Sexy Halloween costumes are empowering, not damaging

Because it would be awful if we felt attractive, wouldn’t it?

| UPDATED

The scariest thing I’ve seen this Halloween is sexist attitudes over something that should just be a laugh: fancy dress.

There has been much controversy in recent years over the so-called “scantily dressed females who are disgracing our streets at Halloween, and really asking for something bad to happen”. Well if you want to blame sexual assaults on fancy dress, you may as well blame murder on my choice of sandwich.

There isn’t anything wrong with sexy Halloween costumes –  people should be allowed to dress exactly how they want without fear of judgment, cat-calling or even physical attacks. Who cares if other people don’t like the way you dress? It’s your body, not theirs.

It shouldn’t matter if you want to dress up as a pumpkin, a zombie or a french maid, girls, just like boys, get to wear what they want too. I have seen plenty of guys on Halloween nights out with no shirts on, ripped shorts or even just sporting a mankini, and shock horror, no one bats an eyelid. It’s another double standard girls get lumbered with.

Why can’t girls show some skin too? Maybe we don’t want to get fake blood on our favourite jeans, so it’s better to show some leg instead. This isn’t the Victorian times, short skirts shouldn’t be a big deal.

Halloween is a massive night out at uni, and there should be nothing wrong with wanting to put on a tutu and feel attractive. If that means you want to show some more skin then that’s a totally personal choice and you should be able to. Likewise, if you’d rather cover up that is also completely your choice. Whether you go for scary or sexy, no one should have a say in how you dress.

Sometimes it’s nice to go out and feel really attractive and confident, people will feel most confident and comfortable if they can wear what they want without judgment.

Regardless of gender, no one should have to deal with negative unwanted attention because of what they wear. Just remember, the length of our skirts doesn’t dictate how up for it we are.