Posted on 10/26/2010 10:45:10 AM PDT by Kaslin
Halloween is around the corner, so you’re expecting a steady train of ghosts, Hollywood heroes, and princesses to knock on your door.
Well, brace yourself. Princesses look different these days. The pre-teen and teenage girls who show up are likely to be wearing trampy costumes that say “s-e-x,” rather than “trick or treat.” We all know that girls are being sexualized by the culture at younger and younger ages in their daily wear. But Halloween costumes have taken things to a new low, making our little girls into sex objects even midst what is supposed to be an evening of childhood fun. The sad reality is that we live in a pop culture that is obsessed with trying to make our boys and girls think about sex all the time.
Lots of parents have issues with Halloween for religious reasons – their consciences don’t allow them to feel comfortable celebrating what they see has a night paying homage to evil. Many have opted to let their children participate in the innocent and fun act of trick or treating by setting rules that they can’t dress in costumes that glorify mutilation and death. Now they’ve got to look out for the hyper-sexualized costumes too.
Take for example, the difference in “fairy princess” costumes at a usually family-friendly retailer like Target. Many versions like a cross between a ballerina in a tutu and a 70’s era cocktail waitress. It seems as if they are trying to create a parade of children dressed up to sexually attract males. Just who they are supposed to entice is not clear: 14-year-old boys carrying bags of candy? 35-year-old dads who answer the door? The pedophile down the street?
At online costume websites or party stores, the choices are even worse. The “top costumes” for tween girls on one popular costume website showed a slew of vampy options, including the highly offensive “teen girls prisoner costume” as seen on a young model wearing thigh-high boots and 6 inch heels, and showing lots of flesh under her prison-striped mini-dress.
So what are parents to do when their 12 year old decides she’s not too old for Halloween after all, and wants to dress up like all her friends? Or when your 14-year old son plans to tour the neighborhood with a band of skimpily-dressed girls masquerading as sexually available adults?
How To Save Your Family By Protecting Your Children’s Modesty
Our daughters need to understand that what we wear, even as a costume, says volumes about who we are and what we think of ourselves. When our young girls are encouraged to put their bodies on display, in sexually precocious ways—even as a “joke” or a masquerade—they are reduced to objects. Tell your daughters that God created them to be respected as people created in His image; persons whose bodies are as precious to him as their souls. Let them know that you love and respect them too much to allow them to cheapen themselves – even for one night.
Have courage and talk about costume choices with the parents of your children’s friends, so that everyone is on the same page. If you are the parent of a young man, don’t hesitate to talk with the parents of the girls he may be going out with for Halloween. Modesty protects the hearts and minds of both young men and young women.
Finally, provide alternative entertainment. Many local churches host Fall Festivals and events that are teenagers specific, or where they are invited to help host parties for the younger children. And most of them have costume guidelines.
It’s time to slam the door on the marketers of sleaze and give the night back to our children.
Well, I agree about the general trend in slut-inspired girls’ clothes being much more widespread than just Halloween constumes. (Catholic school uniforms, not so much.)
But I think Rebecca Hagelin’s larger point is that Halloween is becoming much more a whiskey-bar adult sexy dress-up (reaching down into teens and tweens) rather than a Snickers bar-ghostyspook entertainment for kids.
I wasn't aware there was a difference....
I bet you're some kind of nurse.....
Lol! No, but I will be soon. :P
Sure, why not - the 80’s have to be a lot of folks’ good old days - they had a lot going for them:
1) President Ronald Reagan
2) Defeat of the Soviet Union with the fall of the Berlin Wall
3) AIDS? What’s that?
4) Bedbugs? Like in the nursury rhyme? Those aren’t real!
5) The music was awesome
6) I never heard a cell phone interrupt a movie in the 80’s
7) Or a church service.
8) Or a funeral...
9) In the 80’s, black family life was portrayed on TV on the Cosby Show, not on “Cops”, like today
10) I worked full time every summer, and part time when college was in session, and that was enough to pay my entire college tuition, books and expenses. (this was before government got involved with educational finance)
11) In the 80’s, Barack Obama/Osereto or whatever his name is/was, was still in Kenya or wherever he comes from
12) MTV and VH1 played music videos
13) Saturday morning cartoons were a treat
14) High School. My high school had a designated smoking area. We left our guns in our vehicles or truck gun racks if we were going shooting or hunting after school. I wore a big folding knife on my belt every day, and no one cared. Try that these days...
15) Kids spent more money building their engines and making a nice running muscle car, than on their car stereo.
Granted, Rap music was introduced during the 80’s, but Disco died in the early 80’s, so I say that’s a wash. :)
In this case the term “Lolita” has nothing to do with the book, which is how I am assuming you are taking it.
The “Lolita” style (as it is called) is extremely popular in Japan and some of the more trendy and/or gothy/vintagey sub-cultures in America, it has nothing to do with any kind of sexual connotation. You can go online and google “lolita dresses” and you will find alot of different dresses. I myself have a couple. Admittedly, they do not look like the dress in that picture, but I personally think that name was chosen for the Japanese connotations that it has.
Couldn’t the girls just dress as Muslims and wear burkas - or would that offend someone.
HS cheerleaders?
Looks like Majorettes to me.
I wasn't aware there was a difference....
"Trick" is when you pay.
"Treat" is when you don't!
As the father of a cheerleader, I find your comment troubling. I think fewer pictures of under-dressed, under-age girls is in order.
All Souls' Day is November 2d. It is a day to remember the dead.
All Saints' Day is November 1st. It is a day to honor all the saints.
October 31st is the Eve of All Saints Day (or Eve of All Hallows.)
That's where Halloween comes from.
16) Rap was fun to listen to and not hostile
17) Madonna was the biggest scandal in pop music because of her dressing in costumes that were more weird than scanty.
18) Business boomed and jobs were plentiful
19) In “Revenge of the Nerds” they had a gay black character and there were no threats of lawsuits from the NAACP
20) You could dress like a kid, not like a miniature adult/whore
21) Fluffy hair with the natural color
22) Being able to run around and stay out until dark and perfect safety
23) Cartoons were cartoons
24) Power Rangers
25) Disney was at its best
Life was practically idyllic.
Halloween is "All Hallows Evening", the vigil of All Saints.
"All Hallows" is the old name for All Saints Day (Nov 1), then the next day is All Souls Day (Nov. 2.). The whole period was known as "Hallowtide".
In our house we are trying to restore focus on the Christian feast--to remember those who are in the presence of God and our departed family members as well.
My daughters decided (on their own, even) to go as Bat Girl, Super Girl and Ironette (female Iron Man).
They’re all under 8, so I figure that’s safe.
However, we’re not going door to door, we’re going to the church for a Fall Festival, complete with worship music, and lots of candy.
lighten up...
Quit running around being “offended”.
I’m not offended, I’m troubled, there is a difference.
I was born in the Kennedy years and it was the same for me. By the time we were in jr. high we were "too old" to trick or treat. If adults did anything on Halloween besides pass out candy I didn't see it and I don't think it was my parents and their friends were unique.
The 80’s were great except for the cars.
After New Years, Halloween is the second most alcohol fueled holiday. It has gradually reached that status slowly over the years. A good night to stay home and not be driving, IOW.
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