B usiness B eat PC Comes to the Costume Industry: Are there costumes you shouldn’t sell? By Ed Avis
Political correctness. In the wake of COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, Me Too and, most recently, an outcry about anti-Asianhate, it’s a topic that’s hit home with businesses in almost every industry. And for many costume industry pros, it’s raised an important question: Are there some costumes I simply shouldn’t be selling? It’s not an easy question to answer. Some costumes that seemed harmless a generation ago could easily offend some of today’s customers. Last fall, for example, Party City publicly apologized after customers complained about a children’s Confederate soldier Halloween june/july 2021
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costume the store was selling. A decade ago, such costumes were sold routinely; now it’s widely understood that Confederate symbolism offends many people. There are many costumes that seem completely innocent at first glance but can convey underlying messages that might offend prospective customers. So, taking a look at all of the costumes you stock with an eye on what might be offensive is a good first step in deciding if there are costumes that should be taken out of inventory. The bottom line is this: When you look at the costumes in your store, consider whether any of them might offend
