Jezebel 
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New York, 8:06 PM
Thu Nov 12
73 posts in the last 24 hours
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10/21/09
I get that a lot of you don't like it. And that's fine. What we find funny is subjective.
I got it, because being eating disordered, I kind of have a twisted sense of humor about it now.
When I did wear it a couple years back, people thought it was oddly creative - and it was a way in which to spark discussion.
I don't know. We use Halloween to meet our own ends. Sometimes, to dress up 'slutty'. Sometimes, to bring out our dark humor. Sometimes, to show our creativity. And sometimes, to offend.
I think, at least, when costumes do offend, we can bring about an open and honest discussion and learn a bit more in the process. #halloweencostumes
10/22/09
It's like making fun of your own family. I can talk shit about my own sister, but if YOU say something about her? Prepare to get cut.
(And that rapper mask? So not OK. I'm emailing Amazon about how I'm taking my business to Alibris now.) #halloweencostumes
10/20/09
This is also why I always go as not real things. Like a zombie, or a demon, or whatever...always tastefully, I'm not really a fan of the "sexy" Halloween thing. A short skirt is not a costume.
And anyway, none of the above ones are particularly witty or clever. I love those kinds of costumes, but just being a racist dousche doesn't make it clever. Yuck. #halloweencostumes
10/20/09
10/20/09
That being said, I have no problem shaming parents (love not being governed by any formal code of corporate rules!) who allow their preteen daughters strong arm them into buying skin-tight/belly baring/crotch flashing costumes. I am also the voice of reason when my aunt, who is not known for being particularly socially aware, deems the more offensive costumes "funny" and something we should carry.
Basically, can I beg forgiveness for pushing the super-ho if I continue to nix the uber-offensive? Please? #halloweencostumes
10/20/09
I have a huge bug up my ass about people dressing up as "ethnicities." It's as othering as using people for sports team mascots (redskins, anyone?) #halloweencostumes
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In other news, I need to get out of academia before my head explodes. #halloweencostumes
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10/20/09
Is that racist?
I just want to feign hitting people and yell at customers all night at work. #halloweencostumes
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10/20/09
That said, I did dress up as Hitler last year. Not 'sexy' Hitler, or Ronald McDonald Hitler, just Hitler. And my boyfriend was Castro. We were dictators, because Halloween is supposed to be scary. It was a little edgy, but I don't think I did anything wrong. Maybe if I had made it sexy or cute, though... #halloweencostumes
10/20/09
10/20/09
(I've been to Dachau, not as if that has any bearing.) #halloweencostumes
10/20/09
10/20/09
Hitler is gasp worthy both because it is recent and also because we (humanity) have ample access to the aftermath of his horrors. We can visit Dachau (which I have also been to, and will be haunted by forever) We can speak to survivors. We can not claim ignorance as an excuse. #halloweencostumes
10/20/09
Please don't mistake this as me liking Bush, I don't. I just think comparing him to Hitler makes light of the terrible things that Hitler did. #halloweencostumes
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10/20/09
I am not an idiot, and I know the horrors of what Hitler ruled over. Making fun of Hitler is not making light of those people's deaths. I don't think too many people thought changing history to shoot Hitler in the face in Inglorious Basterds was offensive. He has been mocked in thousands of other forms of media over the years, and I don't find that offensive.
And I think calling it 'edgy' is very accurate, because obviously there are people (like you) who will think it's over the line, or offensive. But Halloween is a chance to play a character, even a very real villain.
10/21/09
2. Just because people dress up like other offensive things (ie mass murders) doesn't make dressing up like Hitler alright. If everyone jumped off a bridge.....
3. You are not making fun of Hitler. You are dressing up as Hitler to shock your friends. This is not a noble cause. This is you needing attention and thinking that co-opting the pain of thousands of people is the way to get that.
4. You are not edgy. Being offensive is not edgy, it's just being offensive (and un-imaginative, imho) For fuck's sake, Prince Harry dressed as Hitler, it's not as though you are the first to think of it. An edgy costume is both in-your-face and thought provoking (ie, the blood diamond costume someone mentioned above)
5. I have stood in the court yard at Dachau. I have born witness to the terrible things man does to man. Seeing someone dressed as Hitler would not only infuriate me, it would probably also cause me (and other Germans or Jews or anyone with any empathy at all) emotional pain. So congrats! Your desire to be edgy will quite possibly ruin someone's Halloween. I hope it's worth it. #halloweencostumes
10/21/09
I was not trying to 'shock' my friends. I know my friends well enough to know that nobody would be offended or hurt by my costume. I also kept this particular costume at my own party in my own home.
I think it's a little ridiculous to suggest that anybody with any empathy would be infuriated by my costume. It's also ridiculous to think you can see all of my character flaws simply because you know what my Halloween costume was last year. How on earth can you decide if I was or was not making fun of Hitler? I also never claimed a "noble cause". Frankly, Halloween is not the time for noble causes.
You may think I'm trying to hurt people with my 'wit'(I never claimed I thought my costume was clever or unique), but I think you're trying a little too hard to appear sensitive. Why don't you 'bear witness' about man's horrors to somebody who has done something wrong. You're not going to change my mind about this one.
But I will admit I underestimated just how angry or upset my silly costume might make a person on this thread. #halloweencostumes
10/21/09
10/21/09
I never claimed to know, or be able to see your character flaws. What I told you was how I personally feel about someone that dresses up as Hitler on Halloween to be edgy. Please explain how you dressing as Hitler is mocking him? I would really like to know, because the thing is if you were dressing up as him "ironically" or in praise of him it's kind of hard to tell from a distance. From a distance it just looks like a guy or girl dressed as Hitler.
You can fume all you want. You can claim that I'm over sensitive but the very fact that your refer to dressing as Hitler as a "silly costume" shows (inho) that you really have no concept of exactly what effect Hitler had (and continues to have) on millions of people around the world. #halloweencostumes
10/21/09
What Hitler did is done. In my opinion, it is belittling the effect he had on so many by relegating him to an "edgy Halloween costume" #halloweencostumes
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Trailer Park Boys!!! Fertile ground for costume ideas. Think I'll spend Halloween in Halifax. #halloweencostumes
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