Dignity has place on Halloween

Dan Faas, you’re not in the spirit of Halloween.

I’m glad another guy finally admits to feeling this same way. There are plenty of beautiful girls on this campus and there is no reason they need to sacrifice dignity to get noticed by a guy like me. You can have fun without selling yourself as a piece of meat!

Good letter Dan. Sadly, i dont think a lot of people will get it but thanks for sending the truth out there.

Bravo!

Thank you Dan. It’s encouraging to hear this from a guy!

There are so many guys who feel this way, and I’m one of them. Thanks for writing Dan!

While this might be a valiant argument in principle, either the tone or just the fact that it’s written by a man smacks of a slightly misogynistic view that women should hide their sexuality. This probably isn’t the intent, but any “uplifting” argument that women shouldn’t feel the need to dress “slutty” that includes a warning of “being taken advantage of by some drunken idiot at a party or bar” but doesn’t include the sentiment that this worry is 10x more deplorable than a overly sexy costume borders on victim-blaming and plays into the rape culture that pervades every college campus.

Annnnnnnd That didnt take long.

Thanks “Troubled” for letting us know that “just the fact that (this article) is written by a man” makes it “misogynistic”. [In case people dont know the definition of that is: a hatred of women, as a sexually defined group]

Really, you found this to exemplify hatred towards women? Where exactly? Please, i’d love to hear this reasoning.

What exactly is it you want, men to treat women like objects, or men to do the exact opposite of objectify women, to esteem their dignity and humanity?

This whole article reaks of benevolent sexism. I agree with “Troubled”. Why not write about the bigger issue here; a letter to the MEN of MSU informing them of the importance of treating women with respect regardless of what they are wearing—on Halloween or any day of the year. I especially do not like when you say that “Starbucks Girl” was “too pretty to parade [her] body around on a cold October night just for attention.” I’m not even sure what this really means…that attractive women are free from the need to exploit themselves but less attractive women should hike up their skirts and plunge their necklines?

reeeeeeally likes what Troubled had to say.

Halloween is one of the only excuses I ever get to dress in a show-stopping costume without getting as many “what a ho” glances at a party. Please don’t condescend and “tsk tsk” me!

What I am wearing as a Halloween costume does NOT have anything at ALL to do with what happens to me at a party…
…OR THE LEVEL OF DIGNITY WITH WHICH I AM TREATED.

Please. Starbucks Girl saying she was planning on “slutting it up” seems to go a little deeper than her choice of Halloween attire.

We’ll wear whatever we want. Please, try to keep your hands to yourself!

Nice job. I admire your sentiment a LOT…a lot of girls need to hear it. They probably won’t care or listen but as a woman, I appreciate this being said by a guy. Som thank you!!

Nice job. I admire your sentiment a LOT…a lot of girls need to hear it. They probably won’t care or listen but as a woman, I appreciate this being said by a guy. So, thank you!!

This is what we call ‘white knighting’. Guess what, the girls want to dress sexy and be looked at. That’s why they do it.

Fighting for their ‘virtue’ is demeaning to them and suggests that they’re incapable of acting virtuous on their own.

Troubled, it is far from misogynistic or sexist to suggest that a woman should “hide” her sexuality. In former days, this was called modesty and its purpose was to protect women from being used as objects of pleasure while positively affirming their dignity as women. Furthermore, the suggestion that a woman is more susceptible to sexual assault due to immodest dress is hardly victim-blaming.

Dan, I certainly hope you ignore the people who disagree with your article.

“This whole article reaks of benevolent sexism.” – GIVE ME A BREAK. Seriously, stop being ridiculous people, this article clearly shows that Dan has the utmost respect for women.

Of course most feminists are always unhappy with the little press coverage their cause gets. Take what you can get. This guy wrote a relative article that speaks to college students on an important topic.

“Halloween is one of the only excuses I ever get to dress in a show-stopping costume without getting as many “what a ho” glances at a party. Please don’t condescend and “tsk tsk” me!”

Feminist FAIL

@ FAIL

Thanks for not mistaking me as a feminist!

I’m an educated, grown woman who likes to dress show-stoppingly once in a while. I can’t wear my “Princess Peach” costume at work, can I? How about at college? How about at a family reunion? Oh, wait, Halloween is ACCEPTING of that kind of thing.

At a normal college or work party (not the super Greek beer fests you probably have in mind) people wear jeans and tees.

You people are all rediculous…If a woman wants an excuse to dress provocativly, she is well within her rights to take it, she dosent need an excuse really. A persons style of dress never indicates their personal worth either. Starbucks girl is also well within her rights to not be critisized for her costume of choice, or style of everyday dress, “slutty” or not.
As a man, I find sexy dressing women attractive…I also find intellegence, wit, tattoos, and glasses attractive; amongst many other things.

So let’s think about this. Dan, as a friend, I know that you definitely have good intentions for writing this article. I understand that you’re trying to help women by telling them that they’re worth more than how they look and dress.

However, you’re missing out on the bigger picture. “Feminist” had it right when she said that you should have written an article addressed to men on campus instead.

My freshman year of college, I dressed up as a Tiger’s player. I thought I had on a pretty decent outfit until I started seeing what other girls on my floor were wearing. Let’s just say, my ‘innocent’ upbringing had not prepared me for the suggestive outfits. But to fit in and go along with what now seemed like the “spirit of Halloween”, I wore a short jean skirt and unbuttoned the top two buttons of my Tiger’s jersey.

Thanks Dan, this needed to be said. I pray that the woman of East Lansing will listen and protect themselves.

etakhael, it is not an either/or question, “either women dress modestly or men respect their dignity.” Yes, an article that challenges men to respect women’s dignity is neccessary (in fact, Dan WROTE just such an article), but that does not preclude the need for an article that challenges women to dress and behave in a manner that reflects their dignity. And, despite what anyone says, behavior and manner of dress DOES make a difference in how women are treated. To suggest that women should be able to dress and act in a manner that is beneath their dignity and should expect to be treated differently is a recipe for DISASTER. Do not fall prey to this sophistry.

“ realize that I might not have changed your mind. But I also hope that after Halloween you realize that you are beautiful the other 364 days of the year, and you don’t need to show off your body simply to get noticed. I hope you know that you, like every single woman on this campus, are worthy of respect and deserve to be treated like a lady. If nothing else, know that.”

I love how somehow this article, with the quote above being the theme running throughout, has caused people to get really upset. His kindness is apparently an insult.

My thoughts exactly. More guys should think/act like this. The “Slut Rule” is obnoxious.