Feminism | Posted by Becka W on 09/24/2009
exercising the right to be sexy
Halloween season has begun. Today, I went to the brand new Halloween Store that opened two metro stops away from campus with my friend Lauren, and I did a tally of all the “sexy” things I had the option of being for Halloween: saying them, of course, as I walked past, in a sultry seductive voice (it drove the people in the store nuts). I had the option of being a sexy cop, a sexy robin hoodette, a sexy taxi cab driver (really? Are some taxi cab drivers particularly sexy? Not in my experience), a sexy bumblebee (again, last I checked this was not a sexy thing), a sexy ladybug, a sexy supergirl/catwoman/spiderwoman, a sexy mobster, flapper – you name it, I had the option of being a sexy version of it. But my personal favorites were the woman dressed as a sexy pie and the male counterpart: the winner of a pie eating contest.
Winner of the "pie eating" contest
the pie.
The “pie” here is a clear reference to this woman’s vagina; and the male in question has clearly “eaten her” – she is an object, he is a winner. He’s won the prize of this woman’s vagina, and now she’s his.
Now am I reading too much into this? Perhaps. Being in college, I’ve seen this phenomena for 2 full years now: Halloween is the “excuse to dress slutty”, the only time of year a girl who is usually normally dressed and calm can go crazy and dress like a complete “whore”.
My question is whether this is a good thing or a bad thing as feminists. I mean, there are two ways of looking at this: A woman can get dressed like this without being shunned for showing her legs or arms, unlike people in so many religious Middle Eastern countries. We have the freedom to dress however we want, which is certainly a feminist victory.
On the other hand; these outfits totally objectify women as sexual figures; and so often as things. Some people feel that a girl’s suggestive Halloween costume is an invitation to hit on her, or worse. It can make some think of women as sexual objects, and isn’t that something we should worry about?
Personally, I can’t say I’m 100% sure either way. But I can tell you I’m excited for Halloween – I’ve got plans to be Kat from 10 Things I Hate About You (THE MOVIE! Never the TV Show!), and I’d say she’s one of my favorite positive female role models in the past 20 years. I want you, I need you, Oh baby, oh baby.
(13 votes, average: 4.08 out of 5)
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dare2believe @ at 11:53 am, September 24th, 2009
In my opinion there sould be an option for sexy and un-sexy clothes for both boys and girls. Because, yes, we have the right to be sexy. We also have the right nott be!
hollie @ at 12:35 pm, September 24th, 2009
Lol, I don’t know you, Becka, but the vision of you walking around a store saying the names of costumes in a sultry voice is very funny! Anyway, every time Halloween rolls around I groan about how anything and everything is “sexified” for women. I know there are a lot of other feminists who support a woman’s right to dress how she wants (or UNdress how she wants), and I understand the reasoning, but I am one of those who is opposed to this (oh, and porn too, by the way). Having the freedom to choose WHEN we’re objectified isn’t exactly my idea of sexual equality.
Amy CT @ at 12:57 pm, September 24th, 2009
“a sexy taxi cab driver (really? Are some taxi cab drivers particularly sexy? Not in my experience), a sexy bumblebee (again, last I checked this was not a sexy thing)”
BRILLIANT : )
Check out my new post over @ the F Bomb « Becka Tells All @ at 1:25 pm, September 24th, 2009
[...] beckawall @ 1:25 pm It’s about sexy halloween costumes – woooot! Check it out here or insert the below link into your [...]
EVula @ at 3:08 pm, September 24th, 2009
As a largely id-driven guy, I certainly don’t mind girls wearing revealing outfits.
…now, that said, I have taste, not just a penis. A traditionally “sexy” outfit (even a french maid costume I would call “traditional” in this sense) is one thing, but I really am sick of over sexualized costumes. You’ve hit the nail squarely on the head by calling bullshit on the cab driver and bumblebee costumes.
(I also disagree with the “the man owns this woman” sentiment in regards to the pie costume, even though the pie costume itself is grossly ridiculous)
ACW @ at 3:54 pm, September 24th, 2009
Even worse is trying to something not-sexy for preteen daughters. Where are the scary costumes?! …and don’t even get me started on the clothing industry no longer separating little girl and preteen clothing (yes, fashions are offered in identical styles – very *adult* styles – to the exclusion of everything else – for girls sized 4-14). Choices are limited to making our own costumes or staying home to pass out candy.
Zafera @ at 6:00 pm, September 24th, 2009
The last time I checked Halloween was a holiday celebrating death and gore. What happened to scary? I’m not sure if it makes you feel better or if this would be just as bad but how about a hot dog eating contest winner costume, except both the hotdog and the winner are men. Yeah, that sort of makes me feel better.
Steph @ at 7:16 pm, September 24th, 2009
This is one of the many reasons I don’t wear premade costumes for Halloween. One year, I just wrote ‘Freud’ on a slip, and wore it with some jeans.
Alex Catgirl @ at 8:59 am, September 25th, 2009
Bees are *very* sexy, and unlike stupid humans,their societies are matriarchal.
In many species of bees, the boys are nothing more than haploids with wings, the queen puts them to work raising baby female bees that will eventually go out and forage for food. Their other purpose is to regulate the colony’s temperature(a/k/a hive warmers).
Oh and the best part, unlike human females,come winter many species of bees kick their dead beat boyfriends out of the hive, dead beat boy bees eventually starve b/c they refuse to forage for food
Alex Catgirl @ at 9:13 am, September 25th, 2009
Now that I’ve defended the sexiness of buzzy bees. I think there are a few reasons why so many girl costumes are “sexy”.
First, sex sells, many girls want to be considered desirable.
Secondly, they are cheap and easy to do, not much material/accessories to those costumes.
And finally, they are not binding/awkward/make it hard to move around in.
Brooke @ at 12:16 pm, September 25th, 2009
I personally find it sad that women need to hide their sexuality every other day of the year.
Tess @ at 1:10 pm, September 25th, 2009
Well, I believe that there are two sides of the coin here, I chose to cover up, because it is a part of my religion and I don’t feel opresses what so ever because it was my decision and I can still be sexy in my own way (Gorgeous clothing,amazing sultry jewellery and well done makeup, not to mention sexy confidence!)I still get eaten up for that! LOL! I believe that its every woman’s descision to look the way she wants and be sexy in whatever way she wants, because either side of the coin, people, namely uneducated, stupid, ridiculous people will think that in some way or the other we are “submitting” ourselves to and solely to men. In my case, its like I’m covered up for male satisfaction, I’m supposed to be the chaste one, I’m saving myself for them. Whereas, it never occured to those people that I do it for my satisfaction and for God (Yes, I am muslim and in Islam, may of you don’t know this but men to some extent have to be modest and covered up too, the really can’t walk around in speedos at all!) On the other hand, if a woman chooses to dress as she pleases and flaunt her sexuality, she as seen as objectifying herself to men. Where, again, it doesn’t occur to people (Yes, I mean the same group of stupid,ridiculous and uneducated people)where she dresses that way because its her choice and she loves her body amd she’s comfortable in her own skin and sexuality. So I belive as young women, we should go out there and wear what we like, on any given day, be it halloween, or even in the beginning of a working week day, because, there will always be those who will critique us for merely living!
x
Maria D @ at 4:02 pm, September 25th, 2009
I agree with you. I think women should be allowed to dress sexy on Halloween if they want to, but I also think it should be an option, not the standard. Thus, I always make my own costumes.
This year, I plan to be Kali, Indian goddess of destruction, war, and redemption. All I need now is a ton of blue body paint and some severed limbs to arrange as a necklace.
Steph @ at 5:14 pm, September 25th, 2009
Maria – check your local dollar store. They should have some cheap plastic limbs that you can hack up – I know mine does.
Maria D @ at 5:55 pm, September 25th, 2009
Steph – w00t! Thanks a lot! I’ll go look there next.
Steph @ at 8:19 pm, September 25th, 2009
No worries! Plus, being Kali sounds awesome. Best of luck!
Chelsea! @ at 7:17 pm, September 26th, 2009
I’m going to be Alice from Alice in Wonderland for Halloween. I’m making my own costume because the places that sell Alice costumes make the dress all short and low cut, with thigh high stocking and platform Mary-Janes. I don’t understand. Alice is a little girl! It sucks. But whatever my costume will be amazingggg.
Why a 13-year-old girl is my inspiration — Confabulous @ at 12:13 pm, September 28th, 2009
[...] A few weeks back, the Guardian had a story on teen bloggers making waves in the blogosphere. Among the young women they covered were a shopping guru named Kristin Prim and a 20-year-old “student confessor” named Angelique. There was also a teen blogger I want to give a grown-up feminist shout-out to: 16-year-old “angry young feminist” Julie Zeilinger and her blog, the F-Bomb (which recently covered one of the axes I love to grind: slutty Hallowe’en outfits). [...]
Lis Dexia @ at 12:28 pm, October 13th, 2009
I plan on going as sexy bag lady this year.
Chaperone @ at 12:26 am, November 1st, 2009
Most of these responses sound like they were posted by college-aged women figuring out their beliefs as feminists. What kind of leadership can you offer for high school girls (yes, even the type you hated when you were in high school) to help them to be more powerful, less vulnerable, less manipulated, less objectified?
Natasha @ at 9:36 pm, September 6th, 2010
It gets worse: sexy teenage mutant ninja turtles, sexy cookie monster and elmo and bigbird, sexy Freddy Krueger, sexy Optimus Prime… The list goes on. Last year I was Belle from Beauty and the Beast. In a full-length yellow ballgown from a vintage store, rather than the thigh-skimming one from the Halloween shop.
Mackenzie @ at 1:34 am, February 19th, 2011
Clever article! I’d like to point out, though, that the character of Kat is much older than older than twenty years– she, along with all of the other characters in 10 Things (which I love btw), is modeled after Taming of the Shrew.