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Original poster

To think that nothing is going to change for women while girls are still targeted with this bullshit?

269 replies

WinterTrees · 07/10/2021 11:57

In Sainsburys this morning. In the boys' clothes aisle I noticed tops with the words UNLIMITED and UNSTOPPABLE printed on them. Took a quick detour down the girls aisle to see what similarly empowering messages were being directed at them...

To think that nothing is going to change for women while girls are still targeted with this bullshit?
To think that nothing is going to change for women while girls are still targeted with this bullshit?
OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
HeidiHaus · 07/10/2021 17:36

'And no £24 for a child’s T-shirt at scarfmonkey is not really competing with m&s and Sainsbury’s.'

I posted the Scarf Monkey link but I do agree, it's not cheap for a kids's t-shirt. How does that compete with the £1.50 unicorn-sparkle in Primark?

HomeSliceKnowsBest · 07/10/2021 17:43

YANBU OP. I fucking hate this it makes me so mad. Where is all the boy's clothing telling them to 'be kind?

ErrolTheDragon · 07/10/2021 17:50

@optimistic40

Let's stay home

(Or we might get raped and murdered by those limitless men)

My feeling as to why this one is particularly Hmm is because anyone who doesn't have their head in the sand will be aware of how much male violence against women and girls happens, whether they go out (stranger attacks) or stay at home (DV, women throttled during sex etc).

That shouldn't have any relevance to kids clothes but it's part of the context.

Original poster
WinterTrees · 07/10/2021 17:52

That's interesting tellittomeslowly but also disappointing and baffling. So they have clothing factory suppliers who send over samples that get a quick once over, and the buyers just shrug and take what's presented to them?

That's bonkers. (The system, not what you're saying!) Supermarket buyers are some of the most powerful people in retail. I work in a publishing related industry and I know that authors' fortunes are made or lost in the aisles of Tesco and Asda; getting a book into a supermarket is the holy grail of publishing. I believe that it's the same story for farmers in the meat and fresh produce departments - if the man from Tesco wants tomatoes that exactly match the colour of his ferrari, they will turn themselves inside out to supply them.

If supermarket clothing buyers say we're not buying bullshit sexism anymore, do better, you can bet that the factories will take note and turn around a new collection in the blink of an eye, I'd guess, rather than lose the business of the likes of Sainsbury's. The fact that buyers either don't notice the rank sexism, or don't care about it is the really troubling thing here.

OP posts:
exiledfromcornwall · 07/10/2021 17:57

Wow! I sometimes buy clothes for myself from Sainsbury's, but I would be prepared to boycott them over this.

KittenKong · 07/10/2021 18:00

When DS was little I noticed a point where his cute little toddler clothes turned into bloody ugly soldier or skull design items.

Bugger that! I just didn’t buy it - I got plain stuff and personalised them with patches and embroidery.

babywipes · 07/10/2021 18:17

@Plotato

It's not as simple as buying from the other section. I hope it's not contradictory but I want girls clothes cut in the style of girls clothes - smaller neckline etc. I just don't want the stupid messages or unicorns and rainbows all over them!
Children pre-puberty are all the same size, why do you want smaller necklines?
mustlovegin · 07/10/2021 18:26

YANBU OP

They are everywhere (not just Sainsbury's)

I guess it's not the retailers' fault (although I agree those at the top signing off on the clothing lines should know better).

It's more likely to be some kind of global trend setting companies advising lower level 'designers' who work in mass production

babywipes · 07/10/2021 18:32

@Peaplant20

This stuff infuriates me and is so difficult to get away from. I don’t want to buy my baby girl clothes that say ‘beautiful’ and ‘happy’ and have unicorns all over them but if I get stuff from the boys section it’s all tractors and dinosaurs. There’s a real demand for more neutral clothing but nowhere is providing it despite stuff like this popping up over social media all the time (so much so that I was so shocked when I had my LO this year that boys and girls sections in shops are pretty much pink and blue). The problem is that a lot of people love these clothes and still buy them without really thinking how damaging it is in a wider context. But like I say there is a demand for stuff not like this but no where seems to be providing it.
Zara, uniqlo and H&M have tonnes of neutral clothing.

My son is 3.5 and has loads of dino stuff, and loads of very androgynous stuff too.

It's easy to find! I ignore anything with a slogan, they're tacky as fuck whatever they say.

babywipes · 07/10/2021 18:35

Pretty neutral!

To think that nothing is going to change for women while girls are still targeted with this bullshit?
To think that nothing is going to change for women while girls are still targeted with this bullshit?
To think that nothing is going to change for women while girls are still targeted with this bullshit?
babywipes · 07/10/2021 18:35

Again

To think that nothing is going to change for women while girls are still targeted with this bullshit?
To think that nothing is going to change for women while girls are still targeted with this bullshit?
Fizbosshoes · 07/10/2021 18:44

I model it with my men’s jeans. The only significant difference I find between teen boys and women’s is the pocket size. I’m very comforting buying men’s clothing if it was I’m looking for.

Thats ok if you're a suitable size for mens clothing. I'm pretty short and even a lot of "standard" size womens clothing is too big.
Years ago a workmates (male) had a padded jacket from primark.it was useful for commuting because it was reasonably warm and slightly waterproof but squished up small in a bag if the heating on the train was on. I looked in the womens section for one. They had one almost the same (same price) but with no hood and no inside pockets...why do retailers think women don't need practical features? It was a fairly boring, practical sort of coat, not a fashion statement! Afterwards I wished I'd looked to see if there was a similar one in the boys section!

EishetChayil · 07/10/2021 18:44

"Let's Stay Home". I might buy that one for my Orthodox Jewish and Muslim female friends who currently don't want to take the risk of going to a public pool in case there are men in the changing rooms claiming to be women.

Wazzzzzzzup · 07/10/2021 18:47

@EishetChayil

"Let's Stay Home". I might buy that one for my Orthodox Jewish and Muslim female friends who currently don't want to take the risk of going to a public pool in case there are men in the changing rooms claiming to be women.
Boom just threw it right in 💣
Briony123 · 07/10/2021 18:53

I've bought boys tops for mine since they were young. Girls is all about #bekind whereas boys is all about exploring space or #IMakeItLookEasy Rubik's cube. The designers appear to not have encountered any fun girls. Pastel colours also make me feel a bit ill. And plain tops look fabulous with tutus/organza skirts (depending on age), daaaaahling.

Briony123 · 07/10/2021 19:03

@Amrapaali

I think we should get off our collective arses and actually DO something. Not carp and wring or hands on MN.

We are 50 pc of the population. I'm sure there are more than a few entrepreneurial spirits amongst us. If any woman can start a company that produces ethical, reasonably priced clothes that girls would love to wear, I will literally throw wads of cash in this company's direction. I don't know enough about business but I have other skills that I will happily offer to such a company. Even if it is a tiny start-up.

My DD loves Rick and Morty. The only merch she found was in the men's section.

Realistically, most people don't have much money so the only way to make a difference is to just buy the amazing boys clothes for the girls! I've done it for years. Mine have never had any naff statements on their tops. They've had AMAZING skirts and red/pink Stripe jumpers but no twee, vomit-inducing statements. They only sell us what we buy.
EmeraldShamrock · 07/10/2021 19:38

Yanbu. I'd be happier if they designed girls shorts that cover the bum cheeks too.
Ridiculously short.

Chicchicchicchiclana · 07/10/2021 19:57

Yanbu op.

DockOTheBay · 07/10/2021 20:37

@ParadiseLaundry

I hate this too. For some reason that 'Let's Stay Home' one has particularly got my back up.

To the PP who said they didn't see 'be kind' on boys t shirts I did actually see a few this year in primark (and bought my DS's some) but they are very rare, granted.

Same here. I think it reminds me of the covid slogan "stay home, stay safe" so "let's stay home" puts in my mind the phrase "stay safe" like girls aren't safe outside the home. Obviously its not meant to mean that and pre-covid i probably wouldn't have made the connection, but I think that's why I hate it.
DamnUserName21 · 07/10/2021 20:40

YADNBU!!!!!

Mucky1 · 07/10/2021 21:05

www.scarfmonkey.com/products/suffragettes-t-shirt
These are brilliant Iv ordered one for my 9yo

GreyhoundG1rl · 07/10/2021 21:06

@Mucky1

https://www.scarfmonkey.com/products/suffragettes-t-shirt These are brilliant Iv ordered one for my 9yo
Yeah, I like that.
AllMonthLong · 07/10/2021 21:08

All this ‘be kind’ shit pisses me off. Why is it mainly girls and women who are told to be kind? We’re sick of being fucking kind.

Unicorns and rainbows can fuck off too.

Tempusfudgeit · 07/10/2021 21:10

Tesco had a girls' tee-shirt declaring 'The Future is Female'. Try explaining that to my six-year old son who read it on our way past.

RealhousewifeofBarnardCastle · 07/10/2021 21:14

YANBU OP