(PCM) Each year it seems that there is one Halloween costume in particular that will stir up some kind of controversy, so it is no different this year with a costume that was recently discovered on the Spirit Halloween website that mocks Caitlyn Jenner’s famous Vanity Fair photo shoot.
The costume is meant to be humorous, poking fun at Jenner’s celebrity, however many feel that the costume has been created in poor taste. The costume sells for $74.99 and features a wig, bodice, and sash printed with the words “Call Me Caitlyn”. The outfit is almost identical to the one that Jenner wore for her famous Vanity Fair magazine cover shoot with famed photographer Annie Lebovitz.
Members of the transgender community are outraged and are calling the promotion of the costume transphobia, however others feel that the costume is nothing more than a joke and should be treated as such, as many other celebrities have had Halloween costumes designed in their likeness. In response to the controversy Spirit Halloween has removed the costume from their website, however they did release a statement which says “At Spirit Halloween, we create a wide range of costumes that are often based upon celebrities, public figures, heroes and superheroes. We feel that Caitlyn Jenner is all of the above and that she should be celebrated. The Caitlyn Jenner costume reflects just that.”
However, a spokesperson for the National Center for Transgender Equality feels differently saying “There’s no tasteful way to ‘celebrate’ Caitlyn Jenner or respect transgender people this way on the one night of the year when people use their most twisted imaginations to pretend to be villains and monsters.” There has since been a Change.org petition started which request that the retailer discontinue the costume.
It is still currently available at several additional online retailers at this time!