Sometimes, Halloween retailers try to cash in on the major issues of our time by developing terrible (and insensitive) costume ideas that let people get in on the story.
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Caitlyn Jenner in new docu-series I Am Cait.
For now, we can only imagine what the costumes will portray: The company is not revealing any details until they go on sale in four to six weeks, just in time for Halloween. Nevertheless, Lombardo insisted Spirit Halloween’s decision to carry the costume shouldn’t be viewed any differently than other products the nationwide chain carries sporting the visage of other famous faces.
“Caitlyn Jenner has proven to be the most important real-life superhero of the year, and Spirit Halloween is proud to carry the costume that celebrates her”, Trisha Lombardo, the company’s PR and marketing head, said.
There’s now a Change.org petition calling for Spirit Halloween to stop selling the costume: “With a reputation of sexist, racist, and culturally appropriative costumes, we are concerned that this costume will continue your oppressive tradition with a transphobic costume of Caitlyn Jenner“, the petition reads. Vincent Villano of the National Center for Transgender Equality isn’t sold, either.
“To make a costume out of a marginalized identity reduces that person and community to a stereotype for privileged people to abuse”.
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Jenner’s rep declined to comment when reached by email.
