Halloween is a confusing time of year. For some, the hunt for the perfect costume comes weeks before the big day. Whether it’s to evoke nostalgia like that one guy who dressed up as Justin Timberlake during his N’Sync days, or whether it’s to create a good laugh like that one guy who dressed up as Homer Simpson, costume-wearers alike dress up in order to get a reaction from friends and family. However, one particular costume that came out this past August is bound to get more than a few giggles and laughs. Online retailer, Spirit Halloween, has sparked quite the controversy over their new Caitlyn Jenner costume, as it is seen as a direct attack to the cisgender and LGBTQ communities. To put it bluntly, the costume is not funny, and it trivializes the struggles that the transgender community faces on a daily basis.
According to the Daily News, Spirit Halloween’s marketing head, Trisha Lombardo claimed that, “Caitlyn Jenner has proven to be the most important real-life superhero of the year, and Spirit Halloween is proud to carry the costume that celebrates her;” however, not everyone will use this costume in support of what she stands for and will find a way to abuse her ideals instead. Beyond that, there are a million ways to celebrate Jenner, but dressing up as her during Halloween is distasteful and disrespectful. Celebrate her ideals, and her courage by advocating for LGBTQ rights or by defending her when she is being attacked, not by dressing up as her.
Additionally, it’s not only Lombardo that appears to be “in on the joke,” America’s very own Caitlyn Jenner told Matt Lauer of the Today Show, “No, I don’t think it’s offensive at all … I know the community does, and they’ve gotten a lot of criticism for doing it. I think it’s great.” For someone who is seen as an icon to the transgender community, allowing this costume to be produced just spurs the ignorance that already exists in regards to transgender issues, such as acceptance and equality. Jenner is clearly ignoring the fact that this costume is to poke fun at a community of people who have suffered a great deal of humiliation, alienation and marginalization.
A cushion of money and fame surrounds her while, “transgender people are four times as likely to be living in extreme poverty (making under $10,000 a year).” Poverty is not the only thing that plagues the LGBTQ community, but also high rates of murder, lack of mental and physical healthcare and discrimination are seen in terms of education, employment and daily life. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have the financial security Jenner has and while she has lawyers and the proper means to protect her identity, there are millions who must endure the reality of extreme pain and suffering. This costume reduces Jenner’s identity and makes the plight of the LGBTQ community subject to ridicule and exploitation.
So here’s a little advice to you Jenner: by coming out, you exposed yourself to the world, by creating a reality show, you decided to become a spokesperson for the LGBT community and by accepting the prestigious ESPY award, you became a figure people could look up to. In your ESPY speech, you gave powerful insight and accepted the responsibility that came your way. You proclaimed, “I know I’m clear with my responsibility going forward: to tell my story the right way, for me. To keep learning. To do whatever I can to reshape the landscape of how trans issues are viewed, how trans people are treated.” So Jenner, I urge you to use your power to protect those who look up to you and realize that your opinion matters. This costume is not a joke; don’t laugh it off.
