http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KM3XNhEmdE

There’s a lot of hubbub about women dressing like sluts on Halloween.

On the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Kristen Schall makes a solid point when she sarcastically points out that “women get this one night only, one, out of the whole year, to be viewed as sexual objects!” and if women really wants to clarify their intentions for the evening they should just dress up like a giant vaginas.

Now there is something that should be said about objectification, that is, being viewed as an object without any personal agency, which leads to a host of problems. But Halloween can be a time for so much opportunity when it comes to empowerment because Halloween gives people the opportunity to embrace their alter-egos.

It is the one night out of the entire year when you can be someone else.

Sure, a lot of women may choose the sexy route because perhaps they generally don’t feel that comfortable in their skin, or they have an excuse for that kind of display, or maybe they just want to dress like a slut. Should we really try to police women’s costume choices?

Jenna Marbles has some excellent thoughts regarding sluts on Halloween, particularly around this idea that women hate each other for no reason.

As she says in her video:

“Why are you so pissed at her for being a sexy giraffe?

Does she have your boyfriend’s dick in her mouth?

If yes, continue to be mad.

If no, calm the fuck down.”

And that’s the thing, why are we out judging other people for their clothing choices? If they feel good in it and they’re having a good time, who cares?!

Personally though, when it comes to Halloween I like to dress up as a woman who inspires me. I find that if I’m going to pretend to be someone else for the night, that person should be even more of a badass than I am (and I’m quite the badass).

Here are five empowering and yes, sexy women to help spark that creative Halloween costume idea.

1. Frida Kahlo

She survived polio only to in her teenage years be in a serious bus accident that fractured her spine, collarbone, ribs, shattered her pelvis and injured her shoulder and foot. She endured more than 30 operations in her lifetime and during her convalescence she began to paint becoming one of Mexico’s most well known and badass artists.

2. Joan of Arc

Acting under divine guidance, she led the French army to victory over the British during the Hundred Years’ War. She is known as a martyr, saint and military leader.

3. The Bride from Kill Bill

After four years of being in a coma, she wakes up and seeks revenge on the man and his accomplices who tried to murder her.

4. Queen Cleopatra

The last pharaoh of the Macedonian dynasty, Cleopatra is often discussed in regards to her powers of seduction, but she was also highly intelligent and a strong leader of Egypt for almost three decades.

5. Leeloo from the Fifth Element

A team of scientists use the DNA of the remains of the Fifth Element to rebuild the perfect being, and that of course, is Leeloo. She and Dallas (Bruce Willis) go on a crazy adventure to save the planet.

Bonus: Here I am as Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction, a character that, though has a slight drug problem, knows how to boogie.

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Ed: Bryonie Wise