You’ll see tons of Barbies and Kens tonight. Perhaps some Taylor Swifts and Travis Kelces. And, of course, you will have all your normal witches, vampires, ghosts and goblins.
But, if you’re in Alabama, there are some costumes you might want to skip not because they are scary or uncomfortable but because they are – at least in the technical sense – illegal.
According to Section 13A-14-4 of the Alabama Code, dressing up as a priest, nun or other clergy member is a misdemeanor.
Here’s what the code says:
“Whoever, being in a public place, fraudulently pretends by garb or outward array to be a minister of any religion, or nun, priest, rabbi or other member of the clergy, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $500 or confinement in the county jail for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.”
The law was passed by the Alabama Legislature in 1965.
It’s not clear if anyone in Alabama has ever been prosecuted for violating the law or why it was adopted in the first place, so there’s no need to fear if you plan to wear a nun costume as you go trick or treating tonight.
That’s not to say Halloween costumes haven’t landed some people in hot water in other states. Last year in Hamilton, Mississippi, five daycare workers wearing Halloween masks were charged with child abuse after they were captured on video scaring children in their care.
Sarah Wilson is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
