To be shocked on the way the girls are dressed on My big fat Gypsie Wedding

[pigletmania]

I understand that the Gypsie/travelling community have very high morals, why the hell are the little girls dressed like mini lolitas . Flesh everywhere, and dressed in a sexual manner. Its fine for the adults if they want to dress like that and wear those big wedding dresses, but not kids. They are just little girls.

katie, there's no comparison. There is nothing sexual about running around naked on a beach. Wearing more make-up than the assistant on the Boots counter, and hotpants and a cropped top, is, however.

Whimple I don't see what is wrong with wanting to watch a tv programme.

I am only "bitching" as you put it, because although I don't like posters laughing at the girls and their choices, I really don't agree with what I saw on the TV-not the clothes, but the dancing, the lack of choices the girls semmed to have and the grabbing. You just cannot justify it by saying "It's ok because it goes on in our culture too" I don't agree with it in our culture either!

\link{http://www.kitchensisters.org/girlstories/the-hidden-world-of-traveller-girls-npr/\interesting read}

and to the poster who referred to women as "second hand goods" - you disgust me

Do you not think that could turn around and say you're the sick ones for thinking that the clothes sexualise them or make them look like hookers?
They are children, whatever they are wearing they don't look like hookers, unless you're a pervert.

When they are dressing and dancing in a deliberately sexually provocative manner, then yes, that sexualises them. Whatever culture they are from.

I'm not justifying anything QLB...I am protesting about the gossipy nature of people who lap these infammatory shockumentaries and then bustle of to tut and judge.

It's awful.

To you maybe, not to everyone. Your cultural viewpoint is not everyone elses.

So then can you explain, Buzz? What is the purpose of dressing children so young in such provocative outfits? The cosmetic appearance and the spray tanning? I'm genuinely interested.

Leaving work in a min but am following this thread with interest.

I wouldn't normally be bothered about the clothing, but I was shocked by the "grabbing". It must be very frightening to have a man grab you like that against your will and to be told that is a normal way of courtship. So I guess I do not feel comfortable with young girls dressing and acting in such a sexual way, because maybe the men view them as something to he grabbed in a few years time. It does not seem that shocking that they do not have sex before marriage because they get married so young.

All I'm saying is don't assume the way you see it is the way they see it.

You could dress a girl in what you think is a demure and lovely outfit, and someone from another culture could tell you she's dressed like a slut, because they cover theirs from head to toe.
Its all relative. Do you really think they look at their little girls and think "excellent, you look exactly like a prostitute, just the look I was going for!"? Really? Or just perhaps they don't see it quite the same way as you do?

You are right about that point Buzz.
But how do you justify "grabbing"? would you use the same argument?

Makes me laugh,if Katie Price had Princess and a group of her friends dressed and behaving the same way you can bet your bottom dollar the posts braying for social services would have hit the 100 mark within minutes.

Wimple "gossipy nature" are viewers not allowed to question documentaries now ?

I don't justify any of it, I have my opinions, what I am objecting to is the "I say its this way so it is this way no argument" attitudes shown here. You have to try and look at it from their point of view.

Exactly Mila. Apparently as we have only watched one documentry, we are not qualified to comment.

As a women I find it highly offensive that, I have watched teenage girls being sexually assaulted on tv, it is encouraged and allowed by their parents and I am not allowed to comment on it????

Buzz when you have looked at grabbing from their point of view, what do you see?

We lived in Ireland for years and have family over here[traveller on dp's side] and non traveller on mine.
1st Holy Communion over there was odd.Lots of 'settled' people spendlots of money on Hummers and big dresses and fake tans.
I think the girls/women in Travelling community can dress like they do as they feel secure...still not sure why you would want to but there you go.I think it a shame that a more detailed programme has not been done about travellers rwalyy.

Personally I think its fucking appalling, but, and its a big but, I don't know much about it. But then again, neither does anyone else on this thread. I have a good idea that they would not call it sexual assault though.

i watched the programme last night and found it really interesting, but what did cross my mind when seeing the little girls all dancing in their skimpy clothes was i wonder how many pervs are getting their jollies to this right now, and have their other hand on the rewind button, sorry but i bet there were quite a few! On a lighter note the mother of the bride, oh my days, the hair, the fake tan, those eybrows and the saloon style dress!!!!

isn't there a mumsnet campaign "let girls be girls" is that also one step away from saying a woman who goes out dressed in a short skirt is asking for it ?

There was a much more sensible programme recently on Irish tv that was far less sensational and more honest, C4 should have shown that instead. Whoever made this programme can't even tell the difference between Travellers and Gypsies.

Agree Buzz

sexualisation of children is wrong, and should be judged - regardless of whether it's cultural.

Astounded that some posters don't recognise this.

Buzz I know where you are coming from saying you should look at the other side before making judgements. But somethings are indefensible. You said the girls probably don't see grabbing as assault. You are right, they don't see anything wrong with it because they grow up thinking you should allow it to happen. But that doesn't make it right. And I reserve the right to discuss how appalled I am when I see a teenager being assaulted on the TV.

aristomache - it's not far off imo, no.

I don't like that girls seem to be so looks-focussed so young these days, with all the accompanying neuroses and insecurities that brings; that part of the LGBG campaign makes sense.

But talk of "mini-hookers" is vile. I've said it a billion times - but there isn't a single item of clothing - or a dance move for that matter - that can possibly suggest that a girl of 10 (or a grown woman for that matter) is sexually available.

Totally aristomache, if I did a post like this but instead of young gypsie girls, they were the girls next door to me on the street dressing like that and dancing prevocatively, than there would be cries of 'let girls be girls' 'call social services'' oh dear the sexualisation of young children', so they are traveller girls so its ok then to dress like that.