Halloween Costumes for Women - Always Sexy?

Tonight is the night before Halloween, and as a Saturday night, it's the night most adults partaking in the holiday festivities will be partying. Including me. I LOVE Halloween. Costumes, role-playing, tasty food/drinks, friends, and candy. It's pretty perfect!

While driving through Pacific Beach (San Diego) last night with my boyfriend, we were commenting on the costumes we saw. "What is that group of women?" I asked. After a pause, I continued, "They look like zombie whores." He retorted, "Aren't pretty much all women's costumes the name of what they are, following by the word "whore" or "slut." Yes, I'd say that's pretty accurate. And they seem to get sexier and more revealing each year.

Would it be like this if the other 364 days of the year, women learned that it was acceptable and desirable for them to be sexually expressed, under their own terms? That is was ok to be sexy and intelligent? That they can be sexual women and not be labeled a "whore"? Or that any such labels could be received as a compliment, because we appreciated women who know their bodies, are responsible with expressing them, and enjoy their pleasure.

But alas, we will continue to use Halloween as an excuse to dress sexy and get attention for being sexual in a way that is less stigmatized.

Oh, and what am I dressing as for Halloween tonight? A witch whore.

Jennifer Gunsaullus, Ph.D. on Sexy Halloween Costumes for Women

Sex Therapy & Relationship Counseling in San Diego