Halloween retailer pulls “sexy” ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ costume after backlash

In 2015, we got the unisex Caitlyn Jenner “Call Me Caitlyn” Halloween costume.

In 2016, we got the “robbery victim” costume that alluded to Kim Kardashian West’s Paris robbery.

In 2017, we got the pregnant Kylie Jenner costume.

And now in 2018, unsurprisingly given the precedent, we’re getting a “sexy” Handmaid’s Tale costume. Or rather, the “Brave Red Maiden” costume, as it was being billed on Yandy.com before the item was quickly pulled after many online spoke out, some directly sending letters of condemnation to the company.

“Yandy always has stood, and will continue to stand, at the forefront of encouraging our customers to ‘Own Your Sexy,’” the company wrote in a statement on its site. “We support our customers being comfortable in their skin, regardless of who they are or what they choose to wear. Our corporate ideology is rooted in female empowerment, and gender empowerment overall.”

They continued: “It has become obvious that our ‘Yandy Brave Red Maiden Costume’ is being seen as a symbol of women’s oppression, rather than an expression of women’s empowerment. This is unfortunate, as it was not our intention on any level. Our initial inspiration to create the piece was through witnessing its use in recent months as a powerful protest image.”

In other words, the company felt that after seeing women dress up like characters from the television series based on Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel to protest Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation and in instances across the country to defend women’s reproductive rights, they would hike up the skirt just below the crotch and add high heels as an... homage?

Headscratching, until you look at the company’s history of running into, or as some might say courting, controversy. After all, the previously mentioned pregnant Kylie Jenner costume was their own making, and before that they had created a “sexy” Donald Trump costume. This from a company whose corporate ideology is rooted in female empowerment.

Mic has reached out to Yandy and will update this piece when we hear back.