Versus: Halloween costumes and female empowerment
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Women’s attire is an overrated and outdated discussion
Carrie Laudie | Editor in Chief | @carrielaudie
Women are given a pile of lies when they are told that if they dress sexy it is empowering. A good litmus test for a statement such as that one is to switch the gender roles and imagine telling that to a man.
I find it offensive when someone tries to tell me that I will find confidence and a sense of self-worth in my appearance. At what point in history will a woman be judged by society for her accomplishments instead of her appearance.
Why is this even a conversation that we are still having? There is a standard in society to tell women that they should dress like Victoria’s Secret models, but then as soon as they do make sure to slut-shame them for it.
My body is nothing more than a body and shouldn’t be the yardstick used to measure my ability or attributed to self-confidence. The theme of women dressing in what could be considered lingerie for Halloween is just an extension of porn-culture. What we are being told over and over again is that we are only supposed to find worth in ourselves if we are a piece of eye-candy to be ogled by our male counterparts, but you go girl, way to empower yourself.
Let’s not buy into the lie this Halloween and equate looking like a porn star to being sexy. I have no issue with being sexy or even looking sexy, but when women are told by society that if they dress sexy it shows that they are comfortable in their own skin I call b.s. I actually tend to be most comfortable in a pair of yoga pants or sweatpants, and I don’t think my attire adds to my intelligence or ability to do my job.
Another aspect of this that I find ludicrous is that we tell women that if they dress sexy it is empowering, but if she happens to get raped we ask what she was wearing. Obviously if she was wearing something skimpy the man couldn’t help himself, he lost all control over himself and it is her fault, the whore. [Insert sarcasm] Again let’s switch the gender roles around, if a man were walking down the street in a speedo and was raped I find it difficult to believe that anyone would be asking what he was wearing, say he was totally asking for it and blame the aggressors action on the victim because of his choice of attire.
My body is just that, a body, and when I wake up in the morning I tend to choose clothing based on the weather and what I think will be most appropriate for those days activities. So for Halloween I doubt that my choice will be something the size and thickness of a swimsuit when it’s 30 degrees outside.
Steffani King | Staff Writer
Is it empowering for women to wear skimpy costumes for Halloween?
In the Utah culture, modesty is highly encouraged, especially for women. That is, it encourages women to abandon their sexuality. Women are not free to be women. They stifle their sexuality with long skirts and high necklines—not saying that that can’t be sexy as well, but one night out of the year, on Oct. 31, women have the option to own it. They have the option to don their femininity and sexual power and to be whomever or whatever they want.
Regardless of what they wear, they should wear it with confidence and be who they want to be. A woman who can show up to a party dressed as a sexy kitten with confidence? That’s a strong woman in my mind. Don’t just wear a costume because you think he wants you to wear it, or because you’re hoping to catch someone’s attention. Wear it because you look kickass in it and this is the one night where you can declare that to the world.
Wearing a skimpy Halloween costume doesn’t mean that you’re cheap or easy, it’s simply stating that you are going to wear what you want and be fantastic wearing it. So if the choice came down to a religious nun or a naughty mailwoman… no matter what your choice, be confident, be you and be brave.
Any woman who can wear what she wants proudly is a strong and empowered woman, and society should not shun her with harsh words, but celebrate that she knows who she is: she’s awesome.
Men can wear practically anything they want and not once does it spark any reprimand. Shouldn’t it be the same for women?