to think women writhing around in suspenders and stockings is...

[hatwoman]

...not really family viewing? I've barely watched x-factor in my life but I had thought everyone said that, for all its faults, it was something that had got families watching telly together. I was expecting wholesome boy bands and gutsy young girls. Clearly I'm naive and a prude.

MrsSparkle
how do you know she "loves" and "embraces" her body?
because she has almost naked backing dancers doing lap dancing? is that what that says to you?

can you only love your body if you show it to men and ask them to love it too?

wow LOTHS - it would seem that you think parents are the only ones responsible for children and young people's role models and aspirations. does peers factor into that for you? what about the media?

I totally agree with the OP and everyone who said that they felt it was inappropriate for a family show. the X factor finale is billed as the biggest entertainment show of the year, children will watch it. they will also watch it tomorrow morning when its repeated. the 9pm watershed is there to prevent sexual and violent images being viewed by children, by showing this ITV are breaking codes of practice in place to protect children.

5yo's should not watch 15 rated films. 10 year olds should not watch strippers. it was highly inappropriate.

amijee you have so missed the understanding of my post that I can't be bothered to repeat it.

Interestingly the Guardian liveblog refers to Christina's dancers as 'lapdancers' and advises readers not to bother looking for Rihanna's performance on youtube as

"it might contravene several of the site's terms and conditions. Goodness me."

Maybe that is why I haven't been able to find it. If it isn't acceptable for posting on youtube then it is definitely not acceptable as family viewing.

Have complained to Ofcom. Link here.

"We're all alright"

there are a lot of girls and young (and old) women who are very far from alright because of being over sexualised at a young age!

you might be alright, I am alright, but at least I am aware that IT is not alright and is a factor in others not being alright as a result

This is it though, Xtina doesn't define herself on what others think of her body. If she did, she wouldn't have come out and done a performance like that haven't gained some weight.

It's other people who write crap about how she looks "fat" and call her nasty names that are putting the idea in childrens heads that to look like Xtina at present (bigger then she was before) is wrong and not the norm.

My DH was shocked. He is never shocked!

Can't you all see it's just a matter of degrees?

A strict muslim female in full purdah would say that wearing a skirt or uncovering your head was flaunting your body and sexuality.

A homophobic person would say that a gay kiss on eastenders is terrible for children and pre watershed.

A strict Conservative parent may dissaprove of sex education and contraception in schools.

It's all about where you draw the line. I just draw mine differently.

I do think that. Too much blame is put on the media because of lazy arsed parents.
My mum brought me up to be independent, intelligent and confident and I am, so are my siblings.
Women in my family are incredible, women who've gotten places way ahead of their time, and have fought for the rights of others.
I feel sorry for kids who have to draw inspiration from the tv because their parents can't be bothered.

Thanks for the link Mollie O, I have complained.

"how do you know she "loves" and "embraces" her body?"

I know because i lisen to what she says in her interviews. She has a really positive message that women should embrace their bodies and sexuality no matter what shape or size they are and is very proud to be a strong woman.

yes it would solve the problem for you wonderland

Nobody is forcing you to watch it - Im sure you have full control of the remote, your limbs & can simply turn over.

No, I dont particularly like the constant stream of women on TV, in music videos etc that are dressed like hookers but if something offends me i turn over - and if I dont want my children to see something - I turn it over!

Unfortunately we are continuously exposed to this sort of thing but its up to you/us as adults to make the choice for ourselves.

No amount of whinging to Ofcom will change things...so you have to make the change where it counts - in your own home & with your own family.

I wish it was that simple Ladyofthehousespeaking.

I work in a school and most teenage girls are massively influenced by popular culture and then by peer pressure. Their middle aged mothers can tell them that it's what inside that counts until they are blue in the face. They look at TV, magazines etc. and see that, for a woman, it is what you look like and how sexy you are that counts.

X factor tonight would have been seen by a lot of younger children. Both Rihanna and Christina are beautiful and talented, but that wasn't enough - those kids watching tonight were shown that you have to be seen as 'hot and up for it' as well.

YANBU the Rhianna performance espicially in my opinion was disgrace at such an early time. To strip to nothing but underwear at half past eight was completly unrequired. She was wearing nothing more than a girl at a strip club. Shocking viewing, even more so as she will have been aware that many of her young fans were watching

"This is it though, Xtina doesn't define herself on what others think of her body. If she did, she wouldn't have come out and done a performance like that haven't gained some weight"

would she really have cancelled her performance if she was sobbing in her changing room about not feeling comfortable due to her home life and weight gain? or would she still have been forced to go on stage anyway because she was contractually obliged to fulfill all the film promotion bookings that had been made for her?

Do you think ITV bosses would have said "you take some you time darling and call us when you feel ready again" if she'd have phoned them up last week and said she didn't really feel up to it because she felt fat!

hmmmm, let me think...!

It isn't just about the DC seeing it. I don't want to see it. I am not remotely interested in seeing CA girating - why would I be? It isn't entertaining! It isn't clever! It's ugly and crass and provocative. It's now completely mainstream so can't even pretent to own an artistic element that pushes boundaries. It essense it's just yawn boring smut that is slightly embarrasing to watch - even when you're on your own.

Certainly don't want my beautiful intelligent children seeing the gutter dancing, which is passed off as 'family entertainment'.

this is really nothing new - those of you who are old enough, think back to Morecambe and Wise in the 70s; to Benny Hill, Top of the Pops with Legs and Co - women gyrating in next to nothing has always been on primetime TV. It's not great, but I don't think it's turned me into an image-obsessed bimbo.

but Christina looking great?? I don't think so! False hair, false face, false tits, over-whitened teeth.... hideous. whether or not she does a lot for domestic violence in the US she still looks utterly sluttish.

Cocks Out For Mumsnetters!

Amijee - where's the next step? Will we be commenting on pubic topiary in XFactor 2011? Would that be OK?

You're missing the point, though. Get the men out there in next to nothing and simulating fucking and the prude point stands if there are complaints. Until then, this is about women.

i will make my complaint too.

I could have turned over but I was out of the room making a cup of tea and upon my return was greeted by Christina's crotch. The watershed is supposed to be there for a reason so parents don't have to constantly hover over the remote control.

"No amount of whinging to Ofcom will change things...so you have to make the change where it counts - in your own home & with your own family."

I know, my 9 yr old asked for Rihanna's album and I have said no. I suggest more parents do the same. Don't need to worry about Christina, the whole family was in agreement that she was rubbish.

MsSparkle. If Xtina didn't define herself by what others think of her body, she wouldn't feel the need to show it off for approval.
Or maybe she doesn't want to but knows she'll get nowhere in her career if she doesn't.

It's totally wrong to judge her or anyone on their weight, of course.

You have said that it shouldn't be put into children's heads that Xtina's look is not the norm. But surely by her performance, and the hundreds more on tv everysingle day, we are putting it into their heads that how your body looks IS very important. Surely it only reinforces the idea that a girls worth IS her body, and it BETTER measure up?

Corlan- I think most teenage girls will see sexuality as a top priority. Hormones etc will not hamper those sorts of feeling and actions, I think it's about being taught respect for yourself, my auntie always told me that I was too good to be some girl a boy couldn't even remember the name of. I do believe it, and compared to alot of my friends (who never ad that drummed into them) I'm practically a virgin.

I've just watched the you tube footage again TRYING to see what was offensive about Rihanna's act and I can't. She's just a really great dancer.

If Xtina wasn't comfortable doing those kind of performances no matter what size she was, she would be dieting like crazy by now. She is very proud of her body!

What age group is the XF for when it comes to childrens? I mean what would the minimum age be that they would recommend?