Now this weekend is probably one of my favorite holidays … Halloween! Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved Halloween. I don’t really know why but maybe it’s because it was such a huge thing for my friends and me. We always were so eager to go to the Paper Factory and pick out a costume each year. This was simply just something fun that we all looked forward to every year.
As I have gotten older I have still loved doing this but not as much as I used to. In high school and in college Halloween has still been that fun day out of the year to dress up and go out, but something doesn’t feel the same as it used to.
In the past couple of years I have been hearing many say, “My costume is NOT consent” and at first I had no idea why people were saying this, but then I started learning more about it. This saying is emphasizing that what somebody wears does not mean it’s an excuse for others to make sexual comments or touch someone sexually without their consent. On this day of the year you may notice people having costumes that maybe show a little more skin or appear to look more “sexy.” This is okay people should be able to dress how they want (to an extent) and wear whatever costume without feeling objectified or violated by others.
There is a difference between dressing sexy to feel confident and dressing sexy because you feel the pressure to do so. Growing older and as an adult many people especially women may feel the pressure to show a little more skin with their costumes. I personally feel that nobody should feel this pressure and you should dress however you want to. Now, this is easier said than done because especially when coming to college I know it is easier to dress how we want because our parents aren’t here or because you want to “fit in”.
Dressing for this day is totally up to you! Wear a dress or wear baggy sweatpants, neither of these costumes matter and please do not feel the pressure to have this elaborate “sexy” costume. This is all okay and nobody is going to judge you for it. Although some people may be expecting a different costume you should not feel the need to choose YOUR costume based on OTHERS expectations. Whatever you choose to wear this is your costume and you should feel confident and content with your decision.
For those who do go out this weekend please be safe and have fun. Stick with your friends no matter what and be aware of what is going on around you. Remember Halloween is full of tricks and treats, but there are no tricks when it comes to consent.