Party City's Facebook Page is Aflame After Banning a Woman Who Complained About Its Girls' Costume Selection

By Clover Hope | September 25, 2015 | 5:25pm

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A woman who complained to Party City about the costume options on their site was reportedly banned from the company’s Facebook page as a result.

Lin Kramer, who has a 3-year-old daughter, wrote a letter on Party City’s Facebook page, citing its limited options for “Career Costumes” for girls compared to boys. Kramer broke down the company’s costume selections by category, writing:

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As you can see, the classic costumes for boys include 53 assorted options, ranging from traditional vampire attire to a ‘rascal pirate’ to 16 costumes relating to possible occupations. Meanwhile, the classic costumes for girls include 45 options, ranging from a ‘vampire queen’ to a ‘precious pirate’ to three costumes relating to possible occupations. (It is worth noting that I have generously included in this number the ‘cheerleader’ as a possible occupation, despite it being well known that even NFL cheerleaders are not paid well enough for this to be their only source of income, as well as the ‘cowgirl,’ although, unlike the ‘cowboy,’ she is clearly not appropriately dressed to be employed on any sort of working ranch). To be clear, that means 30% of the costumes you market to boys are based on occupations, while just under 7% of the costumes you market to girls are based on occupations.

Kramer ended the letter with:

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with little girls who enjoy and want to dress up this Halloween as a ‘Light Up Twinkler Witch,’ or a ‘Doo Wop Darling,’ or an ‘Enchanted Stars Princess,’ there is also absolutely nothing wrong with little girls who might wish to give the ‘UPS Driver’ costume or the ‘Ride in Train’ costume a try! Please, Party City, open up your view of the world and redesign your marketing scheme to let kids be kids, without imposing on them antiquated views of gender roles.

According to her, the letter got her banned from Party City’s Facebook page—the letter was deleted and she was unable to comment.

Party City’s Facebook is now overflowing with reactions from people who are all supporting Kramer and posting comments like, “I don’t think this is going away. Lin Kramer had a point. I want to know why on earth you would sexualize little girls. That is not only wrong, it is dangerous in so many ways! #boycottpartycity #IstandwithLinKramer.”

Kramer told Mashable, “When I initially penned this letter, I never dreamed more than a handful of people would take the time to read it, but then I also never dreamed Party City would respond by deleting it. In so doing, they unwittingly ignited not only the passion of people who have an interest in seeing *this* particular change happen.” [Update: Kramer tells us via email that her full statement was: “In so doing, they unwittingly ignited not only the passion of people who have an interest in seeing *this* particular change happen, but they also inflamed many members of society who genuinely believe that much can be accomplished through words and communication alone.”]

Party City has since reinstated her commenting privileges but hasn’t publicly commented on the incident.

Contact the author at [email protected].

Image via Party City