A revealing Halloween costume, inspired by The Handmaid’s Tale, was promptly removed from sale after outraged online users blasted the outfit for distorting the very idea of the show, which speaks out against objectifying women.
American lingerie maker Yandy said on Friday that the ‘Brave Red Maiden Costume’ was dropped after what it called a “sincere, heartfelt response” from the consumers.
The company claimed that “a powerful protest image” was its inspiration, but the party outfit “is being seen as a symbol of women’s oppression, rather than an expression of women’s empowerment.”
The outfit, which consisted of a very short red dress, a red cape and a white hat, was quickly branded “Slutty Handmade” when it appeared on Thursday.
Yandy’s attempt to capitalize on a popular protest outfit used in many rallies against Donald Trump Administration policies on women’s issues sparked online rage.
The best-selling book by Margaret Atwood and the successful TV show based on it tell the story of a dystopian theocratic future, in which the few remaining fertile females are deprived of their rights and assigned to the homes of the elites in order to do house work and bare their masters’ children.
Women’s rights groups have been using costumes from ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ show to decry what they called attempts by the Trump administration to establish a theocracy in the US as it promotes abstinence and objects to abortion to pander to Christian voters. The protestors argue that by shutting down the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program, Trump and his conservative vice president, Mike Pence, basically told American women that if they seek to avoid unwanted pregnancy, they shouldn’t have sex at all.
Halloween costumes are a frequent cause of controversy, especially when they are worn by celebrities. Prince Harry found himself in hot water back in 2005 after dressing up in a Nazi uniform. The outfit of a Taliban fighter worn by singer Chris Brown made waves in 2012. Stars like Paris Hilton, Heidi Klum, and others have also been accused of cultural appropriation after turning to Native American, Indian, and African themes in their party dresses.
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