‘Is Your Dog’s Halloween Costume Sexist?’

The Washington Post thinks that your pet’s Halloween costume may be sexist.

Abha Bhattarai reports that while "national retailers have begun taking steps to eliminate gender labels from their products" for humans, pet stores such as PetSmart and Baxter Boo still segregate dog costumes by male and female.

Bhattarai:

The glass ceiling appears to be firmly in place at PetSmart, where career costumes labeled "male" include firefighter and police officer, while female dogs can choose between a pink cowgirl costume and pink loofah.

On the site BaxterBoo.com, options for your female pooch include "sweet heart nurse" or French maid. "Any tidy girl dog will look adorable wearing this French Maid Dog Costume," the site’s description reads. "Whether your pup is a clean freak or a messy mutt, she will enjoy playing ‘dress up’ in this fun costume."

"It seems silly on the surface, but this is part of a larger message we’re sending, that there are certain jobs for men, and certain jobs for women," said Scott Lawrie, 36, who co-hosts a podcast, ‘She will not be ignored,’ about gender issues. "The career options for women — and dogs — need to go beyond pink loofahs and pink cowgirls."

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