For the last few weeks, I’ve been searching for the perfect ensemble for Halloween. My friends and I have decided to go as the Disney princesses. I chose Mulan. My quest for the cutest costume ended when I found a match titled “SEXY LADY NINJA WARRIOR ADULT HALLOWEEN COSTUME.”

I’ve seen worse titles. But it got me thinking about stereotypes and how they affect views of certain groups. I wanted to be Mulan, so I looked for a “typical” geisha or ninja costume, preferably with a dragon on it. Why? Because Mulan is a Chinese female. I’m not ashamed to admit it. Do I generalize and think all Chinese or Asians are the same? Of course not, but when it comes to Halloween, it seems anything goes.

This goes along with political correctness in a way, but I think there’s a fine line between being correct and being respectful. Will we ever see KKK costumes? No, because those morons exist in real life. What about the infamous illegal-alien costumes that got pulled in 2009 for being offensive? I honestly think they’ll make a big reappearance.

In the past couple years, I’ve seen Native American chiefs, Mexican mariachis, guidos, “gangstas,” rednecks and so many other costumes that thrive off the dreaded stereotype. Now some people might hem and haw about how these costumes perpetuate harmful ideas about a larger group and maybe they have a point. Those people can start a campaign to pull all potentially harmful and stereotypical costumes off store shelves to prevent damage to a particular group.

If that happened, what would people dress up as on Halloween? It’s the honest and brutal truth that stereotypes make perfect costumes. This year, the most popular costume is Antoine Dodson (if you don’t know who he is, you’ve been living under a rock or you’re older than 40), the “young hero” who saved his sister from a potential rape and told a news reporter his story. It was converted into a popular song, which is available on iTunes.

Will I be offended by the hordes of people pretending to be a black man from a poor neighborhood? No, because I understand the point. Becky from Sorority X is dressing up as Antoine to have fun, not to offend me.

I think dissenters and haters alike should quit complaining and realize that Halloween is fun and not at all serious. And if someone is really offended and wants to make a stand, go to Dublin or Upper Arlington and march up to a sea of third graders dressed up as cowboys, Indians, ghosts, witches and ninjas, and tell them they’re wrong. See how far that will get you.