Mother criticizes Party City for gender biased costumes

A woman who was searching for Halloween costumes for her daughter wrote an open letter to Party City criticizing apparent gender biases in the selection of children's costumes, WDIV reports.

Lin Kramer wrote that 30 percent of the 53 available boys costumes are based on occupations, while only 7 percent of the 45 girls costumes are based on occupations. Kramer said those girls costumes included "cheerleader" and "cowgirl."

She also referenced the police officer costumes, saying the boys costume looks similar to what an actual officer would wear, while the girls costume included a short skirt and a low-cut shirt.

"While Halloween costumes are undoubtedly about 'make-believe,' it is unfathomable that toddler girls and boys who might be interested in dressing up as police officers are seeking to imagine themselves in the incongruent way your business apparently imagines them," Kramer's post says.