Meanwhile, Katherine Schwarzenegger honors essential workers and upcycling
Two roads diverged in the woods of Halloween 2020, and celebrity mogul Paris Hilton took the one too much traveled, with a tired naughty nurse outfit that undermined real nurses’ efforts to get resources during the pandemic. Meanwhile, Katherine Schwarzenegger kneeled in scrubs with her rescue dog and homemade box structures that honored essential workers, in an effort to at least make things a little better.
November 1, 2020 – Today the ET Canada website posted a slideshow of celebrities in Halloween outfits that managed to highlight the best and worst of the nursing image at the holiday. First in the slideshow was Paris Hilton. We’ll let item author Aynslee Darmon lead off: “Paris Hilton Is A Naughty Nurse: Paris Hilton was photographed at a Halloween party, costumed in a risque nurse’s uniform that she paired with matching white vintage Chanel fingerless gloves.” And to be slightly more specific on the risque point, the uniform was not all that short, but it also didn’t have much of a top.
At the other end of the spectrum, buried deep in the slideshow, there was author and animal advocate Katherine Schwarzenegger. Darmon again: “Katherine Schwarzenegger Pays Tribute To Essential Workers With Upcycled Halloween Costume… The star and her adorable pup Maverick paid tribute to the healthcare workers and first responders working hard this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.” The photo showed Schwarzenegger kneeling in solid blue scrubs and a surgical mask, inside a sort of box-building that thanked essential workers, while beside her Maverick sat in a box-fire house, with a fire chief’s hat on. Her post explained that she had upcycled some Amazon Prime boxes and household items, and she encouraged others to do the same: “We would love to see how you’re getting creative with upcycled Halloween costumes! @amazon #MoreThanABox.” Of course, Schwarzenegger is not necessarily playing a nurse, but she also isn’t not a nurse.
In any case, this does suggest two paths at Halloween. First, an apparent effort to honor the honorable and, at least in a small way, to save the planet. And second, an apparent effort to burnish a $300 million global brand by casually exploiting a damaging stereotype that presents nursing as being all about feminine sexuality and undermines real nurses’ claims to the respect and resources they need to save lives during the pandemic. This may be what Paris Hilton has recently described as “sliving,” a combination of “slaying” and “living your best life.” It’s not in line with the stated health policy goals of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, to which Paris’s grandfather Barron reportedly donated 97% of his multi-billion dollar hotel fortune. But we’re sure Paris will help nurses slive later.
You can reach Paris Hilton on Twitter @ParisHilton
