Banned Halloween Costumes. Truly offensive or truly over sensitive? You decide.

Oct 22, 2017 3:08 PM

DrBinkleton

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Anna-rexia. The costume was pulled from several online retailers after causing uproar for making light of a serious eating disorder- anorexia nervousa

This Anne Frank costume was pulled from Halloweencostumes.com after social media backlash for trivializing her memory with a costume

This “Thug Life” mask was pulled from Walmart shelves for the obvious racial insinuations

This appalling “Suicide Scar” makeup kit was pulled from Walmart shelves after several health advocates and customers called the costume insensitive to mental illness and accused it of glorifying self-harm.

Target pulled this controversial “Illegal alien” costume from shelves after civil rights and anti-discrimination activists called it distasteful, mean-spirited, and ignorant of social stigmas and the current debate on immigration reform

This “peeper creeper” costume was pulled from Home Depot shelves in Canada after complaints that it made light of voyeurism. The costume is still available in the US and online.

This ‘Tranny Granny’ Halloween Costume was initially Recalled by Amazon, Target, and WalMart after sparking outrage from LGBTQ nation for the offensive nature of its depiction of trans people, but is now back on shelves at some retailers, even under a different name.

Less than a week after Disney debuted kids’ costumes for their film “Moana,” the company has pulled several products from their website including the costume pictured above, after the items sparked outrage for appearing to promote “brownface.”

Fucking snowflakes ruining all the fun

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Halloween is becoming The Purge. Instead of killing each other we have one day to be offensive as fuck because we can't ever be otherwise.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

Being half Mexican the illegal alien is funny

8 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 2

Some of these are funny, but I like how people here are offended these costumes are pulled. Not like you were going to wear them anyway.

8 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 4

Tagging your product as "tranny *" is inviting trouble

8 years ago | Likes 16 Dislikes 1

My Samoan nephew was crushed when that costume didn’t come out. He was so excited. Fuck the idiots that got that pulled

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

8 years ago | Likes 17 Dislikes 6

8 years ago | Likes 45 Dislikes 17

You double dipping motherfucker. +1

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 2

All I’m gathering from this is that only white kids dress up for Halloween . . .

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 2

So "discontinued" and "banned" aren't actually the same thing. At all.

8 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 1

That's what I was thinking when I saw the title. Banned? Or just stores stopped choosing to sell the product? Massive difference.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Actually the anne frank costume isn't an anne frank costume. Its a brittish ww2 childrens refugee costume .

8 years ago | Likes 151 Dislikes 4

It is Anne Frank, the costume was meant to be on the company's pages for schools/reenactments, somehow got on the Halloween promo

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Yea but prior to yanking it they had a bit about Anne Frank and how she was an “inspiration to us all” on the costume description

8 years ago | Likes 33 Dislikes 4

How dare people be inspired 'n shit!

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 3

I'm just happy they pulled it from the shelves and put it back in the attic where it belongs

8 years ago | Likes 38 Dislikes 1

Brutal

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Obviously some of these are fine (alien, peeper) but Anne Frank? Really? This isn't 4Chan and that's a kids costume.

8 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 7

I was super obsessed with Anne Frank as a kiddo, tbh.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I mean I think if you give costumes dumb names then yeah people will bitch.

8 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 1

I always had to be a hobo.

8 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 2

I've heard of people being offended at making fun of homelessness by going as a hobo. Nothing is safe anymore.

8 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 1

I don't understand the outrage of the Anne Frank costume. If she is someone a little girl admires then why shouldn't dress up as her. 1/2

8 years ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 2

2/2 now if someone was to dress up as Anne Frank dying in a concentration camp, then there is an issue.

8 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 2

That was my thought too! Kids dress up as their heroes all the time whether it’s a fireman or Superman.

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 2

Out of production is not banned.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Most of these aren’t even scary

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

The Anne Frank costume is just wrong. Halloween is for Trick-or-Treat, not Hide-and-Seek.

8 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 2

Aw well there goes my fun this year...

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

What are you doing way down here?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Hiding from Hitler.

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

On point +1

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Some of these made me laugh, some seemed offensive, which makes me realize that just because I'm OK with something maybe others aren't

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

That’s a really good insight. This should be top comment.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I thought that it's always Sunny cleared up the whole issue on whether or not "blackface" was tasteful?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

People are overly sensitive.

8 years ago | Likes 253 Dislikes 52

PC gone mad....

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 7

Ya, they need to calm their titties

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 3

It's not even that they're sensitive. They just want an opportunity to announce to the world how conscientious they are.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Apparently. Lots of people here are pretty offended that these costumes aren't commercially available. Just go ahead and make your own!

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 3

Cry baby costumes are now banned for making light of those truly concerned with political correctness.

8 years ago | Likes 24 Dislikes 8

#6 isn't a costume. It's a decoration that assholes were putting on other people's windows, and it's creepy as fuck

8 years ago | Likes 88 Dislikes 11

Well, creepy is sort of appropriate for Halloween.

8 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 1

So what? Boo fucking hoo.

8 years ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 51

lol

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 17

I would have a mother fucking heart attack if someone put that outside my window, hahahaha

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Your address?

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Yeah, and 90% of halloween is using kitschy stuff to spook your friends and relatives.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The anorexia, thug life, and Anne Frank costumes are all pretty offensive. I think if the "tranny granny" costume didn't have "tranny" 1/2

8 years ago | Likes 24 Dislikes 7

How the heck is that an anorexia, All i see is skelehooker.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The vital part of that costume is the tape measure, which she uses to measure her waist in the way anorexia suffers often do. 1/2

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's also literally named after the disease. 2/2

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

, a slur, in its title it wouldn't be so bad and I'm on the fence about Maui. Otherwise the other ones seem kinda hypersensitive. 2/2

8 years ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 1

It's a bit confusing because tranny used to only be for transvestites, not transgender. My mom used to work at a bar called TrannyTown 1/2

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Pub. Owned/operated/frequented by men who liked to wear make-up and dresses. So tranny just hasn't phased out of some people's vocab yet 2/2

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

My only issue with that is that language evolves, and I hear it used much more often to put down transgender people than define men who 1/2

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

dress in women wear (which is now usually referred to as "drag"). I understand some people's vernacular takes time to line up with the 2/3

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

I have to say, I only recently learned that tranny wasn't appropriate anymore, simply because I'm no longer around such a community.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

The illegal alien is hilarious. Now I want it.

8 years ago | Likes 1926 Dislikes 22

I think it's perfect for a Halloween costume store to sell, but not Target

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 2

It is hilarious tbh

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I’m an illegal alien and I approve this message

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I bought one for Halloween. Threw a mustache on it. You can't see anything through the eyes.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Call the costume 'Englishman in New York' and be done with it :D

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Just check near the border, there's always a few there.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's pretty good satire, too.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Found my costume

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Now its truly illegal

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

Couldn't we just change the name to "Undocumented Alien"?

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I want that shit too. It's funny and makes me think of MIB.

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

It's about as clever as the sexual predator and other recycled jokes

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

As someone who deeply incensed by ppl calling humans illegal& generally anti the term "illegal aliens" -I love it. I think it's poignant

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 7

If I see a black Han Solo or Luke this year I’m gonna let their parents know white face is offensive!

8 years ago | Likes 64 Dislikes 8

Exactly

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Here I'll color your lightsaber purple for you

8 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

I thought so too. Could probably make your own though pretty cheap and easy, and say it was your own original idea

8 years ago | Likes 145 Dislikes 2

Step One: Go to prison

8 years ago | Likes 27 Dislikes 0

Step Two: Aquire orange prison jumpsuit

8 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 0

Step Three: Profit

8 years ago | Likes 16 Dislikes 2

You are so right

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Step Four: buy khakis with the profit

8 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 1

It's the only one there that's actually funny. The rest are in horrifically bad taste (or "meh" in the case of Maui).

8 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 4

Yeah, fuck people escaping a horrific situation. Isis, North Korea, etc. they need to lighten the fuck up bro.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 2

Yeah, I cringed hard at Anna Rexia (why?), but that one is a good pun that I would construe as mocking the phrase, not the subject.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

I think you may have miss construed that as a clever pun

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

An argument could be made both ways for each of these costumes. Point is, there will always be someone who will get offended.

8 years ago | Likes 85 Dislikes 16

My problem is at what point can "grow up, stop being a pussy" be said and let something be w/o it getting pulled, removed, or taken down?

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 3

Change Anna-Rexia to Skele-Whore and tranny granny to Mrs. Doubtfire and you don't even have a problem anymore.

8 years ago | Likes 19 Dislikes 2

Exactly! That's what the backlash is saying. It's so easy to not be rude with these costumes but the sellers couldn't be bothered.

8 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 1

And it only takes one complaint to scare a billion dollar company these days

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

I’m offended that you’re offended about people being easily offended

8 years ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 4

wow add another level. I'm furious..

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

Aaaaaand I'm triggered

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 2

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

This is offensive.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I think if they renamed some of them it wouldn’t be as bad. Like the scar/cut kit. The only truly bad one is the Anne Frank costume.

8 years ago | Likes 277 Dislikes 32

cause its not an anne frank costume, its the girl from the lion witch and wardrobe

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

It was actually a mistake on the company’s part - they own multiple costuming subsidiaries, including ones that sell costumes for 1/2

8 years ago | Likes 23 Dislikes 1

school programs and the like - which is where the Anne Frank costume was supposed to be listed - not on their Halloween site. 2/2

8 years ago | Likes 25 Dislikes 1

Or so they say

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

I depends on how you see it. Some people might consider Anne brave and a role model and want to dress their child as her.

8 years ago | Likes 24 Dislikes 5

If they didn't include the tape measure or name tag, the skeleton would be fine. Weird and kind of tacky, but fine. Call it an X-ray nurse.

8 years ago | Likes 129 Dislikes 0

I thought it was a boner nurse or something before i read the caption

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

That's what they do with half of these costumes to begin with. Most are minor variations with just a change in name to sell it.

8 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

The Anne Frank one was the only one I didn’t see offense in at all

8 years ago | Likes 48 Dislikes 24

It's not really offensive. It's just a stupid costume. Just looks like an orphan or something really generic.

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 4

The actual costume is for a refugee girl from the World War II era and relates to schools in the UK having book weeks where they

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

encourage children to read. It is part where the children moved from the cities to the country. Read The Railway Children.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

It is not offensive, it teaches history that needs to be understood.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

It's not outright offensive, just very insensitive and tasteless.

8 years ago | Likes 51 Dislikes 5

It's not really offensive. It's just a stupid costume. Just looks like an orphan or something.

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 4

Why is it insensitive and tasteless? Is it worse than dressing up as any other historical figure?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Because by turning it into a "fun costume" the figure is decontextualized and her suffering trivialized. Have you read her diary?

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 2

Ok, so, how about we stop being hypersensitive about stupid shit and put that effort into solving actual problems? Stop with the butthurt.

8 years ago | Likes 755 Dislikes 113

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 2

Honestly tho

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Amen Vox, amen.

8 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 6

You need a podium with a very microphone turned to 11

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 4

A very very microphone indeed

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

My President strongly disagrees and will be tweeting about it momentarily.

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 2

Successful companies need to consider what everyone thinks. Building insensitivity into mainstream culture contributes to actual problems.

8 years ago | Likes 40 Dislikes 15

Companies selling products doesn't build insensitivity. The destruction if families and moral relativism does.

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 19

Insensitive products don't build insensitivity? Destruction of families builds insensitivity, rather than vice versa? That's an odd view.

8 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 4

This. Cultural divide in America is a serious issue and costumes like these (while harmless in intention) can cause lasting misconceptions.

8 years ago | Likes 24 Dislikes 12

Interesting fact: people who frequently complain about hypersensitivity tend to have the thinnest skin of all.

8 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 6

Anyone feel like thr fell asleep 8 years ago and woke up to bizzarro world? Just me? Ok nvm...

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Continue to do as we want and quit worrying about what others have to say. I know where my morals and ethics stand. Not my fault theirs suck

8 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 7

Hypersensitive.... Lol you mean like how imgur people are?

8 years ago | Likes 51 Dislikes 6

Imgur? You mean the place where if I say I like my iPhone more than I did my Samsung I’ll get downvotes and hate mail?

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Exactly

8 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 1

Internet I'd say!

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Couldn't agree more friend

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 3

Some people have terrible hemorrhoids. The butthurt is real.

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 7

I was looking for your comment. Have an upvote.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Stop with the butthurt!!

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 7

Things like openly offensive content are actual problems though. People making light of serious mental illnesses contributes to 1/x

8 years ago | Likes 16 Dislikes 5

the mocking of people who suffer from them. People openly using the term "tranny" (a slur for transgender people) and making fun 2/x

8 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 4

of people transitioning actively victimizes that community. Just because a thing doesn't bother you doesn't mean it's a non-issue. 3/3

8 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 4

Really.. It's just words

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Read literally any scientific study on the effects of words on people and you'll learn there's no such thing as "just words". Also 1/2

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

My question is why can't we all just cut the shit and NOT have to make another person feel small so we can feel better about ourselves?

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 2

I'd love an answer to that myself.

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

Emotionally, I agree with you. But I know that none of these have to do with me, so it's too easy for me to just say "get over it."

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

But my boyfriend likes it when his butt hurts ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

That's a fallacious argument. It's possible to worry about more than one issue at the same time.

8 years ago | Likes 74 Dislikes 28

I think he's saying "stop making a problem out of every stupid thing that isn't an issue in the first place".

8 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 8

That's precisely what I meant. :)

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

No that's a straw man. He's not saying you can only worry about one issue at a time. He's saying fix real problems, not trivial ones.

8 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 13

"Straw man" is a type of fallacious argument. This is a "first world probem" type of fallacy.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

No, it's a stawman. He never said we couldn't focus on more than one issue. Just that this one is trivial bullshit that isn't a real issue

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

You got downvotes by the people who want to dress their daughter up as Anne frank

8 years ago | Likes 17 Dislikes 16

Maybe children who have read about Anne Frank would choose to dress as her because they admire her. Why assume they'd do it to mock her?

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 4

Sure man. Idk... I'm not even a huge fan of the holiday. ...I guess you got me ...

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

That's not the argument against selling the costume.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Then I'm not sure what is. Perhaps I didn't understand what the problem was with that particular costume.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

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[deleted]

8 years ago (deleted Oct 22, 2017 11:01 PM) | Likes 0 Dislikes 0

Yes, STFU minorities, we are making America great again

8 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 3

Please look up the definition of the word minority cause I was not talking about races.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

I must have been confused by all the references to minority race and ethnic groups in the post you were saying "STFU minority people" about

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Really? Usually when I see it, it's white middle class women starting this shit.

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 6

Wow you guys really need to look up the other definitions of the word minority.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 2

Damnit, I've been conditioned to equate minority with "non-whites" thanks to all the news lately. God fucking damnit.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

I refuse to refer to any group as minorities. I just call people people.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It’s a small minority of people, not exclusively minorities, is what I think they are trying to say.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

White suburban soccer moms and young white "hipster" types.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

There were a couple there that were pretty fucked up though. I don't get sensitive about anything but there still should be a line somewhere

8 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 7

If you're part of the group that's being ridiculed and have your struggles turned into a mockery, you get to decide whether it's offensive.

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 1

Maybe that line is profitability. These decisions were made based on that factor, not the "butthurt police" or whatever people are afraid of

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 3

But then there's the ordeal of who gets to decide where that line is and why THEY get to put it there. Everything can be found offensive.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Social tact is not always the same as being blatantly P.C.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 3

"But.. but that means it's not okay to be an asshole like I want!" *man baby wailing*

8 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 1

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[deleted]

8 years ago (deleted Oct 28, 2017 4:09 AM) | Likes 0 Dislikes 0

#1 is horrifying!

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

There is no Halloween party where anyone would laugh if you introduced yourself as an anorexic skeleton or Anne Frank.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Maybe not your crappy party

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

The Maui one had nothing to do with "brownface". It was about the sacred meaning behind the tattoos, and about how the costume made...

8 years ago | Likes 76 Dislikes 13

Maybe could have kept the tattoos off the costume, but included a marker so that the kid could make their own meaningful tattoos?

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Get the kid interested in the culture so they do research & learn

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

...them not seem as important as they are in their culture. Not saying I agree or disagree, just stating what it was actually about. Hence..

8 years ago | Likes 63 Dislikes 7

...why the Moana costume is still in circulation, but not the Maui one.

8 years ago | Likes 54 Dislikes 5

You know what I think about that? v

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 8

People still make priest, nun, Jesus costumes

8 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 3

People will dress as Thor, but they won't dress as one of my Gods, Maui? He is a bad ass God who fished up the land I am on now!

8 years ago | Likes 26 Dislikes 4

Oversensitive, man. Don't make light of him, hes a Demi-God, but that costume is dressing as the movie character, not the God.

8 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 4

isn't he a god that's raised by humans in the actual legends?

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Pretty much! His mother thought he was stillborn, so chopped her hair off, wrapped him in it, and threw him into the sea...

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

But he washed up in front of, coincidentally, his uncle, and was raised for years with him. He returns to his mother later on. (IIRC!!!)

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

*Demi-god, his mother was human.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I have briefly looked into Hawaiian gods, and every time, I realize I REALLY need to take some time on it. It's awesome.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

http://nemp.otago.ac.nz/social_studies/2001/media/shape.jpg" class="comment__media" loading="lazy"/>

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Some of the legends are amazing! Maui is a God all over Pasifika, I'm in the North Island of New Zealand, living on the tail

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

My favorites so far have been Kalamainu'u, and Laka, god of the hula. ^_^

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Ooh, fun! I'd love to go to Hawaii and hear about them in person. Those are good ones!

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0