If you're planning on skipping a generic Halloween costume for something TOPICAL...you might want to think twice before choosing a costume based on the biggest news story of the past two years: The pandemic.
A new survey asked 2,000 parents what costumes they considered the most offensive, and COVID-19 made the Top 10, along with more obvious stuff:
Holocaust-related costumes was #1, followed by anything blackface...anything with the Confederate flag...and "transphobic" costumes. (We assume this is for specifically mocking trans people...not cross-dressing as a character.)
Pandemic-related costumes were #5, with 32% of people saying it's offensive. These could include things like wearing hazmat suits, or dressing as a virus or a vaccine. Basically, not mocking a tragedy that's killed so many people.
Cultural stereotypes is next on the list, followed by controversial figures...overtly sexual costumes...homeless people...and religious costumes.
As for the "sexual costumes," this was a survey of PARENTS who were thinking about kids costumes. Adults are probably still fine doing the sexy cop / sexy nurse thing...or anything from Squid Game!