Halloween

I am not a huge fan of Halloween. I think the history of the holiday is fascinating so I can appreciate that aspect. But what I cannot appreciate is how the holiday is sold to women. 

Mike and I were recently in a party/costume shop to get some stuff for our upcoming rehearsal dinnArrrrrrrrr! Because I can't help myself, I checked out the many costumes they had available. Men get the super cool, super scary costumes (don't get me wrong, there are some problems marketing guns and knives to boys) and women get to be slutty nurses, sexy police women etc. etc.WTF?? 

My University was very big into Halloween and every year there would be a huge debate about women, their costume choices, and street harassment (it was obviously a problem). My belief is that you should wear what you want and no one has the right to harass you for it! However, I would LOVE more choices for women and girls and different marketing!! I heard one woman in the costume store tell her daughter, "please don't grow up yet, have a fun costume!" I wanted to turn around and say "YES!! Your mother is right!" 

So it makes me particularly upset when I see this disturbing costume entitled "Anna Rexia" Here's what Feministing has to say about it: 

The picture on the website shows a young, thin, Caucasian woman with large breasts sporting a short, skintight black dress with the outline of a skeleton on it. She is wearing a red, circular button that reads “Anna Rexia”. The ribbon tie belt around her waist has the markings of a tape measure.

This outfit offends me not only as a feminist, but as a member of the eating disorder community. I find it absolutely appalling. Products like this completely delegitimize EDs as diseases, and encourage people to see them as something to scoff at. I don’t see this site, or any others, marketing costumes like “Sexy Leukemia Patient” or “Slutty Angiodysplasia Victim”. And why would I? Those are “real” conditions.

So can you see why this holiday doesn't rank on my top 10? Until men can stop harassing women for what they wear. Until we can stop "slut shaming". Until there are FAR more choices for women's costumes. Until Sh*t like "Anna Rexia" is no longer produced. I don't see myself turning into a Halloween fan.