At all of our Halloween festivities (and there were a few) we didn't see anyone dressed provocatively.

Very few trick-or-treaters came by our house, but all the girls were modestly dressed. I suspect it had a lot to do with the weather - by the time Halloween rolls around in our neck of the woods it's long sleeves and jackets season. You'd have to be one determined person to be running around with any amount of bared flesh.

Oops, missed voting! I would have voted for the Juice Box. I can't believe the detail!

Hey, you might want to google the word "squaw". It has an interesting history and many people choose not to use it. In my opinion, people dressing as American Indians is always a little weird anyway, regardless of whether they are referred to as "squaw" or "princess" or "woman".

Lynnie - People can make anything controversial if they want to - including the word "Girl." If you're offended I'll change the word.

It's up to you whether you change words on your own blog or not, but thanks for the offer. : )

I just know a lot of people are unaware of the history and controversy surrounding the word. If you are completely aware of it but still choose to use the word "squaw" rather than the word "girl" which, in this context, would be completely inoffensive, that's up to you. After all, the word "squaw" does mean "woman" but has a, shall we say, "shady" past.

But if you used that word and you were completely unaware of its history, then I just wanted to let you know it might be worth looking up, because I do think it would be highly inappropriate to refer to an actual Native American woman as a "squaw" unless you knew her very well and were joking, or if you were being ironic, or if you were deliberately "reclaiming" a word.

Yes, words. Such powerful little things.

By the way, I can't help but notice your last name. Are you Sioux? I am Oneida.

I changed it.

No, I'm not Sioux or Native American.

You're a Native American woman - do you find the word "Squaw" offensive? To you personally?

I kind of think of words like Squaw like the word "wife" - it's got a history and not all of it good. Mainly because the past roles of women haven't been very good in most cultures. But things are looking up so I try not to be offended when my husband claims me as his "wife." :)

I, personally, mean no offense at all.

No offense taken. I do find the word offensive, and over the course of history it's been used more offensively than the word "wife" ever has (although, now that I thik of it, maybe I should google "wife"!). But I never take offense at anything if I think a person is just uninformed. But still, it's nice to inform people in case they just didn't realize. My husband once referred to me as his squaw and, although I laughed, I did set him straight on the true story! : )

You should probably Google "wife."

It's meaning was like unto "property" as lowly as cattle for centuries.

I'm sorry I used the word squaw. I won't do it again.

Yeah, I was so surprised to see that used on such a female-positive blog! That's a fightin' word where I come from. I've *only* ever seen it used in very derogatory ways. Thanks for listening.

At all of our Halloween festivities (and there were a few) we didn't see anyone dressed provocatively.

Very few trick-or-treaters came by our house, but all the girls were modestly dressed. I suspect it had a lot to do with the weather - by the time Halloween rolls around in our neck of the woods it's long sleeves and jackets season. You'd have to be one determined person to be running around with any amount of bared flesh.

Oops, missed voting! I would have voted for the Juice Box. I can't believe the detail!

Hey, you might want to google the word "squaw". It has an interesting history and many people choose not to use it. In my opinion, people dressing as American Indians is always a little weird anyway, regardless of whether they are referred to as "squaw" or "princess" or "woman".

Lynnie - People can make anything controversial if they want to - including the word "Girl." If you're offended I'll change the word.

It's up to you whether you change words on your own blog or not, but thanks for the offer. : )

I just know a lot of people are unaware of the history and controversy surrounding the word. If you are completely aware of it but still choose to use the word "squaw" rather than the word "girl" which, in this context, would be completely inoffensive, that's up to you. After all, the word "squaw" does mean "woman" but has a, shall we say, "shady" past.

But if you used that word and you were completely unaware of its history, then I just wanted to let you know it might be worth looking up, because I do think it would be highly inappropriate to refer to an actual Native American woman as a "squaw" unless you knew her very well and were joking, or if you were being ironic, or if you were deliberately "reclaiming" a word.

Yes, words. Such powerful little things.

By the way, I can't help but notice your last name. Are you Sioux? I am Oneida.

I changed it.

No, I'm not Sioux or Native American.

You're a Native American woman - do you find the word "Squaw" offensive? To you personally?

I kind of think of words like Squaw like the word "wife" - it's got a history and not all of it good. Mainly because the past roles of women haven't been very good in most cultures. But things are looking up so I try not to be offended when my husband claims me as his "wife." :)

I, personally, mean no offense at all.

No offense taken. I do find the word offensive, and over the course of history it's been used more offensively than the word "wife" ever has (although, now that I thik of it, maybe I should google "wife"!). But I never take offense at anything if I think a person is just uninformed. But still, it's nice to inform people in case they just didn't realize. My husband once referred to me as his squaw and, although I laughed, I did set him straight on the true story! : )

You should probably Google "wife."

It's meaning was like unto "property" as lowly as cattle for centuries.

I'm sorry I used the word squaw. I won't do it again.

Yeah, I was so surprised to see that used on such a female-positive blog! That's a fightin' word where I come from. I've *only* ever seen it used in very derogatory ways. Thanks for listening.