# Would You Buy These Halloween Costumes For YOUR Kids? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 26, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642 "2004-08-26T18:08:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/1 "2004-08-26T18:08:40Z")
Would You Buy These Halloween Costumes For Your Kids? [Trick or treat](http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=40152) This country has come close to low ebb in morals and ethics when this trash is sold for kids to wear in public! ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/2 "2004-08-26T18:13:36Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > Would You Buy These Halloween Costumes For Your Kids? > > [Trick or treat](http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=40152) > > This country has come close to low ebb in morals and ethics when this trash is sold for kids to wear in public! Don’t polls go in IMHO? I don’t have kids, but I’d be happy to buy them for your kids. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/3 "2004-08-26T18:26:06Z")
Actually, the clothes seem pretty conservative – not too revealing, stylish. I’ve certainly seen more suggestive girls outfits, your average ballerina shows more skin. The ‘Princess Jasmine’ harem pants and (whatever that midriff-baring fluffy top with shoulders is called) are way more morally and ethically challenged. Lot’s of boy’s wear pirate outfits, open (or no) shirts. Let’s not even get into the Tarzan and ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ costumes of my youth. I suspect your objection is really based upon the names of the costumes: ‘Pimp’, and ‘Ho’. If they were called ‘Rap Master’ and ‘Flapper’, would you have the same objection? I think not. Were you shopping for costumes for your children, and came upon this company, or was it brought to your attention in another way? This is called ‘Marketing’. Good marketing. Excellent marketing. They are getting lot’s of free publicity, and every story I’ve seen has a link to the web site. Sure, some prudes will object, but people will place orders. People may not buy those particular outfits, but might browse the rest of the site. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/4 "2004-08-26T19:09:09Z")
> [@](#): > > Heather Church of Haines City, Fla., tells WorldNetDaily. “It makes me sick because it is endorsing this sin as acceptable, and gives exposes innocent children to evil.” Gives exposes? Nice copy work. Anyways, the WorldNetDaily… Maybe this is just a slam against Halloween as being the “devil’s holiday” and this is just one way of going at it. The “article” quotes from messageboards only those that would agree with its viewpoint. Complete B.S. The flapper costume that this company is passing off as a “ho” outfit is really blah. Besides, it didn’t have the cigarrette and pimp bruises. The pimp costume is more Seussical than anything (or like the pimps from the movie “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka”.) These costumes don’t teach children to be pimps and "ho"s anymore than a costume as an ax-murder or doctore teach 'em to be one. Nor does it “endores” these “sins” either. Much ado about nothing really. Except the Bichon Frisee, that’s deplorable that that dog would pimp. They’re more "ho"s. ---
**Author:** ![PussyCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/22d042/32.png) [@PussyCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PussyCow)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/5 "2004-08-26T19:54:21Z")
I actually bought one of those for my dogs. He looks so [pathetic](http://www.ofoto.com/PhotoView.jsp?&collid=481740585105&photoid=381740585105) in it. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/6 "2004-08-26T19:59:12Z")
Yes. Yes I would. But then I am trashy and have no morals and hope to raise my children in the same tradition. Your dog looks so sad **PussyCow**. Hmmm PussyCow. Don’t think I’d buy any beef for my kids from you. ---
**Author:** ![spectrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/7 "2004-08-26T20:07:50Z")
I think they’re cute. Don’t see any reason to get up in arms about it. Wake me up when a real news service comments on them. WND is crack for imbeciles. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/8 "2004-08-26T20:13:46Z")
Oh joy, a GD based on a World Net Daily article. :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > “If you think about a real pimp, they’re not in flamboyant suits. Kids don’t even know that the word pimp means – regarding soliciting women for sex. They think being ‘pimp’ means having big, fancy cars and homes.” Assuming this is all real, he’s right. If the kid doesn’t know what the costume means, it’s not ‘exposing them to evil.’ Some of the other complaints are just laughable. I wish they’d included “And stay off my lawn, you damn kids!” for completeness. Without getting into a Pit rant on it, why the fuck do people read, much less cite, the WND? It’s complete shit, and it doesn’t even seem to pretend otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/9 "2004-08-26T20:20:12Z")
I’d be a bit concerned about kids going out in black costumes generally. This looks one step removed from “Black Ghost” or “Inivisble Pedestrian” for car-hittability. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/10 "2004-08-26T21:10:33Z")
That’s nothing. Some heathens let their children dress like Satan-worshipping witches, or God forbid, _the Devil himself!!_ I mean, when you get down to it, pirates are murderous, theiving criminals. Pimps and hos pale in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/11 "2004-08-26T21:14:50Z")
“Thieving criminals”, that is. And sodomites. Murderous, thieving sodomites. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/12 "2004-08-26T21:21:26Z")
I hate it when evil people lecture others about morality. They are like gargoyles hiding behind bushes near the gates of hell, waiting to ensnare passers-by and hand them over to their god, the devil. Condemnation is a thing that does not leave its source. Even Christ Himself refused to condemn the world. How dare people do the work that He deemed filthy, even while invoking His holy name. > [@](#): > > To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: > > "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ > > "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ > > “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” — Luke 18:9/14 ---
**Author:** ![grand\_poobah\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e36b37/32.png) [@grand\_poobah\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grand_poobah_bear)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/13 "2004-08-26T22:00:24Z")
oh what the hell if you dont like it dont let your kids in that dress. Shielding or exposing your kids to something does not protect them from or make them something. Lack of education and information leads them to make stupid choices. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/14 "2004-08-26T22:07:01Z")
I’m reminded of a Bloom County strip where Oliver was given a Mr. T. costume, tries it on and does a bit of Mr. T’s shtick: “Out o’ th’ way, Fool, this here’s a… This here’s a…” (pulls off the mask) “This here is a consumate disgrace.” ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/15 "2004-08-26T23:16:34Z")
$40-$60? That’s what makes parents who buy these fools, not any percieved moral slight. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/16 "2004-08-26T23:29:07Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > “Thieving criminals”, that is. And sodomites. Murderous, thieving sodomites. You forgot **drunken** , murderous thieving drunken sods 😃 ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/17 "2004-08-27T03:20:00Z")
I guess I’m the only one disturbed by it. The costumes are themselves are obviously not sexual-looking; but at its root the dress-up festival is essentially role-play, and I don’t think its nuts to be concerned about the roles you kids want to play. I submit that when kids dress up as pirates (frex), they’re not imitatating syphilitic alcoholic brigands, but as a cartoonish and mostly benign cultural archetype we’ve created. (Moreover, unless you live in Malaysia, high seas piracy is not something you have to worry about as Johnny’s future vocational choice.) We do not have such a completely sanitized version of prostitution; nor do I want one, at least so long as it continues to be an industry which currently leads to the wholesale exploitation of women (whether or not Prostitution must necessarily be exploitative is another question; I would simply point out that it’s “pimp” and “ho” outfits we’re discussing, not “escort” and “agency.”) As it is, I find in unconvincing to say they won’t know what it is they’re dressed as. They may not know all the details, but kids aren’t stupid, and they’ll get the gist of the “role” they’re playing. Even if all they know is that a “ho” is paid to do naughty things, and she gets bossed around and beaten up by the pimp … well, the rest is just detail, isn’t it? It’s not at all about sheilding children from reality: I wouldn’t necessarily mind allowing my ten-year old to see a movie with a tender and beautiful love scene, or a violent film like LotR. I would be very uneasy about them seeing a movie with a rape scene or with grisly, meaningless violence. The issue is never what is seen or known, but what moral context is provided to accompany it. IMO children should know the facts of life by six or seven, and the fact that some people have sex for money might as well be part of that. But what moral framework is provided by putting them in a halloween costume? Is the dress-up going to be accompanied by a conversation about why these are not things you really want to be? I doubt it. In short, it is not the the costume the little girl is wearing that bothers me, nor is it her knowing that some women surrender control of their bodies to men for money. What bothers me is that she is being taught that this is something to laugh about. > [@Liberal](#): > > I hate it when evil people lecture others about morality. Or even just call them “evil.” Hold still, there’s something in your eye. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/18 "2004-08-27T03:56:25Z")
I’m not sure which is worse. That these costumes _exist_ for CHILDREN, or that [they are SOLD OUT of the girl prostitute costumes](http://store.yahoo.com/brandsonsale-store/51104-1-costumes.html), or that there are people out there who really don’t see what the big deal is. Who the hell raised these idiot parents, and what message do they hope to communicate by letting their LITTLE GIRLS dress up like streetwalkers?! What’s next? Child Crack Whore, complete with rocks and a pipe? How about Child Stripper? I wonder what the Child Whorehouse Madam costume would look like … ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/19 "2004-08-27T03:57:28Z")
And don’t get me started on the message that’s being sent to these little boys dressing up like pimps. Of course kids know what a pimp is, they know a pimp is a guy that gets women to turn tricks for them and give them the money. Really great way to foster respect for women. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642/20 "2004-08-27T04:05:01Z")
> [@Abbie Carmichael](#): > > And don’t get me started on the message that’s being sent to these little boys dressing up like pimps. Of course kids know what a pimp is, they know a pimp is a guy that gets women to turn tricks for them and give them the money. > > Really great way to foster respect for women. Well, they _tried_ an Alan Alda costume last year, but it bombed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-buy-these-halloween-costumes-for-your-kids/261642.md?page=2)