Ray Rice Halloween Costume Stirring Controversy

A Race Rice Halloween costume is stirring controversy all over the internet. The costume debuted less than two months after TMZ released a video which clearly shows Rice spitting on his then fiance Janay Palmer, punching her in the face, knocking her unconscious, kicking her, and then dragging her limp body out of the elevator.

After the video surfaced, Ray Rice was released by the Ravens and indefinitely suspended by the NFL on September 8th. The next day Janay Rice released a note on her Instagram account where she said, “reality is a nightmare in itself” and criticized the media for causing pain to her family. “To make us relive a moment in our lives that we regret everyday is a horrible thing,” she wrote.

According to USA TODAY an estimated 7,000 fans traded in their Ray Rice Jerseys due to the incident.

As horrific as the event was, recently the assault re-emerged in what some people believe to be a bit of sinister humor. A controversial Ray Rice Halloween costume has been receiving a lot of attention on social media platforms such as Twitter. The costume features couples dressed as Ray Rice wearing a Baltimore Raven’s jersey and Janay Palmer sporting a black eye.

Ray RIce blackface costume is what not to wear for #Halloween this yearhttp://t.co/dvVWS2dZJj pic.twitter.com/nqKsggjF7v

— UPI.com (@UPI) October 28, 2014

The costume openly mocks the publicized abuse between Ray and Janay. Some Twitter users have also posted their own solo versions of this costume in which they are wearing the Baltimore Raven’s jersey and holding a blow up doll to depict Janay. The doll is typically being dragged behind the costume wearer.

Frontrunner for this year's worst Halloween costume: http://t.co/9E0PCDeQSA pic.twitter.com/toqnSCReKo

— Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) October 21, 2014

One photo of the Ray Rice Halloween costume even surfaced on Instagram. This time with a young child depicting Ray Rice, while he drags a doll behind him.

#RayRice is a real-life monster, not a Halloween costume. #LibCrib #fem2 #YesAllWomen pic.twitter.com/nQ68q0Xcyc

— Lady Grey (@LadyMEGrey) October 28, 2014

The response by the public to these costume ideas and Twitter posts appear to be a mix of amusement and disgust. Whichever it may be, the Ray Rice Halloween Costume does appear to be growing in popularity as the holiday draws ever closer.