Community Corner

Slutoween: 'Halloween is Supposed To Be Scary, Not Sleazy'

Some say many costumes make little girls look inappropriately clad in suggestive clothing.

For many parents, a trip to the costume store can turn into a Halloween nightmare. There is the cost of costumes (average price is about $29) as well as the age-appropriateness of what the store is selling for children.

In her blog post Just Say No to Slutoween that appeared on the Huffington Post, Jenny Witte wrote to encourage parents to seek out costumes that aren't sexually suggestive. Witte wrote about how when she was younger, she was a cat for Halloween—and not a "slutty cat."

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In case you missed it, a "naughty leopard" costume was reportedly pulled from the shelves of Walmart. Was it really naughty or was it just the use of that term in the costume's name that made people object?

Patch asked on Maryland Facebook pages what readers thought about Halloween costumes for kids.

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“Some for little girls make them look like little hookers!” wrote Kathy Watson on Anne Arundel Patch’s Facebook page.

“Many kids costumes are too sexy,” wrote Valerie Mettee on Parkville-Overlea Patch’s Facebook page. “Why can't a little girl just be a little girl?!”

Others questioned the parents’ judgment when it came to selecting costumes.

“But the mothers think they are cute and then don't understand why the child want to wear clothes like that to school out in public,” wrote Bruce Neumann on Anne Arundel Patch’s Facebook page.

“Sad that parents think it's okay for their young children!” wrote Jennifer Hattenbach Graves on Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch’s Facebook page.

“We need to go back to the days of the costumes that were plastic and you simply put them over your clothes,” wrote Alissa Brett on Odenton-Severn Patch’s Facebook page.

Some commenters felt that scary costumes are appropriate for the holiday.

“I don't have a problem with scary ones,” wrote Melinda Pearson Bedard on Annapolis Patch’s Facebook page. “Halloween is supposed to be scary, not sleazy.”

“Never too scary,” wrote Rhonda Bethke Little on Bel Air Patch’s Facebook page. “But I hate seeing tween girls looking cheap and easy!”

Another expressed concern about young kids being frightened.

“I just never really got into the scariness of Halloween, wrote Hetty Cassutto Haden on Owings Mills-Reisterstown Patch’s Facebook page. “Don't need to have little kids scared to death and crying. Let them be fairy princesses and cartoon and book characters and just keep it fun.”

TELL US: Hey, Middletown! What do you think about kids’ Halloween costumes—are they too risque or scary? Leave a comment to let us know.


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