I Am Not a Costume!

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

Things that just crossed my mind?
1. Why does showing pride in your boobs have to automatically equal showing everything to the world? There's nothing in the middle (whether women choose to hit the middle or swing a wide left is another thing)? Would a man not try to get a peek at your boobs if you were wearing a blazer or turtleneck?

2. Why would he assume he can feel you up just because your shirt fits a certain way? When did a neckline become an invitation in this world?

I don't expect an answer to these questions nor am I trying to argue a point. These are just what pop into my mind when I read things like that. These are pretty common assumptions and this thread has gotten me wondering how on earth they got started.

Because men are men?

Here's a question back at you (again, it doesn't need to be answered), but let's take men out of the equation for a second... Let's say you're at a recruitment event, and a girl who's proud of her boobs and ass and only wants to show the world how proud she is, comes walking into your house in a low-cut shirt and a shorter-than-short skirt. What is your first impression of her?

The girl might not be asking for stares, ridicule, and a night alone when bids are being handed out, but she's opening herself up to it. Class, ladies.. learn it.

[southernbelle14]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Because men are men?

Here's a question back at you (again, it doesn't need to be answered), but let's take men out of the equation for a second... Let's say you're at a recruitment event, and a girl who's proud of her boobs and ass and only wants to show the world how proud she is, comes walking into your house in a low-cut shirt and a shorter-than-short skirt. What is your first impression of her?

The girl might not be asking for stares, ridicule, and a night alone when bids are being handed out, but she's opening herself up to it. Class, ladies.. learn it.

Isn't this thread about halloween costumes? Big difference between dressing "slutty" for halloween and for recruitment.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by southernbelle14

Isn't this thread about halloween costumes? Big difference between dressing "slutty" for halloween and for recruitment.

christiangirl's question wasn't related to Halloween (as far as I could tell). The point is, why is ANYTHING an "invitation" based on what people wear. An invitation to judge, to make fun of, to touch, to stare, to whatever. Because.. that's what certain outfits say in some cases. Is it right? Maybe not. But it happens. It's life. Welcome to it.

[southernbelle14]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

christiangirl's question wasn't related to Halloween (as far as I could tell). The point is, why is ANYTHING an "invitation" based on what people wear. An invitation to judge, to make fun of, to touch, to stare, to whatever. Because.. that's what certain outfits say in some cases. Is it right? Maybe not. But it happens. It's life. Welcome to it.

Oh, I took it as being mainly about halloween, but that makes more sense.

[DrPhil]

Phoenix Coyotes (Hockey) Forward Raffi Torres is being slammed for his blackface costume.



http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/P...costume-103111

Whatever's whatever but he and his wife make a horrible Jay-Z and Beyonce. LOL. C'mon now...go hard or go home.

His wikipedia has already been updated:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raffi_Torres

Originally Posted by Raffi Torres Wikipedia in case people are curious about his racial and ethnic background

Torres was born in Toronto, Ontario, to Juan and Anna Torres.[36] His father emigrated from Mexico City with his family in the early 1970s,[36][37] while his mother is from Lima, Peru, and is of Italian and Greek ancestry.

Originally Posted by The updated part of his Wikipedia page

On Halloween 2011, Raffi Torres' costume prompted severe criticism as he and his wife donned blackface dressed up as rapper Jay-Z[38] and Gianna as Beyonce leaving many to believe Raffi is a racist. However, many others have said that his intention was harmless, as he is described as a big fan of Jay-Z, and was intending the costume as a tribute.

I do not call people racist (I've ranted about that numerous times over the years) therefore I would not call Raffi racist. Sometimes people do silly things that are dumb as hell regardless of the intent (which cannot be proven). If there is racism embedded in it, it is the racist structure that would make this type of thing seem like a good idea to people.

[33girl]

That costume reminds me of the Designing Women episode (you know the one I mean).

[christiangirl]

I was having a hard time figuring out what was wrong with the costume because I didn't realize they were costumes. I did briefly wonder why he was grabbing onto that pregnant woman's butt, though. I'm there now.

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Here's a question back at you (again, it doesn't need to be answered), but let's take men out of the equation for a second... Let's say you're at a recruitment event, and a girl who's proud of her boobs and ass and only wants to show the world how proud she is, comes walking into your house in a low-cut shirt and a shorter-than-short skirt. What is your first impression of her?

I had to think about that one for a long time...I think she would need the "there's a time for everything" speech. The outfit in my head would likely not get a second glance from me if I knew she were out on the town for ladies' night or coming from a party but recruitment? I wouldn't be formulating thoughts on her based on what she was wearing (that she's loose or whatever), but my first impression would be that she lacks good judgement if she's wearing that to recruitment (or a job interview or a formal) where the situation calls for modest dress no matter what message you might like to send. There was a girl (bless her heart) who used to dress like this at work--short shorts and tops that left nothing to the imagination. Looking back on that, I remember not being particularly bothered by her wearing it but rather why she was wearing it to work. The fact that she thought wearing those clothes into a professional environment was okay riled me up much more than the clothes themselves--particularly if I had to be uncomfortable in my stiff slacks and non-comfy shoes.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

I was having a hard time figuring out what was wrong with the costume because I didn't realize they were costumes. I did briefly wonder why he was grabbing onto that pregnant woman's butt, though. I'm there now.

In other words, even with the blackface, I would not know they are supposed to be Beyonce and Jay-Z.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

In other words, even with the blackface, I would not know they are supposed to be Beyonce and Jay-Z.

Blackface was a very specific type of theatrical makeup used for a specific purpose. I don't consider the above use of face/body paint to be an example of "blackface." But no, I still didn't know who they were supposed to be.

[agzg]

God, what a jackass.

Just goes to show, all hockey teams from the south or southwest are full of jerks (I'm looking at you, Dallas Stars).

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by agzg

God, what a jackass.

Just goes to show, all hockey teams from the south or southwest are full of jerks (I'm looking at you, Dallas Stars).

[ insert 'haters gonna hate' image ]

[agzg]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

No goal.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

Blackface was a very specific type of theatrical makeup used for a specific purpose. I don't consider the above use of face/body paint to be an example of "blackface."

The specific purpose was to depict Blackness and usually a parody of Blackness. Blackface was not only used by actors in stage performances and movies. It also did not and does not always look like this:



The people in that photo are darkening their skin to pretend to be something and someone they are not. In that sense, life is a stage and we are all actors. Sure, we can just call it "black or brown makeup on their face and/or bodies" but that still boils down to the same thing and the problems with it are rooted in the history of blackface.

*******

(This isn't for christiangirl) Wikipedia sometimes gets it right:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackface

[*winter*]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

iLaughed
Now, for glorifying the sex industry...I don't think so. I think that feeling of being able to freely express and explore sexuality is something a lot of women really envy (and if a man sees her dressing in a mini-skirt, cat suit, or whatever else he's fantasizing, he's not gonna stop her). There's a certain freedom and empowerment in being confident in one's sex appeal. It just so happens that the ones who are super overt in their sex appeal tend to be those who capitalize on sex appeal--sex workers are the most obvious example. But I don't think it's the entire sex industry that is intentionally glamorized--no one wants to be the cracked out hooker who got beat down by her pimp. People are glorifying the confidence piece which lends to pretending the entire sex industry is cool. On a lower level, it's like trying to hook people onto smoking--if you focus on the rough and tumble cowboy who rides on his horse all day and chills out at the saloon, you overlook the emphysema and lung cancer he might develop later. The whole picture isn't okay but you'll accept the whole picture in order to live out the good stuff.

Someone- an adult- wearing a tastefully sexy costume in an appropriate situation, that's one thing, but I just wonder if we've sexualized our culture so much that young girls feel they HAVE to wear these sorts of things, that it's not really a choice?

It's like young women have to try so hard to keep "upping the ante" to be THE sexiest, or the wildest. And that, IMO, is driven by men. And it's being pushed upon a younger and younger audience every year.

How many girls will say they have no interest in making out with other girls, but do it because "guys love it?" How many really want to be wearing thongs, or watching porn with the BF, or competing in the "Best Rack" contest? Or are they doing these things because they think they "have" to be this other person in order to get and keep men's attention?

That's the thing- I wouldn't want to see young girls compromising themselves in order to fit in or be liked, because that's not fair. No one should be "expected" to do something or wear something that they are not comfortable with, but it's hard not to feel that way when (as OP said)...everrrrrryyyyyy costume is designed with the least possible amount of fabric!

[*winter*]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Some president masks are more cartoony than others. The Nixon ones are WAY worse than any Kennedy mask I've seen...i.e. Kennedy's is actually not bad looking, Nixon's make him look downright monstrous.

The Bill Clinton ones were amusing, they really "went there" in terms of the bulbous nose and the roseaca.