Family, Self

What's Wrong With Sexy Halloween Costumes?

Sexy Halloween Costume

We all know that for any animal, vegetable or mineral out there, there's probably a "sexy Halloween costume." Whether it's Sexy Eskimo Pie, Sexy Firefighter, or — what's sure to be this year's favorite — Sexy Big Bird, you're sure to find a costume with a mini-skirt, low-cut "shirt" (more like bra) and tiny little hat.

But what are the causes and implications of many women's desire to wear a sexy Halloween costume? After all, no one is making us do this.

Some writers have voiced the idea that the best "weapon" against sexy Halloween costumes is humor. Instead of coming at it from an intellectual level, laughing at the situation suggests that it's absurd to wear a sexy costume and that women who don't are superior to those who do. But the problem is, this still means people are telling women what to wear and ridiculing them if they don't comply.

There is definitely pressure on young, even high-school aged, women to look "sexy" for Halloween. Being peer-pressured into a costume that a young girl isn't ready for is not something I approve of — in fact, some teens are protesting against sexy costumes, as they should be. "Dressing girls like grown women for Halloween communicates that they have the sexuality of adults, in the bodies of children," a sociologist recently told CNN.

However, I strongly believe that women of college age and older should wear whatever they want on Halloween

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When I asked my former roommate Sabrina Neas, 22, how she would feel if a boyfriend disapproved of her costume, she said, "I would have a big problem with a significant other who told me not to dress up the way I wanted to. He should be proud that I've been blessed with assets worthy of flaunting and proud that I have the confidence to flaunt them!" 

As The Atlantic pointed out in a recent article called "Killing Sexy Halloween: The Ethical And Practical Implications," for many women, Halloween is a time for being body-positive and wearing whatever you wish: "What's wrong with having a night where we can say 'This is my body, and I'm not ashamed of it, or of using it to express my sexuality.' In fact, the only about that that seems wrong to me is the fact that it's limited to one day, when the other 364 days of the year turn that idea on its head," said a contributing writer to Feministing.

Personally, I love the sexy Halloween costume thing. This past weekend, I dressed up as Charlotte from Charlotte's Web wearing a long lace skirt with a leotard that had a lace cut-out down the center and felt just fine about it. It's a fun, creative outlet — if you are of age.

Also, why should sexy Halloween costumes be a woman-only activity? Men, get out your banana hammocks.

How do you feel about sexy Halloween costumes?