?

And should I then, as a white person, be offended by some parade of white people cooking someone in a pot??

Whereas we all know that the average Cannibal comes from Europe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannibal_the_Cannibal

Quite a leap eh? We've gone from Halloween to Japanese makeovers to American football to some guy dressed as Pamela Anderson to Cannibalism!

Haaaaahaaaaa--- by your logic, white people are only exceptionally cannibals whereas you seem to be saying that cannibals normally come from Africa and Asia...

Keep digging!

Thanks for stirring the pot!

Cant argue with stupid....

You aren't capable of arguing, period.

Quoting from your link:

Although most Native American activists and tribal leaders consider Indian team names and mascots offensive, neither Native Americans in general nor a cross section of U.S. sports fans agree. According to the article, "There is a near total disconnect between Indian activists and the Native American population on this issue."

Exactly my point from the beginning...

I absolutely love the fighting whities. Sorry for not being narrow minded enough to be offended; I think I'd rather buy a shirt instead.

Some girls are so sweet that I would eat them alive

Glad you got the joke!  I never thought you'd be offended by that.  

Of course not every person of a minority group might take offense in the same way to a costume. There are obviously degrees of offensiveness just as  there are also degrees of interest. 

I take the purpose of the posters as an attempt to provoke some thought and conversation about how some in that society see and possibly negatively stereotype others.

. 

Genie in the lamp costume...

Offensive much?

I, however, fully expect a swarm of "african bumble bees" and trucking enthusiasts to hang me out to dry for my costume... see below. 

for the un PC amongst us, here is a "inappropriate costume shop"

http://thechive.com/2011/10/28/cmon-guys-lets-take-halloween-seriously-25-photos/

parody on this campaign 

THE TRIUMPH OF INTELLIGENCE over common sense

well well well  what is dean winshester doing in switzerland on halloween, no mosters here, and where is sam  happy Halloween all