Martha Stewart has addressed criticism of her Halloween costume after facing backlash for dressing as a homeless person. The businesswoman said the outfit was intended to draw attention to homelessness, but acknowledged that it had offended some people.
“I am distressed that my Halloween costume yesterday, which was intended to bring more awareness to the very serious subject of homelessness, has offended people, which was never my intention,” Stewart told Page Six in a statement on Sunday, shortly after removing the image.
The deleted photo showed Stewart wearing ripped clothing, with dirt on her face and a sign reading, “I am hungry. Help me.” The image appeared in a carousel promoting her candles. Critics on Reddit described the costume as offensive and out of touch.
Stewart said homelessness remains one of America’s greatest challenges and ongoing crises. She also highlighted the time and effort she has devoted to supporting charities that address the issue and said she was committed to continuing to make a difference.
In her statement, Stewart also described Halloween as one of her favorite holidays. She referred to her decades of sharing Halloween recipes, craft ideas and entertaining advice.
After deleting the disputed image, Stewart marked the holiday by sharing a throwback photo of herself dressed as a haunted horsewoman in 2009. Other images showed her dressed as a surfer at Bette Midler’s 1998 Hulaween gala and as a comic book character in 2017.
Earlier in the month, Stewart had posted images of herself wearing a black wig and outfit while making white chocolate ghosts. She also shared a video collage featuring Halloween costumes, cooking and crafts from different years, captioned, “When someone asks if I like Halloween.”
Sources: Page Six.