It's that time of year again. Sexist, racist, ageist, homophobic, and transphobic costumes are flooding stores and websites as people shop for Halloween. But this one has got to take the cake, because it's pretty much every offensive stereotype rolled into one.
We hereby present to you, the horribly named (and all-around horrible) "Tranny Granny."
Just when you think society is evolving on #LGBT issues. I can't even with how wrong this is. #TrannyGranny? Really? #WTF #HalloweenFail pic.twitter.com/BMKv0cGVn4
— Woody Schultz (@UGottaWoody) October 5, 2016
Amazon, Target, and WalMart have recalled the costume, according to Yahoo (though Target called it "Women’s Granny Costume One Size Fits Most"). But it was too late by then. People were already dragging the sellers for suggesting people appropriate and mock transgender identity.
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The audacity of Walmart wtf? Y'all mfs know better & you still pull some transphobic ass shit? ??
— Cookie ✨ (@CraicHo) October 5, 2016
https://t.co/UahZnIOEuz
Walmart and Amazon pull #trannygranny costume. You think?! Marginalized identities aren't for you amusement.
— Sarcastic Misathrope (@beeludwig) October 5, 2016
Shameful: #Walmart, is selling a ‘tranny granny’ halloween costume. #Transgender. #StopTransphobia. #StopNow. https://t.co/3j71uQUef9
— Phoebe Andrades (@PhoebeAndrades) October 4, 2016
It's still for sale on Spirit Halloween, though they're alternately calling it a "Granny Men's Costume" and an "Adult Granny Costume." But even if it's not explicitly depicting a trans woman, it still turns a man wearing a dress into a joke, which contains hints of transphobia — along with the ageism inherent in the idea of dressing up as an older person.
The only thing worse than the costume itself is the description. "All the guys will be dressing up as superheroes and princes, but you will stand out among the rest in this hilarious Granny Men's Costume!" it reads. "Slap on some makeup and get ready for your granny walk and you will have the room roaring with laughter!"
It looks like we already know what the most offensive costume of the year is. Or at least let's hope we do. We do not want to know what could top this.