For the past four years that I have lived in Salem, MA, I have never been downtown during Halloween night. Crazy, right? Although the idea of being surrounded by a mass group of drunken people is not appealing to me, I do enjoy many aspects of Halloween.

When I was a kid, my twin sister and I would dress in matching witch costumes every year – pointy hats, broomsticks and all. As we got older, we got to choose what we wore. One year for a middle school dance, I went as Elphaba from Wicked, and my sister went as a Greek Goddess, but was somehow confused as Glinda the Good Witch to my Wicked Witch of the West.

Now, almost ten years later, when I walk into any Halloween costume store, I’m downright appalled at some of the costumes. For men, they get to dress up as their favorite superhero or movie character, but women? We’re stuck with the impractical sexy nurse, sexy cat, sexy pirate or some other costume that is completely inappropriate for Halloween.

Actually? Scratch that – it is appropriate.

Halloween is a time to dress up in whatever costumes you want, and if you want to dress up in a way that shows your cleavage or (god forbid!) your shoulders, go for it! If you feel good and comfortable, and no one is offended by your costume, why should people “slut shame” you for your choice?

As a self-identified nerd, I have attended my fair share of conventions, and at these conventions, many people participate in costume play, or “cosplay” – this is the same premise of Halloween. It’s a chance for people to dress up as their favorite character and, in some cases, to feel good knowing they worked so hard to make their costume. Throughout the years, I’ve heard horror stories of people going up to scantily clad cosplayers, and harassing them by pulling on their costumes, which results in ripped skirts or bare breasts. No one is being asked to be harassed when they dress the way they do - they just want to be in a cool and fun costume.

This same thing, as I’ve heard, happens to women who dress up in “sexy” costumes for Halloween. So, for this Halloween, I advise you – do not even think that it’s acceptable or okay to either objectify or sexually harass people, based on the way that they are dressed. It is their choice to dress the way that they want, and do not deserve to be thought of any differently based on how they are dressed.

Another thing to keep in mind when choosing your costume, is make sure it keeps in mind people and their cultures. Any costumes, such as Native American clothing, Gypsy outfits or other racist stereotypes are not appropriate for Halloween – this degrades different cultural aspects. Different races and athnicities are not costumes.