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Kid's clothing, WAY too provocative!
Posted by Anok • 8/04/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: clothes, sexualizing little girls
Yeesh, and open request to the makers of children's clothing, PLEASE stop making clothes that make little girls look like prostitutes. PLEASE.
I've noticed a disturbing trend in kid's clothing - every time I need to buy clothes for Punky, the selection of clothing has become rather...restrictive. Today I was with a friend and her 7 year old daughter. She was wearing a bathing suit that made Paris Hilton look modest.
Now, I'm by no means a prude, and when you wear a bathing suit - any kind - you show a lot of skin and body. That's not the issue. It was the way the suit was cut that made my jaw drop.
It was a two-piece that was cut so that the front end of the bottom dipped down to just above the girl's genitalia (and I mean JUST above), an d the top was so tiny and cut so that this little girl looked like she actually had breasts.
I mean...WOAH! Slow down! I had commented that her bathing suit was a little..."small" to her mother, and she noted that it was the best one they could find at the store, and the rest were WORSE! 0.o
Why on Earth have we allowed clothing companies to make clothes for kids that are so...adult? It's all you see on the shelves in most stores, so parents have little choice, it's that, go naked, or wear a potato sack.
What do you think we could do to get it across to the companies that little girls should not be made to look like tarts? I mean, this is beyond a kid being comfortable in their skin, because the cut of the clothing is actually sexual. We're sexualizing our children.
And we wonder why pedophiles are coming out of the woodwork - they can go to the beach and it's like a damn candy store for them! *shudder*
User Comments
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I agree Anok. I am usually shock when I attent these Children's parties conducted by my friends and see kids in provocative dresses. they are supposed to be kids and should be shown in that sense.-
I mean, what's wrong with a t-shirt and shorts? It's more functional, anyway!
But you know, hey, I love to look sexy once in a while for the hubby (and before I was married i would like to get dolled up to attract a partner from time to time) - but even for adults, do we need to look like honey-glazed sex kittens all the time?
I don't get it, I really don't. I mean - that poor girl could barely keep her suit on while she was trying to swim and have fun. It was too small (even if it was the right size) to play, and playing is what kids do!
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have you seen the girls clothing line launched by beyonce's house of dereon? i dont know if made it ti stores but i saw the adds for it, and the girls looked trashy!-
I haven't. I don't think I want to, either
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America is breeding a army of little hookers. I think there is a reality TV show on this....-
Ouch! The thing is, is that the little girls have no idea what the clothes are about, and are still great kids. I just think it's wildly inappropriate.
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I agree. It's not just clothes, either. Make up for 5 year olds is just dumb.-
Make up on kids freak me out.
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you should see the short skirts shhesss! what's with that?
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It was always my understanding that unless a kid has a work-permit, they can't earn wage on their own. Therefore, most of the money they use to purchase clothing comes from the parents. If the parents are in control of the cash source, then isn't it the parents' responsibility to make sure their kids aren't purchasing or being purchased skimpy clothing?-
The problem - at least what I'm hearing from other parents - is that the stores offer these types of clothes, and no real alternatives. I went into the baby section (the BABY section!) of a kid's clothing store - looking for some holiday dress-up clothes for Punky, and all they had were super mini skirts made of sweatpant material with "hot" and "sexy" on the rear end part and tops to match (the boys clothes were less sexual, but certainly no better). Not one nice holiday outfit in the store. Not ONE.
I had to go to five different kid's stores before I found even a remotely decent clothing line. And since it's a bargain place, what they have is hit or miss.
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I agree too and my friends with girls and I talk about it often. Usually around this time of year with back to school shopping.
Some of the outfits I see on small girls border on obscene and no one .. NO ONE needs to see a preteens cleavage. Then I hear "everyone's girls dress that way" as if it's a good reason to have your little girl all prepped up like a 21 year old party girl on a Friday night..
grrr-
Yeah, I don't get it at all!
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That sounds a wee bit risque. My little girl does a two piece short set but that's just me.-
I think 2 piece suits are great - much easier for kids to use and wear. But, you know, you don't have to look like you're about to model for Victoria's Secret or PLayboy or something
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It's really confusing for kids too. They're growing up WAY too fast--and it's all these factors: clothing companies that are so focused on female sexuality--even at a young age. And the media also. When I was 7 years old, I was climbing trees, riding my bikes, and fighting with boys. My seven year old niece is worried about her figure and dieting and wants to wear clothes that aren't even appropriate for a 17 year old!-
Yep - I see preteen girls worrying about that stuff. We were at the beach the other day, and these three TINY girl, probably not much older than 11 were obsessing over their weight and body. They were literally counting calories, and making fun of all the "fat" people there and that they knew from school.
All three of them could easily hide themselves behind one stopsign. You could see their ribs.
*shudder* -
It's actually becoming a really serious problem. I just read an NIH study that looked at little girls--as young as 6 and 7 developing eating disorders!
I could hardly believe it! At 7, I didn't give a damn about how much I weighed. When you're 7, you're not supposed to be that focused on your appearance.
It's terrible for little girls, especially--but even little boys are now developing problems with eating. -
The rate of men with eating disorders is on the rise, too. It's a terrible thing.
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Wow!That happens here too. I see kids with these bangles suited for 17 year olds...and oh my the hair! I think we should punish the designers who don't probably have kids themselves to worry about much.
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I can't help but wonder if they look at the kids they are selling clothes to, and think that they look good?
Or perhaps the designers are really pedophiles.
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As a parent with a little girl in particular, I don't think the clothes that are aimed at her age bracket are too bad - its more the 8-14 age bracket that I worry about.
I do think on the other hand that its up to the person buying the clothes to be responsible, I know there are peer pressures from other kids at school and what they're wearing but in my opinion there are stylish clothes out there that would be considered "cool" rather than looking plain trashy.
The sad thing is, people must be buying the trashy clothes because designers keep on making them.-
I know it's difficult for me to find enough clothes for Punky to wear without having to travel all over the state/into another state just to find something that doesn't scream "slut".
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I fully agree. Children need to experience innocence. I think it is vital. They have all the time in the world once they're older to experience 'adult' things.
Childhood is sacred. Every child deserves to be free of adult concerns and pressures. After all, they never asked to be here, so the least you can give them is their care-free world until they become adults to decide for themselves.
Who are these people that are pushing these 'sexy' bathing suits on innocent little girls? And why? That's what I'd like to know.-
I wanna know who in their right minds thought it was a good idea to begin with?
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- I'm appalled at what I see young girls wearing. More appalling still is to see mommy and daughter matching outfits on the beach and on the street that IMO are presenting female bodies as objects for voyeuristic consumption and as masturbatory props.
What the hell is the matter with parents who will not allow their little girls so have an actual childhood. What perverse notion initiates parents offering their half naked little girls up to this kind of exposure? Ultimately, it's parents who are responsible to preserve and protect their child's innocence so what the heck is the matter with the parents?
A 2007 report from the American Psychological Association compiled the findings of myriad studies, showing that the sexualization of young women and girls, in particular, can hurt them in many ways. Problems can include anything from low-self esteem and eating disorders to depression and anxiety.
Not surprisingly I have blogged on the same subject.
Sexualizing young girls
thistimethisspace.com/2007/06/27/sexualizing-young-girls/
And greencurmudgeon published a related guest post.
The Beauty Pageant Disease
thistimethisspace.com/2009/05/04/the-beauty-pageant-disease/-
What's funny is that there are tons of parents who get upset at seeing a naked toddler running around, while their kid is dressed up for a night out clubbing at the local meat market
Nudity is innocent - sexualized clothing is not! -
@Anok
- I have a partial quote I want to share.
Dr. Fulbright:
"The only “progress we have made is to move the sexuality explosion down to the next younger generations in JR. High and Elementary Schools. What we need is a return to decency and moral values.
Have we gone too far? Become too sophisticated? Because we now teach people how to enjoy all kinds of sex and the books are not hidden from our young. Our biggest problem is that we have too much idle time on our hands because we ignore the needs of others and seek to satisfy our own desires. We are selfish, arrogant, greedy, and unconcerned and we seek only pleasure.
Well there it is. Who will be the first person of influence with guts enough to speak up and try to start a moral decency movement? Will it be you?"
Although the spectre of a "moral decency movement" causes me deep concern because I do want to see sex discussed in open and healthy ways, like lotia and aspotofblog do. However, look at the big picture and the snapshots and I think he has a point.
Consider which are the most popular threads on online forums. They aren't the sex threads that are emphasizing education. They are the ones that focus on body parts and present them, for example, in terms of "tits" and "ass". Well when we go down that road we are demeaning and dehumanizing human beings. Consider just how much sexual innuendo is injected into threads that have nothing to do with sexuality on this forum.
Children do not necessarily do what we say.
They do what they see adults do. -
I think that one of the problems, actually, is that we're NOT having these conversations with our children about sex. We let them see all the adult innuendos and activities, but we don't talk to them about it.
Hence, the problem.
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Who do you blame though? the role models in the media, the clothing manufacturers, the clothing stores or the people who buy the clothes and dress their kids?
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George Bush. He seems to be taking the blame for everything. -
Good thinking, I blame him on a global scale
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I blame the person who had the brain child to make the clothes look like that in the first place.
Who thought that was a good idea?
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I blame the parents. There are descent looking clothes out there. We don't let our girls 'ho it up. It just takes being selective.
how insecure do these moms have to be in their children's looks, that they have to try to attract John Mark Karr with their clothing purchases -
I agree - as I say if the clothes don't sell they'll stop making them, but there are obviously some numb nuts out there keeping the market going
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Agreed
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That's easy for you guys to say. Do you have any idea how little there is out there for parents to buy that's both decent and affordable?
I've been lucky in that we have had a freecycle thing going on with kid's clothes - so I'm getting stuff from before this trend really took over. And I have one store in the county that offers a decent range of clothes for a price. that's it - everywhere else is PACKED with this crap. -
I dunno about the US but I find it easy to buy clothes for my girl here - yes there is the trashy stuff, but I often find that the trashy stuff IS the more expensive clothing (pay more / wear less).
Do you have pumpkin patch in the US? that store has good clothing from baby to pre-teen, stylish, fashionable and affordable -
I agree. There are clothing stores that allow children choices that aren't sluts-r-us.
And the "everyone else is" excuse doesn't cut it with me either. Just because everyone else's daughter looks pole dance worthy doesn't mean you're stunting your child in any way by requiring they dress decently.
I admit I got off easy because I had two boys but I didn't allow the droopy pants or the 5" of underware sticking out of their waist. They were mad then but I run a momocracy so they could be as mad as they wanted, nothing was going to change. Now they laugh when they see a boy who can barely walk because they have a wad of pants hanging between their knees. -
I can't speak for all of the US - but where I live it's ridiculous. I paid over $80 for a nice holiday outfit (after a week looking for one and finding only one), and yet the trashy stuff is selling at $10.
*shakes head* It's like the junk food here - the worse it is for you, the cheaper it is! All the healthy food is super expensive -
@Anok
Agit8r = custodian = not wealthy
We tend to pick "sporty" clothing. It does help that the girls like this stuff pretty well. It tends to be more modest. As for swimsuits, tankinis tend to cover pretty well.
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A sewing machine would be a good investment for any parent with the way kids fashion is trending. That's all I gotta say.
That, and a chemical weapon that only kills pedophiles and sexual predators. Oh man, that would kick so much ass.-
LOL! Yeah it would!
I do have a sewing machine, and I try to make punky clothes, but with the growth spurts and all, well.... -
I meant modifying clothes, but making your own works, too.
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My daughter is 10 and she dose not like how the girl jeans are so short in the wast. So she has been going to the boys department to get here jeans. and the dresses and skirts we keep looking for the onse that are no shorther then the knee and that takes some times forever but worth it. And it is just as bad for my 3 year old. shorts come on do they need to be that short.-
Yep _ I'm with ya on that one.
I shop for my pants in the men's department for the same reason as your daughter...just sayin'
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oops rong button. I do too. But if she wants desines on it we just go to the sowing department and get some iron ons and excetra and make our own desine.
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Not a bad idea!
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My foster mom still sews clothes. so if she sews clothes for my nieces...hahaha she's born in 1929 so go figure!
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It's something I used to be good at, but I've lost the touch so to speak.
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Anok, I really think concerned mothers should band together and demand age appropriate clothes for their children. Have you thought of creating some under the Ninja label?-
You know? After seeing that bathing suit today I just might.
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In the words of Jack Johnson: "We only receive what we demand, so if hell's what we want then hell's what we'll have."
If clothing companies are making this sort of horrible stuff it's because there was a market for it and we bought it.-
I used to think that, but when I look around the stores here what I see is that they all start selling the exact same stuff, for the same price, at the same time.
Every.Season.
So the way I see it is that they no longer go by what the market wants, and just figures that if we don't want to be naked, we will buy what they're selling. Then they turn around and say "What?! People are buying it!"
*shakes head*
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I have the same problem finding decent clothes for my 9y old nephew (I buy most, if not all, of his clothes). Now that he wears size 10 it is impossible to find jeans that are not super-baggy or shirts/sweatshirts that do not have skulls or graffiti-like printing on them. It seams like all the boys clothes, sizes 10-18, are designed for gang-members, horrible!-
It's getting that way for adult clothes, too.
It looks like the Junior department vomited all over the women's department, only in slightly larger sizes.
I've had a baby, I do NOT want low rise jeans. No one wants to see that... -
The less expensive it is, it seems like the trendier it is. When you move up in price to Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, J.Crew, Banana Republic there are plenty of clothes for adults that don't look like slightly larger versions of juniors.
My biggest issue with clothing retailers who create clothing for the lower end of the price range is that they use really bad, cheap materials, poor construction, and don't offer basics. When you go to a mid range to high end retailer, you will always be able to find a simple black skirt (with no ruffles, flounces or weird fabrics) and a simple, button down white blouse.
But walk into any women's department at a mass market retailer like JCPenney, Kohls, or Target. Good luck.
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I TOTALLY, 100% AGREE!!!! I think it's appalling. I don't think children, especially young girls, need such negative sexualization through provocative clothing.
Thongs? Skin tight glitter jeans? Preteen makeup? Midriff exposing tops? Platforms? It's disgusting.
I feel this way not because I believe that childhood is a time of innocence, but because this kind of programming about body image and sexual roles is extremely damaging to the self-esteem of young women. It is also extremely disruptive in schools.
There is already a steep inequality between the grades and achievement of girls in math and science once they reach middle school on. It's not because girls are less intelligent, but because girls are bombarded with images and stereotypes that men DON'T LIKE SMART GIRLS. They like giggly, bubbly, flirty ones.
There is a episode of "This American Life" about this achievement gap and why it exists at this day and age. It's disturbing actually that smart girls dumb themselves down deliberately.
www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1229
And don't even get me started on dolls that look like prostitutes.-
Ha! Insulted minds think alike? -
right. I don't even want them watching those spackled-up hos on Fox News
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I can't believe no one has brought up Bratz dolls. If you play with prostitutes, you're going to want to look like a prostitute.
And Bratz Babies are horrific. Sexy babies, and some people think they're cute.
images.chron.com/blogs/mamadrama/archives/bratz%20baby.jpg-
I just did ^. I didn't name them specifically, as Bratz has spawned a whole industry of dolls who look like prostitutes and porn stars.
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