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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Are these dolls totally inappropriate?

284 replies

Itsbeen84yearss · 09/09/2021 08:00

Just seen the ad for these on channel 5 (in between peppa episodes). Marketed as ‘opposites’? I might be being bad minded but these look highly sexualised to me. I bought my dd an lol doll once but I think it had a school uniform on. Didn’t look like these at all. Why are they like this now?? Surely it’s sending all sorts of bad messages to kids

Are these dolls totally inappropriate?
OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Lulu1919 · 10/09/2021 06:58

I wouldn't have bought them for my daughters
They did have a barbie though.....but the clothes were more traditional !!!!

5128gap · 10/09/2021 07:41

@Siameasy

I don’t like them and six year old DD isn’t allowed them or the merchandise. They are too sexualised. Lots of mums I know agree with me when I point it out but lack the moral courage to reject these toys.
Or maybe they just say they agree because they don't want to listen to you lecturing them. You would need to be a very weak parent indeed to require 'moral courage' to tell your child no to a toy you don't want them to have. Refusing a child a doll is not an act of bravery that makes you superior, it's a day to day parenting choice.
Siameasy · 10/09/2021 08:51

AICM “Hate other women” - such hyperbole. The word “hate” really is bandied about so freely online. I am against sexist stereotypes; I think whoever designed those dolls has a dim view of women.

Siameasy · 10/09/2021 09:22

5128 oh yeah because I just rocked up and started “lecturing” other people randomly. They told me they really disliked the dolls as they “look like prostitutes” and I said I too dislike them and don’t buy them. They said they can’t say no to their child. To me, that is weak, sorry if that makes you uncomfortable but it is.
My DMIL pushed and pushed these dolls to my DD when she was 4 and I repeatedly said no please don’t buy them and explained why not. She bought them anyway. I removed them and sold them on eBay. As I had said I would. That wasn’t comfortable as I like my MIL.

5128gap · 10/09/2021 09:44

@Siameasy

5128 oh yeah because I just rocked up and started “lecturing” other people randomly. They told me they really disliked the dolls as they “look like prostitutes” and I said I too dislike them and don’t buy them. They said they can’t say no to their child. To me, that is weak, sorry if that makes you uncomfortable but it is. My DMIL pushed and pushed these dolls to my DD when she was 4 and I repeatedly said no please don’t buy them and explained why not. She bought them anyway. I removed them and sold them on eBay. As I had said I would. That wasn’t comfortable as I like my MIL.
Your original post said 'when I pointed this out' they agreed. Which does indeed suggest their agreement came after you taking it upon yourself to 'point out' the issues with the dolls. It's only now that you mention they had first said the dolls looked like prostitutes. I hope you had the same moral courage in challenging them on all that's wrong with making remarks like that as you feel you needed to stand up to your child and MIL.
Siameasy · 10/09/2021 09:58

Hang on 5128 you didn’t like me “lecturing” them-now you want me to lecture them.
I didn’t think I was meant to be lecturing them. Make your mind up.
Many of these dolls do look like the stereotype of a prostitute. Don’t pretend they don’t.

JustSayingItHowItIs · 10/09/2021 09:59

They don't look sexualised to me at all.

FunTimes2020 · 10/09/2021 10:02

They are awful and trashy and I never allowed my now teen DD to have dolls that looked like sex workers. Thankfully she always preferred cute teddies! YANBU

CallMeNutribullet · 10/09/2021 10:06

Apparently if you're not into fetish clubs you're a "dowdy type" now.

FuckingFlumps · 10/09/2021 10:08

@JustSayingItHowItIs

They don't look sexualised to me at all.
I'm curious in what way you don't think they are sexulised? If you don't think they are sexulised what would you consider sexulised attire on a doll aimed at 5 year olds?
Siameasy · 10/09/2021 10:15

@JustSayingItHowItIs

They don't look sexualised to me at all.
Do you really think this? Certain clothing on women is sexualised by society. I wouldn’t dress a DD in fishnet tights, heels, knee-high boots, bondage gear, cropped tops, high-cut shorts…
5128gap · 10/09/2021 10:37

I'm curious as to what people think dolls should wear?

GreyhoundG1rl · 10/09/2021 10:48

@5128gap

I'm curious as to what people think dolls should wear?
You really can't imagine?
FuckingFlumps · 10/09/2021 10:50

@5128gap

I'm curious as to what people think dolls should wear?
Clothes that represent what the children playing with them would be familiar with. It's not a difficult concept.
Original poster
Itsbeen84yearss · 10/09/2021 10:50

@5128gap

I'm curious as to what people think dolls should wear?
Normal clothes that children wear? Little t shirts, shorts, dungarees, cotton dresses… plenty of ways to make these look cute and fun. My dd loves flippy sequin t shirts
OP posts:
aSofaNearYou · 10/09/2021 11:04

Normal clothes that children wear? Little t shirts, shorts, dungarees, cotton dresses… plenty of ways to make these look cute and fun. My dd loves flippy sequin t shirts

When I was a child, I used to do a lot of role play games with dolls, and they were almost always adults. I'm not saying the costumes should be as sexualised as they sometimes are, but I also don't really agree with the general consensus there often is that dolls should be dressed as kids. For me, the point of play was to imagine something other than myself.

5128gap · 10/09/2021 11:14

I can obviously imagine what I personally think is appropriate for a doll to wear GreyhoundG1rl, I asked what other people thought. And lack of consensus of opinion doesn't equate to difficulty in grasping a concept. OP is saying clothes children wear; whereas other people might feel that on a doll that looks like an adult woman this would be inappropriate too. Someone else is saying clothes that are familiar, which may be a bit pedestrian to appeal to a child, given part of the point of a fashion doll is that their look is more dramatic than everyday clothes. I'm not convinced its the clothes that are the issue. I think the issue is that the doll is an adult, with an adult look and body and, similar to Barbie, exaggerated physical features, so pretty much anything it 'wears' has the potential to look sexual.

FuckingFlumps · 10/09/2021 11:24

I think the issue is that the doll is an adult, with an adult look and body and, similar to Barbie, exaggerated physical features, so pretty much anything it 'wears' has the potential to look sexual.

I don't actually think this doll is supposed to be an adult is she?

I also think that it's disingenuous to say anything that a doll like this wears has the potential to look sexual. From a quick Google there are many other dolls by this brand that are wearing generic clothing that doesn't look even remotely sexual.

Original poster
Itsbeen84yearss · 10/09/2021 11:29

There’s plenty of costumes that would be fine though. We have an overflowing dressing up box pirate, ballerina, genie, firefighter, chef… I don’t see many parents buying the kinds of outfits these dolls are wearing for the dressing up box

OP posts:
Bbq1 · 10/09/2021 11:32

@SquirryTheSquirrel

I had Sindy dolls when I was a child:
Sindy! Loved my Sindy. Way better than Barbie.
Siameasy · 10/09/2021 11:32

A lot of these dolls are weird adult/child hybrids. My DD was given one which had curves but the proportions of a child and had a baby bottle but wore a bikini. Another was an animal/woman hybrid. It wore bondage gear.
There’s another creature called Poopsie Slime Surprise (which I also vetoed) which is an adult/child/animal hybrid and it poos. Its a horse that wears a nappy but has the curves of a woman. Not a fetish at all though.

Bbq1 · 10/09/2021 11:34

@EmeraldShamrock

I also don't think i've seen a sexy Barbie. I'm sure there have been some over the years, but my Barbies as a child were vets, horseriders, babysitters etc. Barbie was sexy no matter how she dressed Hugh Hefner type Most white adult movie stars looked like barbie in the 80's, big breasts, tiny waist, blonde hair. Young girls couldn't wait to grow to be like barbie in her tiny bikinis.
Yep, true. Barbie was really attractive in whatever 'job' she was doing. Sindy was much more relatable and girl next door.
GreyhoundG1rl · 10/09/2021 11:36

@Siameasy

A lot of these dolls are weird adult/child hybrids. My DD was given one which had curves but the proportions of a child and had a baby bottle but wore a bikini. Another was an animal/woman hybrid. It wore bondage gear. There’s another creature called Poopsie Slime Surprise (which I also vetoed) which is an adult/child/animal hybrid and it poos. Its a horse that wears a nappy but has the curves of a woman. Not a fetish at all though.
🤢
5128gap · 10/09/2021 11:57

@FuckingFlumps

I think the issue is that the doll is an adult, with an adult look and body and, similar to Barbie, exaggerated physical features, so pretty much anything it 'wears' has the potential to look sexual.

I don't actually think this doll is supposed to be an adult is she?

I also think that it's disingenuous to say anything that a doll like this wears has the potential to look sexual. From a quick Google there are many other dolls by this brand that are wearing generic clothing that doesn't look even remotely sexual.

The doll in red clearly has the body of an adult woman. Its certainly not meant to represent a child. Not sure what's disingenuous about stating that a doll designed with exaggerated curves and enormous made up eyes and lips has the potential to look sexual regardless of its outfit. And as we've established, a number of people disagree the clothes worn by the dolls on the thread look sexual, so it's all subjective.
Icenii · 10/09/2021 12:06

Not read the full thread, but DD loved the Lottie Dolls and friends. She use to find outfits that would match what Lottie was wearing. I'm glad it was Lottie and not these dolls.