Thoughts
Enough with the attacks on "sexy" Halloween
Lately, I'm seeing many blogs and news sites coming out with their "great Halloween costume" ideas like one would see every year. What I notice now is how many are tossing in some kind of pot shot at any women who basically wear a "sexy ______" (insert name of character) outfit. I see the comments usually saying things like "grow up", "show some class", and even one who went out saying how much it demeans women in general.
Are you kidding? While I will write entries attacking when people live irresponsible and careless lives, I also live in the real world. I'm not speaking as some guy desiring to see scantily-clad women, but more just as a voice of reason stating that all the complaining in this matter won't change anything.
Halloween over the years
Growing up, Halloween was merely known as a time of the year when kids picked out costumes, went trick-or-treating, and enjoyed the bevy of programs on the TV...from horror films to Charlie Brown. It's always a magical time for a child, as I can imagine what my nephew and niece will experience as they age.
As I got older, some teens found the idea of throwing eggs and shaving cream as their notion of fun. We can call this vandalism, but I remember my mother speaking of how kids in her time were writing on screens with bar soap as a Halloween tradition. Seems like many generations have some kind of wild fun for the older kids.
When I reached adulthood, I usually saw Halloween as costume parties where folks simply dressed up, ate and drank too much, and had a good time. I didn't really see the "sexy" thing until the last ten years, mainly in the club scene.
The real deal on the "sexy" thing
Over the years I've worked in the club and bar scene, I'd only see the "sexy" thing in the nightclubs. In Chicago if you go around Lincoln Park, Division Street, or Wrigleyville and hit up the bars, most of the women are dressed in "normal" costumes. You'll see a few of the "sexy" girls, but even at times you'll end up in venues where the only scantily-clad women are actually the STAFF. Let's be honest, the girls dress sexy every night for work to get those tips. Halloween is just a more costumed version of their normal work attire.
Now walk into the nightclubs, even out in the suburbs, and you'll see plenty of girls in costumes from Frederick's of Hollywood, Lover's Lane, and Yandy.com. They're all showing skin, getting drunk, and many are even playing out behavior normally seen in a Girls Gone Wild video. Some of these girls again are the staff, but many others simply want to dress sexy, act wild, lose their inhibitions, and just have fun.
Why people shouldn't make an issue
I understood in the past when women would come online and speak out how they could not find a "normal" costume around anywhere because it seemed for a short time that the female costume industry was all "sexy". Manufacturers and retailers listened though, and now point out how many "normal" costumes they carry for the moms, office girls, and others who simply don't want to dress that way.
Now I could easily be a prude and talk about the ideas of women acting like whores and doing all sorts of demeaning stuff, but in all honesty, I believe the "sexy" thing is part of what made Halloween so appealing to adults over the last ten years or so. Back in the 90s I remember many seeing Halloween as "eh" or "for kids", and I'd even go to clubs on Halloween to find only a handful of people in costume. Look now and it's a major event every year in every bar and club all over.
Let's be honest. Sex sells, and both men and women are drawn to it. I've known guys who literally come clean and say they love Halloween simply for how many women who dress hot and lose their inhibitions, and they won't go to any event that doesn't have the women in those outfits. Likewise, I seen plenty of women posting their costumes on Facebook and simply revel in the idea of showing some skin for one night without anyone passing judgement.
All of it reminds me of Mardi Gras in many ways...an Autumn version of it. Most places don't even push "sexy" in their events, but a few do, and they get a big crowd of wild girls who have the bodies for those costumes and many guys drooling over them. We can ridicule this, but imagine instead all those women are in short little skirts and heels...rather than costumes. Is Halloween really any different from any other night when it comes to club attire?
I can understand when an adult woman who decided to dress in a "normal" costume will feel uncomfortable watching a naughty nurse and sexy devil make out on the dance floor to get attention from the guys. However, I would then tell that woman not to go to that particular party. She can lament like one blogger did on how it destroys the women's movement, but I think the problems built by Lipstick Feminism go beyond Halloween.
It's one night or one weekend of debauchery from a society that seemingly wants it. I won't fault a woman for dressing sexy, going out, drinking too much, and even deciding to go home with some guy she met for a wild night of sex. We're all human. I'll fault her or the guy if they decide to do things like drive drunk or bang without protection, but not for letting loose and just being consenting adults having some harmless fun.
What do you think? Do you think Halloween for adults has gotten out of hand? Or are the complainers just making a big deal out of nothing?
