This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Asa Conroy. Find them on Instagram at @asakayconroy. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
It’s a conversation we have every year, but it’s for good reason. The topic of offensive Halloween costumes is always controversial for many reasons. Some think all sexy costumes are inappropriate and shouldn’t be worn on a holiday they believe is only for kids. Others feel that Halloween is for everyone, and people can wear whatever because they’re just costumes. But when are costumes not just a costume? A question most commonly asked by a third group agree that Halloween is for everyone, but there is a line. So where is the line? When does a sexy stop being sexy and becomes offensive?
The general rules are don’t stereotype, don’t trivialize tragedies, and don’t try and change your face to appear a different race. They seem pretty easy to follow. If it feels like something that might mimic a culture or make a terrible “joke,” it’s something to put back on the hanger.
And yet we still go through this debate every year, and we still see straitjackets and Native American princesses on the streets. Unfortunately, “sexiness” also plays a factor into the issues found with these costumes. Not only is the wearer dressing up in stereotypes, but also playing into the fetishized nature of certain subjects. This is worse when you factor in identities, people, and cultures that suffer because of objectification.
How Did it Start This Year?
This year’s debate sparked with “sexy Joan of Arc” costumes popping up all over social media. Some who have decided to reveal their costumes early when viral for all the wrong reasons. In these videos/pictures, you’ll see women wearing mini skirts and crop tops with chainmail and sword. Or some variation of that. While they look great on their own, not everyone was thrilled. to see #joanofarc on these posts.
Maybe the “Copyright-Free” Version is Better
Joan’s story is one that speaks to people all over the world, especially young woman. So, people are understandably a little protective of this historic figure. I, myself, went through a phase of idolizing her when I was 14. Her life was heroic and tragic. It’s one of the reasons that many people became unhappy at this. Joan of Arc was only 19 years old when she was burned at the stake. She was also a survivor of sexual assault. Many men tried to harm her for wearing men’s clothes and fighting as she did, something deemed blasphemous. So many found this costume troubling, believing that it didn’t honor what she went through.
There is a point to that. Sexy Joan fails to consider her history. However, there are some people taking it too far, and taking their aggression out on sexy costumes as a whole. They’re not as concerned with protecting the modesty of a historical figure, as they are with enforcing modesty on modern women. These women are just having fun in their costume ideas, and they don’t deserve to be shamed for how they like to dress. Costumes can still be fun and sexy without hurting others in the process. A sexy knight is one thing, but Joan is another. There is an added layer of context that shifts the costume into a more offensive direction.
Which is almost ironic because most offensive sexy costumes are criticized for removing context. You can go on the most famous costume buying website (Spirit Halloween or Halloweencostumes) and still find amalgamation of cultural stereotypes as a section of costumes. Some of which even have slurs as their official name. Fortunately, in recent years some of the bigger stores have gotten rid of them. But not all of them, and smaller stores are still selling them.
Fortune Tellers, Thieves, and Dancers.
Costumes associated with these three words are usually found in a category that begins with the letter “G.” Now most of us know what that word is, but a lot of people ignore how harmful it is to the group it applies to. It is a slur against the Romani people (also called Roma). It is to paint them as untrustworthy scam artists, dressed in bangles, corsets, and flowy skirts. Often crossed over with belly dancers.
These costumes are built on stereotypes and sexualization. Belly dancing is a part of Roma culture (specifically in Turkey), but it is not honored as a folk dance in these costumes. There are many people who find belly dancing to be a sexual thing. It’s not. In fact, it is a huge problem because dancers are often harassed by those believing it to be. It’s also one of the reasons that Romani people treated as “exotic lovers.” These costumes are only thriving on those stereotypes.
Native American Princesses with No Kingdom
Similar to those costumes, there are always Native costumes (sometimes still called Indian). There is nothing more mingled than one of these costumes. Often when you see these dresses of tawny pelts, feathers, and beads with the title of princess for a series of cultures that did not have monarchies. It’s just a mess of metaphorically duct-taped together cultures. Not every Native American, Indigenous, or First Nation culture wore the same materials or styles. Each have their own regalia that is sacred to them and should not be poorly mimicked in a costume.
Additionally, it is also pretty common to find Inuit and Yupik cultures sewn together in short snowy costumes. These start with the letter “E.” That word is also generally considered offensive to those communities. Native and First Nations women also commonly face sexualization and harassment. There is a long history of these women being abused and mistreated by colonizers who saw them as a prize from the “New World.”
Queen of Denial
Is what some people will actually be dressing up as when they throw on a gauzy two-piece to be Cleopatra. She was a real and powerful woman from many years ago, who also was believed to be promiscuous by many historians. However, other historians have countered that the perception of her sexuality is affected by her gender and ethnicity. Something, perhaps accidentally, supported by Halloween costumes. Another easy search on and sexy “Cleo” will be waiting for you with a lot of random “Egyptian” implements worn by a white model.
Pray Tell, What about Religious Costumes?
Religious costumes are also usually off limits, but sometimes overlooked in this discussion. The most popular costume under this category is the sexy nun. The sexualization of religious figures known for covering up is frowned upon for disregarding their beliefs. When it comes to nuns specifically, it plays into an idea of nuns being “forbidden fruit” to men who wish to ignore their holy vows.
Additionally, some religious costumes play on stereotypes. You can see this especially with voodoo. Voodoo is a religion of the African diaspora that is still practiced in several countries. It is not just an excuse to paint a skull on your face and drape a fake boa (either feathers or snake) around your neck.
I Don’t have the Patients for this One
Most people do not think that this one needs to be pointed out, but the sexy straitjackets should stay on the shelf. There are far too many (like the others on this list) costumes based around asylums and mental illness. Usually, they’re scary, sexy, or scarily sexy. Asylums nowadays are deinstitutionalized for the stigma they created against the mentally ill and for what they did to their patients. Patients in asylums are reported to have been horrifically mistreated by the staff and forced to live in terrible conditions. Straitjackets were one of the terrible conditions as they caused physical harm while pretending it was for protection. It’s not very sexy to stigmatize mental illness.
Try to Aim for Harmless Fun
There are many costumes the reasons above could apply to, but there’s also plenty more where they don’t. You can be as sexy as you want this Halloween without hurting others. The key is to find something that makes you feel cool, confident, and ideally comfortable. Most importantly have fun with it, people have created hilarious sexy costumes. Sexy Dr. Phil, Sexy Steve Harvey, Babraham Lincoln, and Buff Magikarp always get a laugh while looking great. You don’t have to be offensive to be sexy. So have fun and find your costume!
What’s your takes offensive Halloween costumes? Are there any nonoffensive sexy costumes you’ve loved? Let us know in the comment section below!
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