Arguably more than any other holiday throughout the year, Halloween is a chance for women and girls to show off their bodies. October creeps around the corner and promiscuousness isn't far behind. According to "Mean Girls," Halloween is "the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it."
And how do the boys respond?
While this may seem exaggerated, it's unfortunately the truth. Year after year, the costumes get sexier, the demand gets higher and the girls who want to dress like this get younger. Yikes.
One mom’s story is going viral for how she stood up to Party City, a popular retail store that sells Halloween costumes in the fall. She was appalled and furious to see the toddler girls cop costume
that she found on the company's website, especially in comparison to the cop costume that was available for toddler boys.
Image courtesy of Party City.
Even though this costume is nowhere near as sexualized or revealing as some of the adult and teen "sexy" costumes that are out there, the situation shows just how much the concept of Halloween is transforming.
Halloween is no longer about dressing up as what you might want to be when you grow up, an animal you like, or a spooky creature. All of a sudden it's become an opportunity for society to sexualize women, and frighteningly enough, young girls, too.
If you're not sickened by this, you probably should be. Women aren't objects. So why do we treat ourselves that way?
You may or not be familiar with the "Try Guys" from BuzzFeed Video. They're a hilarious group of guys that simply try things and record their reactions. Last Halloween, the Try Guys tried on some sexy Halloween costumes, and besides the fact that grown men look hilarious in fish net stockings and tutus, they actually had some great insight on the issue. At the end of the video, we hear their final thoughts:
This feels gross on so many levels.
You know, I came in here today pretty pro-sexy costumes, I'm a little more torn now.
Ladies, you don't need to do this.
There's a lot more sexiness when people look like they put thought into an outfit.
If you don't want to dress sexy, you do not have to dress sexy.
We are more than just bodies. We are women.
The 31st of October shouldn't be an exception to that.
