USA Today Links Halloween Costumes to Pornography's Influence

USA Today has published a report criticizing Halloween costumes and linking them to pornography, asserting that "outrageous sexual experience dreams rule in pop culture and porn." The article, penned by David Oliver, suggests that pornography has established unrealistic expectations and damaging tropes.

USA Today's Critique of Sexual Fantasies and Costumes

The USA Today report, titled "Your Sexual Fantasies May Be More Problematic Than You Realize" in its current version, was originally indexed by Google as "Sex, Sexual Fantasies, Role-Play: Porn Sets Unrealistic Expectations." The article, published on October 10, 2022, by the national newspaper based in McLean, Virginia, begins by listing common sexual fantasy archetypes, including "the schoolgirl in a plaid miniskirt and pigtails," "the nurse wearing a too-tight white dress and matching cap," and "the librarian with her perfect, polished hair up in a bun."

Oliver suggests that these fantasies are "part of our cultural lexicon" and that "there is no shortage of lingerie, and even Halloween costumes, to enable these scenes to become realities." However, he questions when role-playing "crosses a line," specifically when a partner "fails to heed their partner's sexual boundaries or when we sexualize the people around us who embody these real-life roles."

The article cites Gail Wyatt, a clinical psychologist and faculty member at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior. Wyatt states that in role-playing, "most people don't bother to get consent and a fully knowledgeable consent. And when you do that to someone, you introduce the opportunity to be misinterpreted or misunderstood, or to frighten your partner."

Pornography's Alleged Influence on Sexual Tropes

Oliver asserts that "it's impossible to discuss most sexual fantasies without talking about porn since the two are so closely intertwined," citing unnamed experts to support this claim. He further states that pornography, rather than individuals or society, has "developed these tropes—sexy schoolgirl, nurse, librarian—that can be undermining to women."

Wyatt's recommendation, as reported by Oliver, is for "everyone [to] stop watching pornography," though she acknowledges its deep entrenchment in culture and the difficulty of its elimination. Wyatt is quoted in the USA Today article as saying, "Porn is probably one of the most destructive existing influences on human sexuality that we have because it's global, and it's legitimate."

Halloween Costumes and Sexualization

The acceptance of "porn culture" has "utterly transformed Halloween," according to a separate article published on CounterPunch.org on October 31, 2013, by Helen Redmond. This article states that stores selling Halloween gear display women's costumes that are "sickeningly sexualized and distilled down to display breasts, thighs and buttocks." Examples provided include a "Varsity Vixen" student costume with "Haz Me" printed on the underwear, a "Light My Fire" firefighter uniform described as a dress with a plunging light-up flame neckline, and a women's taxi driver outfit with "Free Rides" printed above the breasts.

Nurses are highlighted as "special targets for hypersexualized costumes," depicted in "skimpy, low-cut dresses and fishnet stockings held up by garter belts and wearing thigh high, red vinyl boots." These costumes are given names such as "Nurse Garter," "Ravishing RN," and "Juana B. Sedated." The CounterPunch.org article also mentions "scary, smiling, sexually molesting male gynecologists costumes" consisting of white lab coats with embossed names like Dr. Seymour Bush and Dr. Feltersnatch. Additionally, the article notes racist costumes, such as a South Asian woman wearing a veil called a "Bolly Ho" and a Native American woman's costume named "Native Knockout" that includes a tomahawk.

Key Facts

• USA Today published a report on October 10, 2022, by David Oliver, criticizing "scandalous sexual encounter fantasies" and their link to pornography and Halloween costumes.
• The article's current title is "Your Sexual Fantasies May Be More Problematic Than You Realize," while its original Google-indexed title was "Sex, Sexual Fantasies, Role-Play: Porn Sets Unrealistic Expectations."
• Gail Wyatt, a clinical psychologist and faculty member at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior, is quoted in the USA Today article, stating that "most people don't bother to get consent and a fully knowledgeable consent" in role-playing.
• Wyatt suggests that "porn is probably one of the most destructive existing influences on human sexuality that we have."
• A 2013 CounterPunch.org article by Helen Redmond describes Halloween costumes as "sickeningly sexualized," citing examples like "Varsity Vixen" and "Light My Fire" costumes.