Photo: Change.org
Kmarthas pulled a Halloween costume from their shelves in Australia after a woman created a petition, accusing the company of promoting forced child marriage.
Shannon B. organizedthe petition on Change.orgafter discovering the children’s costume in a Kmart store, which was called the “Bride Costume” and showed a little girl wearing a white dress and headband veil. According to the packaging, the costume was designed for little girls between the ages of four and six to wear.
However, Shannon claimed that the bridal gown was “beyond inappropriate” and normalized forced child marriage, which continues to be a problem around the world.
“Kmart -Take this child bride costume off your shelves,” she demanded.
A representative with World Vision Australia, which is a branch of the international humanitarian organization, later confirmed those statistics were accurate to theHuff Post.
RELATED VIDEO: Celebs Confess: My Best (and Worst) Halloween Costumes
Within five days, Shannon had garnered over 500 signatures of people supporting her cause. By Thursday afternoon, Shannon announced on the page that Kmart had officially removed the costume from their shelves in Australia two days earlier.
“Through this petition, we have made Kmart aware of their responsibility as a global franchise to no longer be ignorant to such pertinent global issues,” she wrote.
In a statement issued to7 News Australiaon Tuesday, Kmart apologized for the costume and said they did not mean to offend anyone.
“Kmart Australia regrets the decision to range the bride costume,” a spokesperson for the company told the outlet. “It was not intended to cause offense and we sincerely apologize. We have made the decision to withdraw this product.”
A representative for Kmart did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
In the wake of the costume’s removal, other people, including a woman named Sally Lord, have expressed theirdistaste for the decision in a separate petitionand argued that Kmart should let children be children.
“It helps kids with their imagination,” she continued. “I have children of my own and if they want to dress up an play make-believe marriage then I’m not stopping them. [B]y taking this off the shelves you have taken away that dream to children like my own who wish to dress up as a bride or wear it/hack it for a Halloween.”
The opposing petition has raised over 3,700 signatures so far.
source: people.com
