AUGUST 26 (Reuters) — Retailers selling Caitlyn Jenner costumes for Halloween sparked a social media firestorm on Tuesday (August 25) from critics who say the getup insults transgender people and promotes stereotypes.
Jenner, a former Olympic gold medalist and reality TV star known as Bruce, came out as transgender this year and introduced herself in a Vanity Fair cover story that earned international attention.
A change.org petition launched on Monday against one retailer, Spirit Halloween, is demanding the costume company with over 1,100 locations in the United States and Canada, stop producing and selling the costume, which includes a brunette wig, shiny white padded bustier and shorts resembling the outfit Jenner wore in the Vanity Fair cover photo. The petition had about 4,800 signatures by Tuesday afternoon.
The petition criticized the costume for making light of a community that faces serious challenges, including violence, suicide, homelessness and unemployment.
A statement for Spirit Halloween read: “we create a wide range of costumes that are often based on celebrities, public figures, heroes and superheroes. Caitlyn Jenner is all of the above and our Caitlyn-inspired costume reflects just that.”
Jenner did not immediately responded to requests for comment.
On Tuesday, the costume was not listed on the Spirit Halloween website, but similar costumes are available for pre-order on other retail websites.