Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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
PepsiHoover · 09/09/2021 10:08

@sweeneytoddsrazor

They don't look any different to Bratz dolls which were incredibly popular about 10 years ago
And everyone complained about back then. Barbie is based on a sex do and she's about 60 years old now. People have been complaining about her for decades.

The whole idea of dolls full stop is harmful for girls. It's all about appearances, make up, hair, dress up and clothes. The Malibu dream house and the fancy car. Baby dolls are also about reinforcing traditional care giver rolls onto girls.

TheMarzipanDildo · 09/09/2021 10:11

@Whiskyinajar

Oh these are indeed very grim.

Check out Tree Change Dolls and Lottie Dolls to see how it can be done without the sexualised overtones.

Those tree change dolls are good, very skilful bit of up cycling
CustardySergeant · 09/09/2021 10:15

The Tree Change dolls are lovely. The differences between the 'before' and 'after' dolls are striking. treechangedolls.tumblr.com/

JudgeJ · 09/09/2021 10:15

@MrsHookey

I found one lol doll wearing fishnets! Agree they are highly sexualised.
And Barbie wasn't? How many of you had Barbie dolls and haven't been remotely affected by it? How many of you cuddled a male in a duffel coat and wellies? People seem to expend a lot of time looking to be offended by trivia.
DoormatBob · 09/09/2021 10:17

I didn't realise latex suits were fashionable. I will have to get one for my 3yo, save a fortune on washing and throwing away sauce stained cardigans.

Sitchervice · 09/09/2021 10:20

Omg they remind be of bratz Dolls. I hated Dolls even as as a kid. I find all Dolls are a bit sexualized

BigGreen · 09/09/2021 10:20

@DoormatBob

I didn't realise latex suits were fashionable. I will have to get one for my 3yo, save a fortune on washing and throwing away sauce stained cardigans.
LOL!
CoalCraft · 09/09/2021 10:20

Baby dolls are also about reinforcing traditional care giver rolls onto girls.

My nephews (4, 6 and 6) love playing with baby dolls. They carry them around, cuddle them, push them in a pram... On the other hand my nieces (nearly 3) currently have no interest.

Baby dolls only "enforce gender stereotypes" if you only give them to one gender.

What's wrong with aspiring to a caregiver role anyway, regardless of gender?

EmeraldShamrock · 09/09/2021 10:21

They are very glamorous.
I'd agree bratz dolls wear OTT fetish clothing.
Those LOL dolls look like pop-stars very similar to Nikki Minag and Arianna's style.
In my day it was gem doll's inspiration from Madonna's 80's wardrobe.
I didn't aspire to wearing cones on me breasts.

Nightfeedwatcher · 09/09/2021 10:23

I can see where everyone’s coming from but just can’t get upset about this…if you don’t like them just don’t buy them?
I see the red outfit as more alternative/rock look. And more for kids that are out of the usual baby/barbie age bracket but still want to play!

FuckingFlumps · 09/09/2021 10:23

And Barbie wasn't? How many of you had Barbie dolls and haven't been remotely affected by it?

None of my childhood barbie dolls had fishnets or latex outfits. They might have existed but in general the outfits most barbie dolls wore in my childhood were not even remotely sexual. She wore normal clothes such as jeans, tops and skirts, swimming costumes and long princess type dresses. Yes she had heels and make up etc but it's hardly comparable to the latex outfit this doll is wearing.

SquirryTheSquirrel · 09/09/2021 10:26

I had Sindy dolls when I was a child:

Are these dolls totally inappropriate?
LittleMysSister · 09/09/2021 10:28

I do think certain dolls have always been sexualised, you only have to look at Barbie to see that.

I guess without the context, children wouldn't see them that way though? They will just see the colours as a 'cool' outfit. It's only adults who would look at that doll in red and see the inference...though it does beg the question why the designers would dress them this way.

But I don't think kids will be damaged by it or even pick up on it tbh.

Motherofmonsters · 09/09/2021 10:31

Theres loads of different career Barbie's - entomologist, marine biologist, astrophysicist etc. Barbie's are more than care giver dolls. I also don't think I've seen a sexy barbie

longwayoff · 09/09/2021 10:33

My daughter will be 50 this year. Still slightly miffed about Barbie being banned in our house. I wonder who designs these grotesqueries to sell to children? Probably not mums.

Whinge · 09/09/2021 10:34

@Motherofmonsters

Theres loads of different career Barbie's - entomologist, marine biologist, astrophysicist etc. Barbie's are more than care giver dolls. I also don't think I've seen a sexy barbie
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.
EmeraldShamrock · 09/09/2021 10:36

These dolls are marketed at an older child, my DD played with Dolls until this year, these types are more suited for 9 y.o onwards.
I agree the fashion is very little mix stage outfits.

VeganVeal · 09/09/2021 10:36

@Magenta82

That one in red looks like she is on her way to a fetish club
I think the gimp mask costs extra
FuckingFlumps · 09/09/2021 10:38

@Motherofmonsters

Theres loads of different career Barbie's - entomologist, marine biologist, astrophysicist etc. Barbie's are more than care giver dolls. I also don't think I've seen a sexy barbie
Glad it's not just me. I thought I might be misremembering through rose tinted glasses but honestly none of my childhood barbies were sexy. They were teachers, mermaids, wore generic 90s clothes and sometimes their hair changed colour. None of them were sexy.
FlatCheese · 09/09/2021 10:39

Just had a look at those tree change dolls. My DD wasn't really into dolls (and is too old now) but I wouldn't have minded those at all.

The before pictures with their sneery, pouty looks are so different from the much younger looking after pictures.

ThePluckOfTheCoward · 09/09/2021 10:40

They look like they should be called Porn Dolls.

5zeds · 09/09/2021 10:41

Yes just like the revolting Bratz dolls that I didn’t buy for my children.

5128gap · 09/09/2021 10:41

Fetish wear? That made me laugh. And what child of the age to be playing with these dolls would know what a fetish was? To a child its a doll in red trousers and a matching jacket. Neither doll looks remotely 'sexy' in those clothes. Again, with the horror of a doll in fishnets. Why on earth would your children associate fishnets with sex? My DD would have thought they were ballet tights. And fishnets are very fashionable.

furbabymama87 · 09/09/2021 10:41

They are unrealistic, with the cartoon face and over exaggerated female figure. Maybe they are sexualised but you could say that about Barbie too. My DDs have had a few of these dolls in the past and played with them like any other doll. I think they're harmless.

EmeraldShamrock · 09/09/2021 10:42

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.