Brian Synder/Reuters
Online clothing retailer Yandy caused a Twitter uproar after releasing a “sexy” Halloween costume based on the Hulu series The Handmaid’s Tale. “An upsetting dystopian future has emerged where women no longer have a say,” a description for the caped minidress read. “However, we say be bold and speak your mind in this exclusive Brave Red Maiden costume.” Critics of the getup accused it of sexualizing rape victims, as the characters who wear the red outfits in the TV series are forced into surrogacy. Yandy responded by pulling the costume from its shelves, but not without defending it. “Over the last few hours, it has become obvious that our ‘Yandy Brave Red Maiden Costume’ is being seen as a symbol of women’s oppression, rather than as an expression of women’s empowerment,” the site’s statement read. “This is unfortunate, as it was not our intention on any level. Our initial inspiration to create the piece was through witnessing its use in recent months as a powerful protest image.”