Halloween is tomorrow, and while some will choose conventional costumes (zombies, pirates, ghosts, etc.) and movie or cartoon characters, others are prepared to go the extra mile with an attempt at shocking realism for costume choices:
http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/sexy-ebola-nurse-costumes-raise-temps-ire/story?id=26484278
The Sexy Ebola Containment Suit is not alone on the list for planned costumes mocking or parodying real life news stories, recent events, and tragedies. You have photos of others dressing up as Ray Rice, dragging a female blow up doll (or a man as Ray Rice, with a woman wearing bruised make-up), children and adults dressed as ISIS militants, and an Ice Bucket Challenge costume floating around.
Of course, choosing costumes to mock or parody real life events is par for the course. It's a yearly thing, and in 2013 Alicia Ann Lynch sparked outrage, when she made the choice to dress up as a Boston Marathon bombing victim for work. Lynch posted the picture to her social media accounts, she was bombarded with threats, and she was fired from her job.
If we're talking about recent events, there's a story out about a couple of nursing students wearing the Ebola hazmat suits to a Halloween function.
https://bangordailynews.com/2014/10...-nurse-costumes-in-portland-stir-controversy/
If we're not talking about recent events or specific news stories, you'll have people taking another route to be more edgy with costumes as a homeless person with a sign or various racial stereotypes to give a few examples.
More often than not, the reactions range from others being offended, disgusted, or outraged, but there's a simple solution in my eyes: ignore the people, who choose to make and wear the costumes, and the retailers, who sell them.
If they go out in public, if they're wearing the costumes to parties, and if they're posting pics on their social media accounts, obviously they're looking for attention and a reaction. They're trying to offend others and spark outrage, and the retailers are hoping to cash-in on the controversy for more sales and publicity.
Do you believe in a "no limits" exception for Halloween costumes? What's the best solution for dealing with outrageous and offensive costumes?
All thoughts and discussion regarding this topic are welcome.
Sexy cop, sexy Snow White and sexy corn have new, topical competition in the skimpy Halloween-wear section: Meet "Sexy Ebola Containment Suit," the most awkward and arguably insensitive of them all.
Online retailer BrandsOnSale, which bills itself as a "Unique Costume Shop and more" unveiled the new ensemble days ago, featuring a short white dress, face shield, breathing mask, safety goggles and blue latex gloves at $59.99 per costume. A pair of bright yellow knee-high rubber boots can be purchased at an additional cost.
The Internet met the news of the costume with mixed responses.
"I'm in complete and utter disgust," one Twitter user reacted, while another questioned the costume's existence.
"The fact that there's a sexy ebola nurse costume proves the sexy costumes have gone out of control," another wrote.
Others found the gear humorous, writing "Ladies, you've still got time..."
The introduction of "Sexy Ebola Containment Suit" comes on the heels of an Internet hoax in which an older image of a "Sexy Breaking Bad" costume featuring a reconstructed yellow hazmat suit was digitally altered to appear as if it were a "Sexy Ebola Nurse" in 2014.
But will anyone actually buy these outrageous outfits? Yes, if recent trends are any indication.
The National Retail Federation last month predicted that Americans will spend $2.8 billion on Halloween-wear this year, with $1.4 billion of that amount on adult costumes to outfit approximately 75 million grown-ups. Those numbers contribute to a record two-thirds of Americans buying costumes.
And with all of the headgear attached to the "Sexy Ebola Containment Suit," anyone wearing it probably won't be able to read any of the tweets deriding them for bad taste either.
http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/sexy-ebola-nurse-costumes-raise-temps-ire/story?id=26484278
The Sexy Ebola Containment Suit is not alone on the list for planned costumes mocking or parodying real life news stories, recent events, and tragedies. You have photos of others dressing up as Ray Rice, dragging a female blow up doll (or a man as Ray Rice, with a woman wearing bruised make-up), children and adults dressed as ISIS militants, and an Ice Bucket Challenge costume floating around.
Of course, choosing costumes to mock or parody real life events is par for the course. It's a yearly thing, and in 2013 Alicia Ann Lynch sparked outrage, when she made the choice to dress up as a Boston Marathon bombing victim for work. Lynch posted the picture to her social media accounts, she was bombarded with threats, and she was fired from her job.
If we're talking about recent events, there's a story out about a couple of nursing students wearing the Ebola hazmat suits to a Halloween function.
https://bangordailynews.com/2014/10...-nurse-costumes-in-portland-stir-controversy/
If we're not talking about recent events or specific news stories, you'll have people taking another route to be more edgy with costumes as a homeless person with a sign or various racial stereotypes to give a few examples.
More often than not, the reactions range from others being offended, disgusted, or outraged, but there's a simple solution in my eyes: ignore the people, who choose to make and wear the costumes, and the retailers, who sell them.
If they go out in public, if they're wearing the costumes to parties, and if they're posting pics on their social media accounts, obviously they're looking for attention and a reaction. They're trying to offend others and spark outrage, and the retailers are hoping to cash-in on the controversy for more sales and publicity.
Do you believe in a "no limits" exception for Halloween costumes? What's the best solution for dealing with outrageous and offensive costumes?
All thoughts and discussion regarding this topic are welcome.