Halloween and Gender Bias

My daughter is 19 years old and I clearly remember an epic mother-daughter battle 6 Halloweens ago over her costume choices. It appeared that costume choices went from cartoonish to provocative as soon as she needed clothing in juniors sizing. I am shocked that these suggestive costumes are now being made for very young children, well, girls. 

I am pleased that there does seem to be a movement addressing this. SPARK is a girl-fueled activist movement to demand an end to the sexualization of women and girls in media. I ran across this site last week: 
Cookie Monster Costumes for Toddler Girls and Boys

How is this developmentally appropriate? If this is okay and socially acceptable, then why aren't boys costumes designed like this? I highly doubt I'm going to see a  Magic Mike costume for a preschool boy in a costume shop. Of course parents have the choice not to buy the sexy little girls costume, but when this is what they see on the shelves and on other children, will they start to believe that this is the norm and this is how one dresses young children?  If you are appalled by this too, SPARK has a Call To Action page on their website where you can sound off: Call To Action

I feel that these costumes send a message to both girls and boys that it's never too early for girls to start being sexy and that girls are supposed to look "hot" at every age. Girls are inundated from a very young age with inappropriate messaging by way of products, including sexy Halloween costumes. Children begin to codify other kids by placing them in strict categories that they've been taught -- not born with. Inevitably, kids begin to believe that girls need to be sexy, and boys believe it, too.

Grown woman make a conscious choice to dress in sexually suggestive outfits for Halloween or any other night of the year. She knows a sexy dress is going to garner a different reaction than Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, but she can take precautions to stay safe from the creepers. A child has no idea what's going on. It is our responsibility as adults and early childhood professionals to protect children and educate those that care for them.

Huffington Post Parents has a slide show showing the evolution of girls Halloween costumes throughout the years: Girls Costumes Then and Now 

My mom made me dress as a gorilla when I was 8 years old. It was a full body costume with a mask. I have been holding a grudge for approximately 34 years about this, but I think I'm over it now. I'm thankful she didn't send me out on the street dressed as a trampy looking Jane.