Sexy Costumes and Feminism
Halloween is one of those holidays that come with a side of controversy. In a society that is constantly striving to define political correctness, there are always pitfalls along the way. What someone might deem creative, others may deem offensive. What some consider hilarious, others scorn for being insensitive. This is especially true when it comes to the subject of feminism. Over the years, sexy Halloween costumes have become the norm. This has resulted in a social response of backlash amongst women regarding the hyper-sexualization of yet another commodity. In contrast, the sales of sexy costumes reinforced the idea amongst manufacturers that this is what consumers want. Yet at the end of the season, there are lists and lists of costumes that receive criticism for their racy designs. I personally believe that if the true meaning of feminism is to allow women the freedom to choose just as men seem to have the ability to do, then we should put away our wagging fingers and just enjoy the holiday.
All too often, people are so quick to jump on to another hot-button topic. We’re all guilty. We wait for the next celebrity slip-up or the next pop culture faux pas so we can head to social media and put in our two cents on the situation. The same, unfortunately, goes with what women wear. No matter how much of a feminist we claim to be, we still can’t help but throw an occasional side-eye at an outfit we disapprove of. Why is that? If feminism is about allowing women the freedom to make their own life choices without constantly questioning them, then does it make sense to tell women not to wear those sexy Halloween costumes? Is it right to assume that a woman is a self-absorbed, superficial hussy if she shows some skin, wears makeup, or fixes her hair? Could it be possible that a woman has more depth to her aside from her outward appearance, no matter which side of the style spectrum she prefers?
There’s a double-edged sword when you criticize women for falling into the traps of patriarchy. People often assume that women who dress sexy are only doing so because she wants to attract a man. However, most women dress up to obtain a boost in self-confidence, not for the approval of others. In the case where a woman may be dressing up to feel attractive, my rebuttal is, so what? Do we question a man who dresses nicely to attract women? Not likely. So why do we do this with women as though they are incapable of making their own life choices?
At the end of the day, society would be a much better place if we learned how to understand each other instead of judging from afar. When women are granted the freedom to choose their actions and be accountable for them without being questioned, we can reach true equality for all.
Lisa
Lisa plays the role of the Fairy Godmother on the Pure Costumes team.
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