Halloween
Costumes Are Sexualizing Our Youngest Trick-Or-Treaters
(Courtesy of Raina Delisle, Huffington Post, Halloween Costumes Are Sexualizing Our Youngest Trick or Treaters, October 18th,
As Halloween season heats up and children and all over the country begin picking what they would like to dress up as for this spooky holiday, Raina Delisle a writer at the Huffington Post, wrote an article about why she is fed up with the way Halloween costumes seem to objectify even the youngest age group of trick-or-treaters.
According to Delisle, when she went to pick out a firefighter costume with her 4 year old daughter she was appalled with the female costume because it over sexualized preschoolers. The boys' costume constituted a traditional bright red jacket, complete with a plastic hat and fake axe, while the female costume was a short, black, shimmery, most likely flammable, dress and a lacey, miniature hat (pictures of both costumes are included above). Delisle is upset with the image this conveys to young women and stated that: ''while boys have costumes that look like the real thing, girls are expected to dress up in spoof ensembles, thus suggesting that they can't, or shouldn't do the real job'' (Huff Post, Raina Delisle). Personally, I believe this isn't an over exaggeration or just another part of the "feminist agenda", but that these costumes do hurt the self-esteem and confidence of young girls. I think young girls shouldn't be mocked for aspiring to professional and serious careers such as nursing and police work just because those careers have been over sexualized by the media.
When was the last time you saw a firewoman rescuing a burn victim in a sequined skirt? Never. So why do we allow this image to pervade the minds of our youth?
Do you think that the upset over these costumes is rational? Or is it all just an over reaction to something very harmless?
What do you think of these particular costumes?
Any personal experiences which helps support or refute the idea that Halloween costumes influences self-confidence?
5 comments:
I agree with John wholeheartedly that while this is not something to get up and arms about, it's a pervading problem for our society. While the companies may argue that they make the girl's costumes like that because girl's themselves want a cuter outfit (an argument I scoff at) it also is not entirely their fault-why do the girls want that type of outfit in the first place? This problem is one that runs much deeper than simply Halloween costumes.
I do fully endorse Delisle's arguments that while the boy costume is a relatively decent mock up for the real thing, the girl's costumes do not even resemble the outfit of the professionals in those careers. It may be subconcious and subtle, but these costumes still create the equation that boys look like real firemen and policemen, while girls are allowed to pretend they are.
So I'm kind of mixed about this problem. On the one hand I do think everyone is equal and should have the same opportunities, both physically and emotionally. On the other hand I guess I'm like the guys on Fox News who think that it's reverse racism [which makes no sense, racism is racism no matter who is racing, and who is racized(I english good)], in that I'm not great at seeing the problem though I try. To me I can see, and understand the issue ofnot providing the option for a more "correct" outfit, and companies probably should provide that option, but I think it's less of an ingrained problem(women who wears these have turned out to be leaders, and there are more women CEO's and world leaders and influencers than ever, and on the rise) than the simple fact that cuter outfits sell better. Who knows I could just be a priveledged white christian male who doesn't get it, but that's what I see in this issue.
I don't think it's fair that, as Miranda said, boys are allowed to essentially be the real thing in this situation whereas girls are encouraged to pretend that they are. And while I see the point of view of the companies--that these "cuter" costumes may ultimately sell more--I still don't think that excuses the blatant perpetuation of strict gender roles, especially among such young kids. For me it's also kind of sad that as a society this is so normal; a majority of Americans would likely walk by the two different costumes and not even notice the disparity that the author of the article has pointed out. It also makes me wonder how our society would react and what people would do if they encountered a boy's costume that was over-sexualized while taking their kids Halloween shopping. That would most assuredly be noticed by more parents and cause a much greater stir than the girls' costumes shown in the article. The majority of us wouldn't bat an eye at a skimpy and unrealistic girl's costume, but a little boy's costume that didn't resemble a real firefighter/police officer/etc. would catch our eye.
I know this may be tangentially related to the topic, but I don't really understand the stance of feminism on clothing equality or whatever you want to call it. While they seem to be vocally against this oversexualization of women or their treatment as sex objects, at the same time, they also advocate for the freedom of dress, as in they should be allowed to wear whatever they want to (that usually being revealing "sexualized" clothing). This is just kinda confusing for me, but I digress. I don't think that this is a problem. Stores carry/make these because they sell. If people are genuinely unhappy, they could always buy other styles or (heaven forbid) make it with their own hands. If my memory serves, there are nonsexualized versions of these costumes (it feels weird using that term for kids)available, so getting up in arms about one brands creative liberty seems to be a tad childish.
This relates to a small paradox that I've noticed occurring with my peers, and myself included. When we are younger, we always try to be like the "big kids." We admire them and copy them as much as we can, in order to be accepted, or "cool." We say "We are old enough for it. We can!" Then, when we grow older, we completely turn around and say that "children are too young for it. They can't. They are babies!" This is exactly what goes on here. Now, if we want to eliminate these kinds of costumes of children, we need to set better examples for the children ourselves. Because children copy adults around them in order to figure out how to live in society. If they see somebody they look up to wearing a "sexy firefighter" or a "cute cop" outfit, they will think that it is ok, and they will want to do the same! So, we must set better examples for children. Knowing that the younger generations look up to you, would you still want to wear the "two patches and a skirt" excuse of a costume? (Worst comes to worst, take that "firefighter" dress, add some ears and whiskers, turn it into a cat costume. Or buy the boy costume.)
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