With Halloween being just around the corner, our excitement grows with plans of pumpkin picking, haunted houses, scary movie nights but most importantly– what our Halloween costumes will be this year.
As overwhelming as choosing a costume may be to you, please do not resort to these extremely inappropriate costumes for that Halloween party you and your friends are going to. All of these costumes are obviously problematic, but believe it or not, they are still distributed and sold by merchandisers. Although some of these costumes may not seem inappropriate to you, they may be very offensive to another group of people.
The good news is that these costumes are very easily avoidable if you are just considerate and acknowledge that some groups of people are offended by these costumes.
If you are culturally aware, then these costumes being extremely problematic won’t come as a surprise to you. But unfortunately, these costumes are still circulating and are not being taken off the racks which is another issue within itself. The fact that these costumes were even created in the first place is wildly inappropriate and comes as shocking to think someone thought these would be “funny” costumes.
So here are a few costumes you should avoid this Halloween:
1. The ‘Sexy’ Handmaid’s Tale
If you do not know what The Handmaid’s Tale is, it is a television show based on a best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood that takes place in a dystopian society where women are subjected to different classes and cannot own any money or property. The lowest class a woman can be placed in is the Handmaid where her only value is birthing children. In saying this, this ‘sexy’ Handmaid’s costume is extremely offensive to not just women, but the entire purpose and meaning behind Atwood’s amazing creation of The Handmaid’s Tale. The main character, Offred, symbolizes strength and struggle in this representation of our modern-day patriarchal society so to subject this powerful symbol to another sexist Halloween costume is a disgrace.
2. Trump’s ‘Wall’
Even though President Trump is kind of a joke, this costume is not to the thousands of immigrants who have to live in fear of being deported under Trump’s Executive order. This wall not only represents ignorance, but the deep roots of racism embedded in this country which is something that should not be taken lightly, especially through a degrading Halloween costume. Wearing this culturally and politically inappropriate costume could trigger deeply hurtful emotions for many different people. So do everyone a favor and don’t wear this.
3. Orange is the New Black Black-facing
Back in 2013 Julianne Hough thought it would be a fun and creative idea to go as Crazy Eyes from Orange is the New Black for Halloween, but little did she know, she was far off from being either of those things. This is (hopefully) an obvious example of cultural appropriation at its height. If you are the ethnicity of someone on Orange is the New Black or any television show you love, great, then pretend to be that character for Halloween. But if you do not share the same ethnicity as one of your favorite characters from a television show, movie or book then please don’t alter your race to look like that person.
4. The ‘Upside Down Honey’
Okay but who isn’t obsessed with Stranger Things at this point? I’m not saying to stop dressing up as Eleven since she is an icon we have all come to love, but don’t add sex appeal to a character that is played by a child. There is no need for the “honey” in this costume along with the thigh high socks and short dress. If you want to dress up as a child for Halloween, whether that child is from Stranger Things or not, go ahead but don’t make it sexy because that is outright extremely inappropriate, gross and just creepy.
5. Sexy Fidget Spinner
This is a child’s toy. A toy! Once again women are expected to make anything and everything ‘sexy’ for men to prowl on Halloween night. Not only is this degrading for women to wear, but absolutely disgusting on behalf of Dolls Kill to manipulate a child’s toy into a sex appeal. For all the ladies out there, if you want to dress sexy go ahead but just try to avoid using a fidget spinner as a way to dress sexy.
Image Credit: title, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5