This costume is disgusting. Let me guess, it only comes in size 0, right?

People say that we feminists don't have a sense of humor. No, it's more like we don't feel the need to make light of situation that has already affected millions of women (and some men) everywhere. There's nothing funny about body image problems.

Personally, I am dressing up as a Catholic priest, complete with a ...umm ...I think it's called a Bible ...and a sign that says, "Abortions are bad and so are you."

I'd like to see what UCLAImage (Dave is his name, I think?) have to say about this skeletal costume.

This outfit would be amusing if it came in plus sizes, but if you already have an eating disorder it's not really a costume, like when I wear a werewolf costume, people are like, "did you shave or something?"

"I'd like to see what UCLAImage (Dave is his name, I think?) have to say about this skeletal costume."

Nothing insightful at the moment. But I just woke up :-).

so for now I'll just share my initial reactions which are A) "ugh, that is gross" and B) how the hell does the tape measure even make sense with the costume? Skeletons come with tape measures now?

UCLA, I think Anna Rexia is supposed to be obsessively measuring herself all night.

Olivia, I'm a natural size 0. Can we criticize the costume without bashing people's bodies, please?

Ugh. That's revolting. NOT CUTE.

I don't anyone is bashing size zeros to guess that the costume only comes in that size; I think the thing that's being bashed is the idea that size zero is the only acceptable size to be.

And think about it. You may be a natural size zero now, but in 1960 or so that probably would have been a size four. It is very telling that the most petite women's sizes have been redefined so that the female ideal can be a number that suggests complete incorporeality.

I found one site that's still selling this costume. (Another already removed it. Thank goodness.) I emailed them and asked that they take it down from their site. We'll see what happens. But I'm sure the more of us who email, the better. support@3wishes.com is the address.

I think the best part is, "Add fishnets or thigh-highs and the look is complete!" What, it doesn't come with stockings painted with white bones too?

Found a website still selling it...in a plus-size version. http://www.3wishes.com/pluscostumes.asp

What's even more revolting is that in the mirror behind the "plus size" model, the thin model is still visible. What a ironic statement on anorexia...

Why do I think that if the badge said "AIDS McGee" instead and came with an IV stand, this would somehow be less acceptable?

As horrible as this is--and there is no question that this is horrible--it's better than the majority of halloween 'costumes' on my college campus.

Women dress in things like these:
(some popular themes for costumes last year)

http://www.s219688394.onlinehome.us/images/productimages/U-Z/UA83018.JPG

http://www.s219688394.onlinehome.us/images/productimages/U-Z/UA83053.JPG

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/41GEWP21C1L._SS500_.jpg

At least the 'Anna Rexia' example can lend itself to a political statement. "Sexified" versions of careers are--in my opinion--just another way of our society reducing the achievements of women down to sex.

Found a website still selling it...in a plus-size version.

It's nice to see a site selling plus sized costumes. HOWEVER...those costumes are not very well adapted to the plus sized customer. They are still really short, tight, and low cut. I know personally I wouldn't wear any of them in their current state. If they actually cut them to fit a plus sized frame I might consider it.

I know that the idea that we're plus sized but we want to wear the same clothes as everyone else is common, and I agree with it, but it's about how the clothes are cut and fit different body types.

That has nothing to do with the crappy Anna Rexia costume, but I still think it's a valid argument and I bet anyone else here who's plus sized would feel similarly.

This costume is disgusting. Let me guess, it only comes in size 0, right?

Which means it would fit me. I'm not anorexic. I'm petite. I'm a perfectly healthy size and weight. If you're going to call a costume that reinforces an unhealthy body image disgusting, don't insult people with a perfectly healthy body image in the process. It kind of defeats the entire purpose of commenting on the issue.

Anyway, that costume is gross. And if you need a pin that says "Anna Rexia" for people to understand the "joke," then there's really nothing to get. And how about a male version? Of course, then it would be called Man Arexia, since there's a distinction between anorexic women and anorexic men . . . or not.

And the woman in the photo is happy and sexy. A real anorexic person wouldn't be happy and wouldn't feel sexy, as someone with an eating disorder is in a constant losing battle for both.

I have a thousand issues with the plus-size costumes, especially the racism involved in many of them. And where if a skinny model wears the Anna Rexia outfit, it glorifies the eating disorder, but when a plus-size woman wears it, the joke becoming mocking of the disease. Who could agree with either?

And as for size zeros: while there is nothing wrong with being thin, or anything else, it can easily be said that society would have all women a size zero before they were a size fourteen, and if this costume were to work as something that glorifies eating disorders, the model would have to be very thin, probably a size zero, for it to work.

Sigh. It reminds me of Stephen Colbert: "Girls, if we can't see your ribs, you're ugly." That, happily, is satire. This? Not so much.

Given that every 1 in 5 women suffer from disordered eating or an eating disorder, anyone who's wearing that costume is likely to suffer some injury from someone who's been affected by the disease. Consider it karma.

(I don't know if that statistic is completely right, so don't be hatin'! I'm just saying that most people I know have either known someone or have been diagnosed personally with an eating disorder, and its no joking matter to them.)

"I want to cry."

So do I.

Knowing someone who suffers from two eating disorders and desperately watching someone else to try and stop it, this is sickening, and that's all there is to it.

Halloween has gotta be my favorite holiday, but damn, why are the costumes so sexist? For women: sexy nurse, sexy cop, sexy school girl... And the men's costumes are often ones that make fun of women, for instance, "the fat chick" costume.
I have already received my roller skates on Ebay as I intend to dress a roller derby participant. (Yes, I am too chicken shit to actually join a roller derby.) So, I need help coming up with a roller derby name to put on a t shirt. You know, something like "Helen Wheels" or "Eva Destruction." My interests include feminism, wrestling, and reading. Get thinking smart people!

I think that I have a fairly good sense of humor... but this is simply not funny. I suffered with weight issues for a long time as a classical ballet dancer, and many of my friends did too. This is just gross.

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

Sadly, it doesn't seem like a spoof. But honestly, when did we get into a society so accepting of eating disorders that it's a costume! You don't see people dressing up as drunks, do you? Because society isn't accepting of achoholism as a whole. When people start viewing eating disorders, something that will ruin your entire life, as normal, there is a problem. Anorexia is in your mind for you entire life. There is no quick fix, there is no rehab and then voila! you can eat again. That's for the movies, sweetheart.

Anorexia isn't made by girls/women who pour over magazines all day, looking at size 0 models and sighing that they wish they could look like that. In most cases, that has nothing to do with it. Anorexia have other emotions of helplessness and loss of control. The starvation is just a side effect. It's pressure not only just to fit in, but pressure made by yourself. 'You're so worthless. Look at her. She's so much better than you are. She's smart, she's pretty, well-liked. What does she have that you don't? Oh. She's skinny.' or 'You piece of trash. God, you have no self-control, you just do whatever the hell you want. You disgust me, and you are me. I can't believe I'm me-- everyone must hate me.' You try to become what society wants you to be.

Seeing it glamorized like this sickens me. It's like saying, "Oh, yeah, stop eating and you'll get a sexy smile, huge boobs, an hourglass figure, and you'll be called "sexy"!"

Nowhere does it talk about brittle bones, teeth and hair falling out, the constant pain in your kidneys, the depression, the further despair that you feel when all alone... I guess that just isn't "sexy".

Freaking sick! Way to glamourize the horror of an eating disorder. What's next? Cancer Patient? Crack addict?

At first, I didn't see what the big deal was. They have a lot of those really cute shirts out right now where the chest is a ribcage. They've also made them into jackets and they're made for both men and women to wear. They also made another one after that that looked like the heart and lungs of the chest.(I know that sounds gross, but eh)

So, that's what I initially thought of when I saw this. Like "Oh, bones!! Clever halloween idea!" But then I saw the tape measure. TAPE MEASURE? What??? Bones + tape measure? Not a good message. And "Sexy Anna Rexia"? wtf... Yeah, let's make teenage girls think anorexia is sexy now.

And as for size zeros: while there is nothing wrong with being thin, or anything else, it can easily be said that society would have all women a size zero before they were a size fourteen, and if this costume were to work as something that glorifies eating disorders, the model would have to be very thin, probably a size zero, for it to work.

This isn't entirely true. Society would have all women be size zeros with DD breasts who are 6 feet tall. That's an impossible beauty standard, and no such woman exists. That's why every girl and woman has plenty of reason to have a negative body image. A 5'1 3/4" size 0 who's barely an A cup is hardly a model for our society's beauty standard.

Liza --

I'm plus sized and I'm not sure I agree. I love having low-cut outfits. I've got great tits. My husband works for a plus-sized clothier, and I'm constantly collecting tube tops and low-cut dresses that go on clearance. I also love showing my legs, because I've got fabulous ones. I hate when plus-sized costumes means "god-damn, woman! Hide your shame!" If you've ever seen the appalling Wonder Woman costume for plus size (with the skirt ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE KNEES) you know what I'm talking about.

I hate when people rail against thin women with the standard "she has no boobs, ugh barely an A cup, gross, no curves" remarks. I'm not sure if a few of you meant to sound this way, but it always insults me. I don't think breasts should be the thing that categorizes femininity.

This costume doesn't really bother me. The fact that the mode has been airbrushed to near death is the thing that bothers me.

Glad to hear it, Spider Jerusalem. :) I'm working in an adult store at the moment, and yeah, we sell sexy costumes in plus sizes. And yes, people have been buying them for Hallowe'en.

Although some of the costumes are wince-inducing, I'm really glad my store doesn't stock this one.

My second reaction to it, after "that is in such bad taste", was "even if you took away the button and tape, it's not even a very good skeleton costume".

For a skeleton costume to look really effective, the bone patterns should cover as much of the body as possible. Like this.

What's really sad is that the plus size models are not especially overweight, if at all. I would say they are a healthy, realistic depiction of women with curves. As an overweight woman myself, I would love to be "plus-sized" like they are.

On a related note, as a practicing, professional registered nurse, I cringe at the depiction of the "naughty nurse" character. I realize these are caricatures, and other professions get disrespect, too,(See naughty nun,schoolgirl,hot for teacher,etc.)but it seems like nurses get the slutty treatment more than others. The nursing profession has come a long way in demanding respect for the essential care we give to patients and families, but seeing these costumes makes me realize we have a long way to go.

OK, rant over.

Spider Jerusalem-I agree, plus sized women shouldn't be made to feel like they need to hide their bodies, but Liza is right, a lot of those costumes are just plain unflattering. They need to be cut differently.

Also, I don't think anyone criticized size 0's to say that the costume is probably only sold in a size 0.

And yeah, ew. is this supposed to be fucking funny?

"This isn't entirely true. Society would have all women be size zeros with DD breasts who are 6 feet tall. That's an impossible beauty standard, and no such woman exists. That's why every girl and woman has plenty of reason to have a negative body image."

It's also why I'm in both the "don't hate me for being fat" crowd and the "don't hate me for being thin" crowd - my figure is 34AA-28-42.

"I hate when people rail against thin women with the standard 'she has no boobs, ugh barely an A cup, gross, no curves' remarks. I'm not sure if a few of you meant to sound this way, but it always insults me. I don't think breasts should be the thing that categorizes femininity."

Exactly.

Also, ever noticed how some people out there both say that stuff and say breast implants are bad? The idea seems less "implants are bad because your body's fine the way it is!" than "implants are bad because they trick people like me into treating freaks like you as people!"

Hey, speaking of Halloween costumes-who has a good one? I was thinking of trying to something like being a pro-lifer/forced pregnancy person, and be really psycho. But that's about as far as I got :)

I was looking at an ad in the paper this weekend, and it had women's and girl's halloween costumes. The girl's costumes were so sexualized! The women's costumes were much worse, totally skimpy and all "sexy pilot" "sexy cop" and so on. Then I got to the bottom and saw the "plus-size" costumes. They were still kinda "sexy" but MUCH more covered up. It's like- hey fatties, cover yourselves up!! I mean, why couldn't a size 18 wear a skimpy nurse costume? If they wanted to, I mean.

I don't think anyone was saying women with A-cup sized breasts are gross or that breasts should ever be a measure of femininity. I read that comment that our society would have women be sized 0 with really really large breasts as an indictment of the ridiculousness of our culture's beauty standards. I don't think anyone here would use breast size as a measure of beauty. I certainly hope not anyway. But the world at large? They surely do. And I find it insulting as well, considering I'm not especially curvy (I hate the whole "real women have curves" thing), but I don't find it insulting to point out the impossible standards that are out there.

My favorite holiday is Halloween however as a 21 year old who enjoys the occasional college party, if I saw a girl walk into a house wearing that and she said she was Anna Rexia I would pour my beer on her for being so stupid! No I wouldn't but I cannot believe some whacko designer thought this would make a good costume...I'm appalled!

My favorite holiday is Halloween however as a 21 year old who enjoys the occasional college party, if I saw a girl walk into a house wearing that and she said she was Anna Rexia I would pour my beer on her for being so stupid! No I wouldn't but I cannot believe some whacko designer thought this would make a good costume...I'm appalled!

My favorite holiday is Halloween however as a 21 year old who enjoys the occasional college party, if I saw a girl walk into a house wearing that and she said she was Anna Rexia I would pour my beer on her for being so stupid! No I wouldn't but I cannot believe some whacko designer thought this would make a good costume...I'm appalled!

My favorite holiday is Halloween however as a 21 year old who enjoys the occasional college party, if I saw a girl walk into a house wearing that and she said she was Anna Rexia I would pour my beer on her for being so stupid! No I wouldn't but I cannot believe some whacko designer thought this would make a good costume...I'm appalled!

My favorite holiday is Halloween however as a 21 year old who enjoys the occasional college party, if I saw a girl walk into a house wearing that and she said she was Anna Rexia I would pour my beer on her for being so stupid! No I wouldn't but I cannot believe some whacko designer thought this would make a good costume...I'm appalled!

SORRY ABOUT POSTING 5 TIMES...my browser wasn't working :(