“Mean Girls” taught our generation that “Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.”

Though I agree with the underlying premise of self-expression, I do not agree with the notion of calling other people “sluts.”

The term “slut” carries many negative connotations that are not true about the people being called that name. People are often called sluts when wearing revealing clothing or when acting promiscuously around the opposite sex.

“I don’t think [being called a slut] has to do with how much sex she has or how many guys she has slept with,” said Daniel Tomczak. “I think it’s more about the vibe she gives off.”

Halloween is a time of the year when men and women may choose to wear risqué costumes, revealing a lot of skin. On this day, many others may be tempted to “slut-shame,” attempting to express disagreement with sexy choices of fashion.

However, the standard notion of “slut” is not identical in every aspect of American society. Men and women swim at the beach or lift weights at the gym wearing the least restrictive clothing, which normally means the least amount of clothing as well.

Men swim in speedos and women lift weights in sports bras; it’s the reality of our culture, but that doesn’t make any of those men or women sluts for wearing revealing clothing.

Wearing a specific type of clothing does not define the individual, especially on Halloween, but wearing racy attire may provoke unwanted reactions. Furthermore, wearing promiscuous clothing during an inappropriate time could bring unwanted negative attention.

“Appropriate costume depends on where you’re going and who you are with,” Channing Clemmons, a junior, said. “Appropriate attire would be something that doesn’t cover all your extremities, but something that covers the important ones.”

Clemmons, a student majoring in Sexology and Psychology, suggests that one should wear clothing that could be considered vulgar only during “appropriate” times.

“It becomes inappropriate when there are children around,” said Clemmons. “If you wear less, you’re either more likely to be looked at or talked about in a negative way.”

There is a time and place for everything, so when deciding to wear revealing clothing, keep in mind where you will be going and who you will be with during the event. If you choose to wear something risqué, be sure to do so in a safe and trustworthy environment.

Instead of shaming men and women for wearing risqué clothing on Halloween, we should be encouraging self-appreciation. Wear a costume that makes you feel good about yourself. Instead of calling each other sluts, we should encourage our community to be accepting of one another.