If you’re looking to buy a costume for Halloween, you notice very quickly that there are some pretty big differences between the costumes available for the different genders, starting very early. Some examples:
Things for teens and adults get, if anything, worse:
This is just a small sampling of the costumes out there. Why is it so hard for girls to find a costume at Halloween at isn’t frilly, lacy, and hyper-girly? Or isn’t more like an adult costume in child size? Why are there such ridiculous differences betwen costumes for men and women? And why are the sheer number of options for costumes so much wider for boys & men? Costumes for boys and men are scarier, frequently feature muscles, weapons, and other traditional signs of masculinity, and actually have costumes like cop, firefighter & superhero that don’t come with heels and a mini-skirt. You might say, “well, just don’t buy those costumes”, but the fact that they exist and are being marketed so heavily means girls and women, like it or not, are getting the message that this is how they’re supposed to dress, and that there is something wrong with them if they don’t.
What is a parent (or girl, or woman) to do? Take back Halloween with these ideas!
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Need a reminder that things weren’t always like this? The Huffington Post has compiled a list of Halloween costumes for girls, then and now.
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Get creative! Let’s bring back home-made costumes that rely on being interesting, not skin-tight. .
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This Pinterest Board from the National Women’s History Museum has costume ideas to help you dress up as a leader of change instead of a naked fish or princess-cat.
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Want some inspiration for truly spooky costumes? Check out these scary homemade costumes from a century ago.
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The website Take Back Halloween has more ideas for dressing like a notable woman from history.
This Halloween, let’s not just have fun- let’s take a stand against the sexualization of women and girls!