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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think Tesco/F&F should be ashamed?

180 replies

Welshpoppyyellow · 08/05/2025 21:09

To sell this T shirt in age 5-6?

Interested in other people's thoughts.

To think Tesco/F&F should be ashamed?
OP posts:
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10
LillyPJ · 08/05/2025 23:25

SkibbityBap · 08/05/2025 21:20

Isn't it just an easter/spring tshirt?

Am I missing something?

It made me think of the Bunny Girls (Playboy Bunnies) who wore pink bunny ears and very skimpy right pink outfits - definitely not appropriate for young kids. But I guess you have to be a certain age to see that association and it's probably not an intentional one on the t shirt.

Charlize43 · 08/05/2025 23:17

What size does it come in? Would it fit a 58 year old?

SpidersAreShitheads · 08/05/2025 23:12

Welshpoppyyellow · 08/05/2025 23:01

@AliBaliBee1234 in response to you saying I'm being defensive and not listening to feedback. (Jeez, I am terrible at quoting posters in a comment and then can't amend🤦)

Ok, I am (somewhat ironically) going to defend myself here, because that's absolutely not what's happening.

"it's definitely not as clear cut as I thought" is what I said. I'm listening.

I've posted to see if people think if my reaction was unreasonable. I'm not trying to convince anyone else of my stance.

I mention the play boy pencil case era as an example of why I might have had the reaction I did to the t shirt, not as a reason why I'm right.

The poll is 46:54 in favour of AIBU at the moment and it has been really interesting to hear the other viewpoint - I think the fact that honey bunny means different things to different people is a big factor in how you respond to it.

Edited

I think your response has been pretty fair OP.

Sometimes we see something and are just appalled by it, and it's hard to see why others don't see it the same way.

I have heard honey bunny and other derivatives as a term for a partner, but I've also heard it used in a more innocent way for children. I think there are plenty of names that can have that double meaning: sweetheart, babe, darling, sweetie etc.

I'm currently calling DS "monkey pants". I don't actually know how that originated, and I probably wouldn't recommend that for a partner as it'd be a bit weird.

I do think there are some nicknames/descriptors that are strictly partner-only and not suitable for a child. The worst one I can think of is "sexy". I absolutely HATE hearing any parent use that phrase about a child "my sexy little boy" - nothing will persuade me that it's not fucking weird and deeply, deeply inappropriate, but not all will agree with me. That's a whole other thread 😂

I think @BoredZelda nailed it really. I can't really find this T-shirt offensive for the reasons you do OP, but honestly, I'm not a fan at all of the different messages we put on T-shirts for our boys and girls.

mondaytosunday · 08/05/2025 23:10

I call my kids honey bunny, it’s a term of endearment!

Peaceandquietandacuppa · 08/05/2025 23:05

It’s tacky as shit and definitely a little too close to the playboy brand. Nothing to do with the phrase used on the T-shirt and all to do with the way they have branded it.

MumWifeOther · 08/05/2025 23:04

Really not that deep. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.

SpidersAreShitheads · 08/05/2025 23:01

BrianaBlessed · 08/05/2025 22:48

From the OED - references are to a partner.

Not every source says the same though.

Also from the OED, this suggests it's frequently used for a child.

Like the OP says, I think there's probably regional variations on this. A quick Google search shows a lot of non-dictionary sites referring to "honey bunny" as a nickname for their child eg/Babycentre, Stepchild, and also Cambridge Press.

Mind you, all of that aside, I still don't like the T-shirt and wouldn't have put it on DD when she was little.

To think Tesco/F&F should be ashamed?
Original poster
Welshpoppyyellow · 08/05/2025 23:01

@AliBaliBee1234 in response to you saying I'm being defensive and not listening to feedback. (Jeez, I am terrible at quoting posters in a comment and then can't amend🤦)

Ok, I am (somewhat ironically) going to defend myself here, because that's absolutely not what's happening.

"it's definitely not as clear cut as I thought" is what I said. I'm listening.

I've posted to see if people think if my reaction was unreasonable. I'm not trying to convince anyone else of my stance.

I mention the play boy pencil case era as an example of why I might have had the reaction I did to the t shirt, not as a reason why I'm right.

The poll is 46:54 in favour of AIBU at the moment and it has been really interesting to hear the other viewpoint - I think the fact that honey bunny means different things to different people is a big factor in how you respond to it.

OP posts:
HuffleMyPuffle · 08/05/2025 22:59

Those offended by bunnies should complain about all these KIDS books....

To think Tesco/F&F should be ashamed?
To think Tesco/F&F should be ashamed?
To think Tesco/F&F should be ashamed?
To think Tesco/F&F should be ashamed?
LBFseBrom · 08/05/2025 22:58

MindfulAndDemure · 08/05/2025 21:27

The bunny ears with one bent over is very similar to the playboy logo. Their models were called playboy bunnies, so I can see why it could be considered distasteful.

Show quote history

That is a bit of a stretch, frankly. I doubt many young parents would even think of playboy bunnies.

It looks springlike to me. Not my sort of thing but then I am an oldie, don't have small children. Surely no different to dressing up as a fairy or a princess - or a marvel superhero, maybe less.

Dangermoo · 08/05/2025 22:57

🙄🙄

Mummyoflittledragon · 08/05/2025 22:56

Atarin · 08/05/2025 21:32

Exactly, that looks nothing like the logo on the t-shirt!

I think the Playboy bunny is very ‘of an era’ and most younger people wouldn’t associate with that now.

Show quote history

I don’t agree with this. My dd is 16 and at Halloween some of the girls dressed in corsets - witches, a couple of playboy bunnies etc.

ComtesseDeSpair · 08/05/2025 22:55

BrianaBlessed · 08/05/2025 22:48

From the OED - references are to a partner.

All of those words are interchangeable for different contexts though, surely? I call my small goddaughter honeybun, sweetheart and darling, and nobody yet has ever looked at me swivel-headed expecting to see a paedophile standing next to her. They might be words you can use towards a partner but it’s very historic that they are exclusively used that way.

Walkden · 08/05/2025 22:53

"some people thinking you’ve put your kid in some kind of adult sexualised top

Says a lot about your sphere I guess.....

BrianaBlessed · 08/05/2025 22:52

Walkden · 08/05/2025 22:49

"Maybe in your sphere, not in mine. Or in others here. Which is clearly where the issues lie. No-one is ‘wrong.’"

Which would mean Tesco are perfectly reasonable in selling this top and should not be "ashamed" of it..... People can choose to buy it or not based on their own "spheres"

Sure. If you want some people thinking you’ve put your kid in some kind of adult sexualised top. Go for it!

BoredZelda · 08/05/2025 22:51

Gave up buying girls’ clothes when they had “Born to Sparkle” on a pink t-shirt and “Born to lead” on a blue one.

The casual sexism in children’s clothes is appalling.

Walkden · 08/05/2025 22:49

"Maybe in your sphere, not in mine. Or in others here. Which is clearly where the issues lie. No-one is ‘wrong.’"

Which would mean Tesco are perfectly reasonable in selling this top and should not be "ashamed" of it..... People can choose to buy it or not based on their own "spheres"

BrianaBlessed · 08/05/2025 22:48

From the OED - references are to a partner.

To think Tesco/F&F should be ashamed?
BrianaBlessed · 08/05/2025 22:46

AliBaliBee1234 · 08/05/2025 22:44

Actually no, it's just a term of endearment.

Show quote history

Maybe in your sphere, not in mine. Or in others here. Which is clearly where the issues lie. No-one is ‘wrong.’

Rosesonroses · 08/05/2025 22:45

My daughter is 4 and had this top for Easter. There is literally nothing wrong with it, it was part of their Easter collection hence the bunny ears. It looks nothing like the playboy bunny.

AliBaliBee1234 · 08/05/2025 22:44

BrianaBlessed · 08/05/2025 22:42

hunny bunny is a (old fashioned) nickname for an adult partner. Not a child. Coupled with the bunny association of ears a la playboy it’s disingenuous to say this is anything but a reference to that

Actually no, it's just a term of endearment.

AliBaliBee1234 · 08/05/2025 22:43

Fordian · 08/05/2025 22:20

Complain. Completely inappropriate. Just because ‘others’ don’t have those boundaries, it doesn’t mean those us who do see the harm - shouldn’t remind companies of those boundaries.

'Honey bunny" is a term of endearment, similar to "honey," "sweetheart," or "darling," often used to express affection or fondness'

What boundaries do you believe we don't have.
I am a child of the 90's and it was a common expression between mothers and their children.

2024onwardsandup · 08/05/2025 22:43

Loomy · 08/05/2025 21:26

No idea what the issue is here

It’s sexualised

samarrange · 08/05/2025 22:43

ItGhoul · 08/05/2025 22:37

I think people making a connection with Playboy are massively overthinking this. ‘Honey Bunny’ and ‘Honeybun’ are terms of endearment and rabbits do not scream sex to most people.

Since we're apparently doing double entendre bingo, can I get a point for spotting that "rabbit" is a type of vibrator?

BrianaBlessed · 08/05/2025 22:42

hunny bunny is a (old fashioned) nickname for an adult partner. Not a child. Coupled with the bunny association of ears a la playboy it’s disingenuous to say this is anything but a reference to that

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